Been working on my winter project (B style intake, ported bores to a Demon Jr 525) & finally got all the parts & time to put it back together. Problem is she won't fire. Suspecting it must be something I just did (usually is isn't it?), I went over everything & don't see anything obvious. I figure it's gotta be fuel, spark or compression. I didn't take the heads off, so rule out me messing compression up. I just replaced the carb so fuel seems likely. But I wanted to also confirm spark. I have a 57 dizzy with a Pertronix, & that was working fine. I didn't remove the dizzy or plug wires when swapping intakes, so timing wasn't disturbed. I did relocate the coil (Flamethrower coil). Another clue is I have been chasing down intermittent brake & tail light issue (success on that one) while I was saving up to buy the carb & parts. So had the ignition switch on for periods of time without the engine running.

I have searched the site & saw that it's possible to burn the Pertronixs Igniter 1 up by doing so if the Hall switch happens to be closed. I contacted Pertronixs & they told me how to check by using a meter & sweeping the magnet by the sensor. So it failed that test, I think I found the issue, & buy an Ingitor 2 so that won't happen again. I decide to also buy all new spark plugs & put them in with the new Igniter. I put in the new stuff, have 12.6V to the positive coil terminal, & still nothing. I lay a spark plug on my exhaust manifold with plug wire attached & see no spark when turning over. Also try a timing light & see no flashes of the light. I should see something I believe with either of these two methods. I have a good ground to the Igniter mount plate as suggested by Pertronix.

Ideas to help me chase it down would be appreciated. I think it has to be something simple & likely self induced.

Do you still have a neutral safety switch in the circuit - and are you in neutral?

A "sparking" interuption of the power feed to a device can double the voltage for a instant - and the electronic devices aren't too happy with such interuptions.

Before you buy still another of the Pertronix - consider installing the Ford Duraspark trigger device (stator and reluctor) in your distributor (same as MSD) - and then using a Ford / GM / Chrysler electronic firing controller. They are cheap and effective and available on Sunday afternoon - everywhere - for a few bucks - simply plug and play. The set-up Charlie McCraney uses looks like a Chrysler controller to me - I've run my bird on both Ford (and aftermarket) and GM (HEI four spade) controllers.

I wired my outfit through a 30 amp plug-in relay so power to the ignition coil is on one leg and the controller on the other. Pulling the relay disarms the whole shebang so you can leave the iginiton switch "on" and trouble shoot the rest of the systems. PM me with an email address and I'll send you a schematic....PDF file.

I did get a chance did pull the coil & the coil mount bracket (it's the same chrome Summit part as in the picture earlier in this string), sanded off the paint on the intake mount hole flange to bare metal for good contact with the mount, sanded off the coil case paint to bare metal where the chrome bracket holds the coil. Still no spark & ran out of time for further investigation. I don't have a backup coil to try. Maybe the coil is bad?

He also said he has REPLACED the bad pertronix unit with a brand new unit since he left the key on and FRIED the original one......

I'm making a checklist of items to confirm to chase this one down & doing some internet searches on no spark troubleshooting. Suggestions are most welcome.

Sounds like youve tried cleaning up coil mount, but do you have a known working spare you can swap in?

Not sure how to check the pertronix unit; lost the directions to mine a while ago, but i would think there is a way to check that its working?

I guess my point is to start at the beginning of the wiring, and check each step along tha way.  Systematic approach for process of elimination.

Others who know much more than i will chime in for sure, but Im suspicious of the ballast & coil.  Please keep us posted!

I do now have a spare coil to check with, & will swap that next.

I do appreciate the responses

I can't work on it week, unexpected business last minute trip instead.

Cheers from Guangdong China!