I got no spark

[510BRE]

check u got the wires on the points correctly make sure the wire is attached to the arm side off points not the frame off the points .....then turn engine to open points then turn key to ignition then get your test light hook to negative on battery then test points arm for power there should be power here if you dont have power here then u got a earth problem .....also check that your dizzy cap has no condensation in it ......

[iceD]

It's alive.

I checked the points to make sure they opened and closed. If your working alone I recommend placing a big wrench on the crank pulley and turning the motor by hand to get the points up on the cam.

I checked for power at the points and had none.

I printed Banzai's graphic and had a bit of a look around. Other than almost everything looking like it should be replaced, it all seemed to be in tact.

I was looking around the distributor and pulled the black w/red stripe wire off, which is by a larger condenser, and the post it was connected to was green. So I took a little file and some sandpaper and gave it a clean. And I had power at the points closest to the carburetor. I put the rotor and cap back on, and voila fire in the hole.

What is the condenser on the inside of the distributor for?

Thank you to everybody for their direction.

I think I'll go for a spin and charge the battery up.

ice D

[datzenmike]

When the points open, electricity want's to keep flowing and will arc across the very tiny air space as they open. Of course the gap quickly widens and the arc fails, but the temp of this tiny arc is about 11,000 F and even though it is small it will quickly erode the points away within a couple of hundred miles. To prevent, or reduce this arcing a capacitor is connected in parallel with the opening points. The capacitor or condenser will 'appear' to be another path to ground for the electricity to flow, rather than trying to jump through the air. Electricity always follows the easiest path to ground.

[iceD]

Just got back from a swing around Delta and Richmond, 60 miles, everything seemed to be working properly. I drove by the Datsun graveyard on River Road, in Richmond. Is that you Jason? And, on the spotted front, I saw a good looking Wagon on #5 Road a block North of Blundell. Who might that be?

Datzenmike thanks for your input. Do you have a part number on that capacitor?

I can see I am going to have to replace all those little thing-a-ma-jigs under the hood. Once I figure out what they all are. I think I will make a list complete with part numbers. Maybe.

ice D

[jason]

Yup, that was me ! That other wagon is another 510 Club members, Ken. I brought that one up for him a couple of years ago...

[James]

The other condensor is for the second set of points (assuming you have a dual point distributor). This was set up to change the timing under certain conditions (no load, 3rd gear etc.) for smog reasons.