After having set the timing statically and then going to the timing gun I was asked to turn the dizzy a few degrees. I got 40,000 volts at about 3amps a couple of times. This has now happened about 4 times too many and I am looking for answers. The wires are about 10 years old Magnecores and I am using a borrowed Malory electronic distributor.
All wires appear visually good and I don’t see any cracks in the dizzy cap.
Looking for some good ideas to solve this problem. Someone just told me to start it at night and look for flashes which I did not see. Someone else suggested spraying a mist of water onto the wires going into the cap. I should see a rainbow of lightening? Haven’t done this yet.
Might be easier to replace the ten year old wires and throw on a new cap.
How does one test their work without getting a shock like an electric fence??
GERARD the reason you and not the spark plugs receive the 40,000 volts is you are a better ground. The wires/plugs/etc HAVE HIGHER RESISTANCE. Start your OHM meter and search. Pete
Do you mean I should compare the resistance of all the wires from one end to the other of each wire using the ohm setting?
I will try that and will probably go with buying some new silicone 7mm non metal core wires and use these as an emergency backup.
I asked another mechanic today about the shock and he said he had never experienced the ZAP. Seems odd that a true mechanic would not have felt the wrath of the resistance!