Technical Need help from the ignition gurus.

Some have asked - "is the rotor turning" had the spline break on my old 318 poly just the other day....thankfully I was able to get the broken piece out of the gear with a magnet.......just sayin'...........

 

Not to sound like a ****....but with so many parts replaced and it being hot wired...the only variable left, is you. Are you sure you have cleaned, properly gapped points with a distributor with an unbroken ground wire, connected to the - (negative) side of the coil? Also try turning it over at night..if there is a short outside of the distributor cap..youll see it more easily.

I just noticed in your list of parts, that you didn't mention that you replaced the rotor. Maybe the rotor has a crack or something and it's shorting out on the distributor shaft. Just spit balling here.

 

A point ignition system isn't hard to diagnose. I would use a voltmeter, but you could use a test light. Connect one lead to battery negative. With the points open you should see battery voltage at coil +, at coil -, at the connector on the points themselves, and no voltage at the ground side of the points. Now close the points. You should see a bit less than battery voltage at coil +, no voltage at coil -. If you see battery voltage at both posts, the wire going to the points is open. You should see the same voltage at the connector on the point that you saw on coil -. The last test is the ground side of the points. It should have no voltage. If you do see a voltage here, your distributor has no ground. Once you get all the correct readings, you will have spark.

 

I looked back, OP did mention engine and year. His and my reply are gone. But points be points. Get the point?

 

A couple of leads with alligator clips and a test light go a long way [it's way cheaper than "machine gunning" parts at it]


Ground the distributor with one of the leads. [to eliminate a grounding problem]
Then hot wire the coil to the battery to byp*** any ignition switch/harness problems.

Then use the Test-light to static time the engine. This will show up any internal short circuits in the distributor.
And don't trust modern replacement condensers [ I had 2 new condenser failures straight out of the box, and used the old GM condenser from the trash]

 

4 calling birds
3 French hens
2 Turtle doves

And a Partridge in a Pear tree!

 

@Squisbait any progress?