point eliminator system
 

I am having issues with # 5 cylinder not firing. In checking the distributor, it has a point eliminator set up, not sure which one since it came on the car. BTW it is a 74 911, the engine may be an 83 not sure, any way I was checking out the distributor, pulled the plastic ring off and found six little magnets, took 'em out, and am now wondering what is the easiest way to reassemble, and does any one know what the air gap is for this set up?

If you're not sure what you have and don't care about period-correctness, you can always try the Fireball ignition system (available here on Pelican). IIRC it's about $150.

lost spark
 

have a fireball system on already just cant get spark to no 5 cylinder
have new cap ,rotor wires ,plugs all fire except no 5 have moved the wires around and still no fire on no 5

somebody has had to have this before?

you mean nobdy has ever had this problem
dont understand it but ive replaced everything and still no spark

If only one cylinder (no. 5) isn't firing, it's probably not the ign. box. Inspect the distributor cap and rotor, especially the current path for no. 5 cylinder. Also take a look at the source that signals the trigger to fire no. 5. What type of pointless system are you using?

No spark at end of spark plug connector? Check wire/connector with ohmmeter for continuity; wiggle and see if continuity is constant. Swap spark plug wires, maybe no. 5 spark plug too.

Remove no. 5 spark plug and inspect and swap as described above.

Perform compression test on engine. No/little compression = no power, same as a dead cylinder.

You can always revert to the factory system if the diagnosis leads to a dead end. Got a pro tech you can take it to?

Hope this helps,
Sherwood

tks sherwood but have done all that , just seems cant get spark from distributer cap am goiing to try new ignition system to see if it works

Do you get spark from the coil wire? If so, somethings going on with the cap and/or rotor that's not allowing the spark to travel past this point. Replacing a functioning ignition box with another just results in having two ignition boxes (one becomes a spare).

Sometimes it's an incorrect rotor or a rotor that isn't fully seated on the dist. shaft, or the cap isn't seated correctly.

Try not to diagnose by replacing parts. It's usually more expensive than correctly diagnosing it, even if performed professionally.

Sherwood

get spark from evey cylinder except 5 tested it right from the cap,rotataed cap 180 still no spark on 5

+1001 on that. I've always hated fault finding by replacement. That having been said, diagnosis on ignition systems is not always easy, especially for the inexperienced.

Katana, Sherwood is absolutely right about replacing the ignition box. It's sort of like replacing the water supply because one jet on your lawn sprinkler doesn't shoot water. You're almost certainly looking at the wrong end.

You said the cap, rotor, wires, and plugs were new, but you didn't say why. I'm going to guess they weren't replaced due to the #5 cyl not firing - and if that was your problem from the beginning, you've got to check compression and fuel (the injector) on #5. New parts are no guarantee for perfect function. What kind of plug wire terminals do you have? Swap wires with the #4 cyl (how are you checking this, btw?). No change, swap park plugs (one of your old ones, if the motor was running ok). No change - swap the cap for your old one. Check the wire with an ohmmeter (resistance wire or non? same as the old?).

Good luck.

If any of the magnets are upside down you won't get a correct spark. You would need to check orientation of the poles using another magnet for reference.
I would consider using the original points.
Ed

its got pmo carbs on it was running great no prob then no 5 just quit firing thought maybe bad plug or cracked plug so i changed it still no spark, had the old wires here so i tried that no go thought ok maybe distrubuter got a crack so changed it no spark
decided to pull all wires off distrubuter cap and short check(arc screwdriver)
each cap hole ALL fire except no 5 compression is fine even put another rotor in all fire except no 5

has a crane fireball ignition system been running great this is just crazy!!!

follow spark to it's end... where does it stop?