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My 30 was running great until the other day returned from a car show. Got home and started coughing through the carb. No power, idled nice, let the clutch out and coughing began and no power, barely made it 6 feet to the garage:

So, replaced condenser and coil. New points (NU Rex). Now it is a no start. Checked 6 V - with the key off I have 6V at both coil terminals and both fastners at the box on the firewall. Nothing at the points. Fuel flow normal.

Turn the key on and I have 6v again at the firewall box, the negative terminal of the coil but nothing at the positive coil terminal.

The cable which provides six volts to the bottom dist plate has the 6v present. This is definitely a never kick a sleeping dog situation.... At any rate the love affair between me and my A is strained at best.

Any ideas?? Thanks

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Do you have spark from the high tension wire? How do the plugs look? Could be fouled from running to rich. Happened to me once....faulty carb

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From your description, "with the key off I have 6V at both coil terminals and both fastners at the box on the firewall. Nothing at the points.", this is as it should be. There should be six volts all the way to the ignition switch.

The next description is also true. Once the key is on and the circuit completed the positive side of the coil is grounded (no volts) IF the points are closed.

The question is, when the motor is cranked, with the key on, is there a spark from the coil wire when holding the end of the coil wire about an eigth of an inch from the block (ground)?

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Look at this drawing, I'm a little confused. I don't see how you cannot have voltage at the coil but have it at the bottom plate as the voltage goes through the coil to the switch to the bottom plate;

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Not sure how you can have power at the red terminal and not the black (Power feeds thru the coil black to red). Maybe the problem is intermittent and you have a bad coil, coil wire or Amp meter. Easy test of meter is to bypass and put both wires on one terminal. No change check the coil. Just had to sort this out myself (amp meter). Good luck. Tim

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Remove coil wire [ secondary] and hold it about 1/4" from a good ground. Remove distributor cap and turn engine until points open. Turn key on. Should have 6v at movable point arm. Jump across points and you should spark from secondary wire.

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and follow advice and proceedures on this link http://www.sacramentocapitolas.org/s...20Shooting.pdf

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I'll double check everything again this evening. Appreciate all the suggestions.

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Ok went over everything with my DVM - had voltage everywhere except the bottom dist plate. Took it out, cleaned the end of the high tension contact and voltage. Timed it and wallah it finally started and appears to be running ok.

I did notice my plugs are sooty. I backed off the GAV a bit. Is there any preferred way to clean the plugs (other than a perfectly tuned engine). I remember there used to be a plug cleaner with small bag of sand and fed with a air compressor.

Thanks again for all the suggestions. Hope it does not overheat with my retiming.

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If you're running rich you want to close down the GAV, not open it up.

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Ooops meant close it further. Think its at about half a turn, guess try quarter turn open. Thanks