No spark in my 914 relationship

[Pritchard]

Here's my setup...'74 2056cc with new NGK plugs new wires new Accel coil and a Pertronix Ignitor.

I'm still trying to figure out what's wrong with my ignition. A little history...Two weeks ago the engine had a miss. Replaced #4 wire and it went away. One week ago, engine developed an erratic miss thru all RPM's, but car was drivable. Two or three days ago, engine is missing so bad that I can't drive it. Also have developed an occasional backfire.

This morning, started the car and it only fired on cyl. number three. Not a pleasant sound BTW. Put an old dist. cap and rotor on and swapped on some old wires and got cyls. 1 and 4 to fire sometimes (#3 fires consistantly). I was checking for spark with the timing light lead.

The #2 wire is not showing any spark at all. What is confusing me is that there is spark from the #2 wire to its terminal on the dist. cap, but no spark going thru the wire. This occurs with several different wires that I have tried on that #2 terminal. I replaced the coil and am waiting on a new cap and rotor.

I rechecked the shaft in the dizzy and it does move a little side to side. Not much, but it does move. Shouldn't the Pertronix compensate for this movement though?

Per someone's suggestion, I disconnected the tach wire and saw no change in behavior.

If you have any thoughts or words of encouragement, please send them my way.

Thanks
David Pritchard

BTW, compression numbers are in the 150psi range.

[John Rogers]

I had something similar to this, but not as bad. I would try the original points again if you have them. I'd also measure the resistance of each plug wire, the rotor resistance and check the cap for arching or burning. I would check each plug connector to see if it has grounded and if you are using a lube on the plugs make sure it is not an insulator type. In my case it was a bracked Compufire rotating element in the distributor which let the individual magnets get loose and the lose ones would not trigger the little module thingey?? Good luck.

[flynlow]

Just what John recommended, and be absolutely sure you have a good or new point, cap, rotor, wires, and spark plugs for testing. The process of eliminating is the best form of diagnostic.