So far I have not been able to get spark on all 4 cylinders. Initally I believe I had spark on 3 of the 4. My plugs are all new and are gapped right. The spark plug wires themselves show continuity. The motor is a 1960 merc400. I have taken the whole distributor out and checked my timing in the process. Cleaned distributor very well, down to the points in the bottom. Check all wires and conections and look to be in good condition. My distributor has a rotor and needle in the cap the needle is on a spring and the spring has good tension and conductivity. My points/nipples in the cap are all corrosion free and shiny, along with the rotor arm. In the belly of my distributor are the points and what I belive to be a capacitor or something (a silver cylinder about 1.25" long and .5" in diameter only one wire going in). Then there is a larger device that looks like a coil with a plactic cover and a flat copper arm/connector which conducts current throught an opening in the cap onto a cabon nipple that is part of the distributor cap and has spring tension pushing the carbon down onto the copper arm. (Sorry about my lack of knowing the names to these parts)
. What I really need to know is how to test these parts in the belly of my distributor to see if there working properly. I have a multimeter but need to know what to do. Also please tell me if I need to have power going to the distributor.
. What I really need to know is how to test these parts in the belly of my distributor to see if there working properly. I have a multimeter but need to know what to do. Also please tell me if I need to have power going to the distributor.