Speaking of Dwell, is it safe to ......... (CDI)

[Gogar]

I was changing the points in my 2.4 CIS today, and I borrowed an analyzer (dwell, rpm, etc.) from my neighbor. Nice guy. Muscle car chevy guy. Anyway, when I was checking the points gap he was hanging around and he was commenting:

"Don't worry about putting it all back together. Just clip the analyzer to the points wire and crank the engine!! You can check your dwell angle without putting everything back together!!! Way faster!!!"

I protested, partly because I wanted to do it like in my "101 projects" book (I've only done this a time or two) And partly because a nagging voice inside my head recalled a memory from my Pelican BBS lurking: Cranking the engine . . . . blah blah blah . . . .coil disconnected . . . blah . . . CDI damage . . blah blah.

So am I right? Will Cranking over the engine with the cap off, rotor off, Coil disconnected damage anything? Anything at all? Especially the CDI box?

[911pcars]

I've never adjusted the points on a CDI engine with a dwell meter so can't say if there will be any damage. If no damage and there's sufficient signal, you should be able to read dwell with the engine cranking.

However, with any type of ignition, always ground the coil high tension wire so the spark can go to ground.

Sherwood

[Paulporsche]

I just pull the cap off, set the screwdriver blade between the point half and the nub on the plate, crank the engine, and watch the gauge while rotating the blade. The coil is connected to the cap, but that's where the current flow ends. You can also disconnect the fuel pump relay.

[Gogar]

Thanks and bump.

I wish my car even had a fuel pump relay.