With the ignition on (hot wire to coil) and the cap off, with the points closed (between high pints on distributor shaft) make sure the point head is resting on its other half, take a non metalic probe (plastic or wood) and move the movable part of the points. You should get a spark at the points head if you don't there is a short in the points or the wire from the coil. Also check the cap for cracks and the rotor for continuity. These parts normally cause misfires but if bad enough can cause no starts. They can be hard to diagnose and should be checked very closely. Also check your test light on a different car to make sure it is working. Your right to consentrate on spark, compression and fuel can be checked after you establish spark.

 

If you can get the starter to run with the remote start switch then it sounds like your netural safety switch isn't hooked up or is misadjusted. If you have a manual trans car look for a switch behind the dash that is attached to the clutch pedal and connected to two purple wires. If you have an automation trans car then I beleive that the neutral safety switch will be in the console attached to the gear selector connected to purple wires.

Regards,

Jay

 

Your best bet is get the GM shop manual for that vehicle. I had a buddy with a 71 Buick Skylark and with my 78 Vette manual I was able to walk through it. There is a sequence in that manual that takes you through methodically, step by step, rather than a shotgun approach. I see threads here all over the place just kind of trying this and that. You first need to establish is it a fuel issue or electrical issue. An easy thing to try is hit it with starting fluid. If it fires up and then stalls...you have a fuel issue most likely. If it won't fire at all you most likely have some electrical issue and then you have to work through that step by step. I have to agree with one above that I would be suspect that low voltage is an issue to the coil. If my memory serves me right on the Buick it was looking for more around 10.5 to 11v minimum. Again the best bet is the shop manual will walk you through systemically, and methodically. Definition of troubleshooting: A methodic, systematic way to determine a problem source. Sometimes you get lucky shotgunning, but more than likely you will get a lot of irriatation and spend a lot of money. That Buick...the first guy spent a full 8 hour day on it and threw up his hands....I took a look at it because I felt sorry for the poor buy who was going to tow it in. I had it resolved in 45 min., never dealing with an issue like this.....why? Because I cracked the GM manual and followed the steps. In the end it was due to a bubba fix to the main coil wire which caused the wire to arc, and burn open. A new piece of wire properly soldered and dressed fixed it but good.

 

I ordered a haynes manual last week but it has yet to arrive. Here are the readings that I have so far:

12.26 V at ignition wire when key is in run position and ignition wire is disconnected from the + side of the coil.

7.07 V at ignition wire when key is in run position and ignition wire is connected to the + side of the coil.

8.03 V at ignition wire at when key is in run position and remote trigger is used (ignition wire is connected to the + side of the coil).

12.26 v when using a jumper wire from the + side of the alternator to the + side of the coil (ignition wire disconnected at coil)

Neutral Safety switch wires have been removed (not by me and they look like they were just yanked out).

Primary coil reading is 2 ohms (ignition wire removed)

Secondary coil reading is 12290 ohms (+ side)

Secondary coil reading is 12240 ohm (- side)

Coil wire reading is 6870 ohms

Coil wire reading is 6950 (distributor cap attached to coil wire)

I checked a couple of spark plug wires attached to the distributor and the readings were 15100 ohms and 15600 ohms.

Hope this helps.

 

When you move the points like this, hook a known good spark plug to the coil wire and lay it on the engine to ground it. The plug should fire. Then all that is left is the rotor, cap, plug wires and spark plugs.


Temporarily hook up the alt to coil wire, but loose enough that you can jerk it off if necessary. Take 1 plug wire off a plug, put a known good plug on it and lay this on the engine to get a good ground and use the remote to crank. If the rotor, cap and wire is good the plug will fire and you will see spark.

If the plug fires, connect the plug wire back up to the original installed spark plug for that cylinder, pour a cap full of gas in the carb and try to start it. It should at least fart.

If it farts, make sure you have gas by checking the accelerator pump in the carb. Then try and start it with the remote and full voltage.

The only thing left if it won’t run is the timing.

This will take you all of 15 minutes to test.

Using the full 12+ volts to test run for a bit won’t hurt a thing. They all use the full voltage for starting anyway.