Electrical Test + MSD = No Power at coil

[joea]

There is no hum comming from the MSD. The small red wire is hooked up to the white #40 on the harness. I'll check were that lands on the ignition switch.

Does it matter if I hooked up the STAT wire on the alternator (I did)

[Ron61]

Joea,

If you have yours connected the way the schematic posted shows, it should work. Note that there is a fuse shown in the lead going to the red wire. If you can get to where you connected your red wire to the #40 white wire and disconnect it easy, put a meter on the white wire and turn on your key and see if you have any voltage there. You should have 12V or close to that.

Ron

[strictlypersonl]

Joe,

If you don't have one, go out and get a test light, or better still a cheap VOM (volt-ohm meter). The best method in this type of troubleshooting is to gather information first, then go where the information points.

[joea]

I just verified I have power to the small red wire...I think I was using a bad ground to test it

Still no spark and I can't hear a hum at the MSD either. I am going to by another coil to test with per MSD procedure.....

[joea]

ARRRRRRRRR!!!! I JUST GOT A SPARK!!! I have the MSD power hooked up to a capacitor (MSD Noise Filter) I tested power at the capacitor and I had 12v but no spark. I took it off and tried the spark test and got spark. I put it back on and tried the same test and I got spark again! I'm not sure what was up.

There is the good news. The bad news is I can't try to start it until tomorrow night because my baby and the neighbor's kids are sleeping

Thanks for all the help and patience...hopefully if you look to the heavens tomorrow night about 5:30PST the clouds will part and a bright light will shine from above as a FE is reborn....(hopefully!)

[G.R.]

Damm electrical gremlins will get you every time.

[ERA649]

So,what happened then?

[RedBarchetta]

Originally posted by G.R.


Damm electrical gremlins will get you every time.

Ain't that the truth!
Heck, the car is light enough....maybe next time I go through the same thing I should just cut-up the floor and install pedals.

[joea]

I CAN'T WIPE THE SMILE OFF MY FACE! Tonight was my night to pick up out 1 yr old son from daycare because my wife works until 7. I was home with him by 6:00 and fed him dinner, bath, etc... Wife got home at 7:30 and off to the garage I went....

I turned on the video camera, got in the car, pumped the pedal one time, turned the key and and ERA #676 was born!! Without any choke, she ran choppy at first but nice! The neighbors came running over to see her purr! Then I noticed some smoke...uh oh...getting nervous. I killed the engine and went to investigate. Someting black and pasty on the header at the collector. I couldn't figure it out at first...then I remembered...grease from when I fit the pipes. Now to button up the little stuff...CHP here I come for my VIN number.

Thanks everyone for all the support. I look forward to cruising with some of you soon.

[G.R.]

Congratulations!