1963 Dual Point Distributor Problem

[Fourward]

I'm working on my parts car. It has the original Prest dual point distributor. I cannot get power to go through the distributor. By that I mean there is 12 volts at the + terminal on the coil, 12 volts on negative terminal, then when I hook the wire up to the distributor the voltage drops to less than one volt, points open or closed. I took the breaker plate off to attach the points and condenser, both new. Points open and close, but not simultaneously, there is a time when both are open at once. New wire from coil to distributor. Wire that connects points has continuity. There is no grommet on the coil to distributor wire. There is no ground wire from points to breaker plate, it was broken off. However, if I run a ground while checking for voltage, I still get no voltage. I ran a ground cable from the distributor case to the battery negative terminal. Unhooked condenser, still no voltage. 

Looked at the picture in  the shop manual, everything seems the same. EXCEPT, I am looking at wire #5 which connects the two points. Clearly that wire connects to the terminal screw at #6. But, on the other side, by the vacuum advance, it seems to drop down a hole. It doesn't seem to be connected to the terminal with the condenser ground and distributor wire. That's where  i connected mine. 

I'm hoping lack of a ground wire to the base plate doesn't matter, it almost seems overkill. 

I'm sure this is clear as mud.

HELP!

I think I can overcome all this by just getting an electronic distributor. I got that in the other Avanti and had no problems.

[cursed avanti]

I believe that there is no power in the distributer. The points are ground to the coil, the wire from the points goes to the negative terminal on the coil.

KK

 

 

[Fourward]

Working on it. Yes, there was no power. There was no power coming out of the starter solenoid. I replaced it. Now, power on start, and, power with the key through the resistor. I put a multimeter on the negative terminal. Now there is 12 volts at start, but, it jumps around and never does pulse to zero. I had the breaker plate off, when the points were open there was no power to the base, no continuity. But now, with the breaker plate mounted in the distributor, I have continuity to the base with the points open or closed. That seems to be the problem. I don't know what else to do???

[Fourward]

I don't know why there is a line through most of it.

[Fourward]

I got spark!! Replaced the coil, which was a new one. My fault, I think I burned it up with all the long start tries and wrong wires.