Is there a way to test the engine coil?

Thanks,

Bob H.

/// Although you can test the continuity with an ohmmeter the usual test is by elimination. A few shorted turns would test continuous but the effect of even one shorted turn would dampen the coil action.

Test for these and repost what you find.

Do you have a pulse when cranking on one one side and battery voltage on the other side of the coil terminals? If not start by finding out why not. This would point to the ignition circuit, the pick up device in the distributor, (or the fly wheel pick up on later mods), or their circuitry.

If the pulse is there, test sparkplug voltage by substituting an old spark plug (clamp it to engine ground) and plugging a spark plug wire on it. No spark? Substitute that spark plug wire for the high voltage wire in the coil. If there is still no spark try with a new plug wire and if you still have no sark but the pulse and battery voltage are at the two coil terminals the coil is probably bad.

You can see arcing in total darkness if the plug wires are cracked or leaking high voltage.

If you did have spark from the coil but not throuogh the distributor the rotor may be bad. There is a resistor in the rotor (I don't know about all mods), it can open or the cap can be too badly burned to carry the high voltage. Look!