No Spark

[jwmc1]

Today when I got up I vowed this would be the day...I would start the car after the long winter and having the engine out for a clutch replacement. However, now I have no spark coming from the coil...are there some obvious problems that I am missing, or is it something more complicated?

Other info - I bought the car with a swapped out engine...it is a 1980 SC with a 1977 C3 engine. The person who did the swap did not, in my opinion do a good job, there are several wires that seem to go no where and the wiring of the 1980 SC does not alway match up with the recepticals of the C3 engine.

I posted a couple of shots of the area...thanks

[Early_S_Man]

John,

1. Check the points, first! Use a 12 Volt test lamp connected to the 3-fuse panel and check the distributor output terminal [trigger lead for the Permatune CDI unit] to see if you get a flashing lamp during cranking. You can pull off the trigger wire and repeatedly touch it to ground and simulate the distributor -- the 'Telegraph Key' method. Each time you release the wire from ground ... you should get a spark on a new test spark plug connected to a spark plug lead plugged directly into the coil.

2. Pull the connector off the Permatune [an older Blue one, good!!!] and check for +12 Volts at the middle 'B' terminal connector at the plug.

The following thread contains several graphics of two Bosch documents pertaining to testing the CDI system -- the test bench methods are valid for the Permatune, too!:

Perma-tune CD or Bosch CD?

[Nitrometano]

First check the coil primary and secondary resistance using an ohmeter. Then if the resistance is ok, proceed to check the distributor pick-up coil voltage. Check if the distributor geen wire is color brown or broken. Then check the wistling sound of the CDI and make all the necessary tests to prove their working condition. Do a search in this forum to found the values of all the tests.

Good luck!