[Greg Reid]

What's the voltage at the distributor when the switch in the on position and what is it while cranking the starter motor?

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[PontiacJim1959]

Originally Posted by Greg Reid

What's the voltage at the distributor when the switch in the on position and what is it while cranking the starter motor?

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It will be battery voltage which should be 12 volts. Once it fires up and you let the key snap back to the "RUN" position, that is when the resistor wire takes over to drop voltage down to around 7ish volts so as not to burn up the points if you still have your points distributor hooked up.

You should see 2 wires going to the coil and usually jointed together at the end where the connector goes to the coil stud. One will be 12volt, the other the resistor wire.

If an HEI or electronic ignition has ever been used, then you want 12volts, period, no resistor wire used. So this means you have to eliminate the resistor wire and replace it with a "standard" wire or find a 12V source that becomes live with the key on to provide 12V when the key is snapped back to the "RUN" position.