I have a 1950 Plymouth Deluxe coupe, and I have spent a lot of time trying to get the car to run. I spent some time searching the forums (and all over the net), and could find no solution to my problem, so here it is.The problem seems to be electrical, and here is my diagnosis. The car was/is positive ground 6-volt. I do not wish to convert to 12 volt negative ground. The motor will turn over fine. I tested for juice at the coil, and have juice to the coil, but cannot find power out of the center, whether the ignition is off or on, or if the motor is turning over. I am using a 12 volt battery, but there appears to be a white ceramic piece (ballast resistor?) in the wire from the keyed ignition switch to the coil. The coil is a 12 volt coil, though. Would the 12 volt coil after the resistor be the problem, or could my problems lie elsewhere? I do have the other wire on the coil leading to the distributor. I have new points, condensor, and properly gapped plugs. Please help, and feel free to ask some questions to help diagnose the problems. Thanks in advance for any help.
Are you getting any voltage thru the ceramic resistor???use a voltmeter and see what voltage you are getting ,if any. if getting voltage thru resistor to the coil,take dist cap off and see if you can get a spark at the points as the dist turns...they should spark as they break to gap...check this and report your findings..
Hey Greaserat, You say you have new points in it,did you gap them? Dumb *** question, but Iv'e asked worse. I think you should try a 6 volt coil too. Did you get the points in the dist. without grounding the little br*** (or copper) strap? I did that once on an old Mopar. Normal Norman
Well First get a 6 volt coil and if there is a resistor remove it also. 6volt systems do not use the resistor unless it is a pre 48 Ford. Get a test light or volt meter then pullthe cap and put a piece of biz card between the points. Turn on ignition and check for power at each connection starting a the switch side of the coil. If you have power all the way to the moveable point remove the paper and confirm the points are closing. If they are see if you have power to the fixed point. If you do I'll say the ground lead fron the points plate to the dist. body is loose ,broken,missing. Stranger things have happened.
Get a 6 volt battery and a 6 volt coil if that's what you want to do. Playing around with a 12V battery and coil is not the way to get things done on a 6V system. The points plate pigtail is often the culprit on older cars, give it a good look.
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