Since your starter is turning over (and also assuming you have a good 12+ volts at the battery cable terminal), I wouldn't suspect a ground issue, although you might as well make sure they are good. Inside the starter solenoid, a round copper disc makes direct contact with the terminals to make the to/from electrical connections. Power coming out of the "R" terminal should be the same as what's going into the starter. Given that your voltage is less there, I'd suspect the solenoid's internal contacts would be either burned or corroded.

 

I put a new solenoid in today and now have 9.0V at the (+) in "Start" mode, and 9V right at the solenoid terminal. I get 11.4V across the battery - new positive cable running from Battery to solenoid. I also checked voltage from Neg on Battery down to the battery terminal on the solenoid and got 11.4V, which tells me the battery cable to the solenoid is good. I made sure the copper ground tab on the starter was scraped clean and fit up tight to the copper terminal on the solenoid where they screw together.

Are we chasing the right thing here? I don't have weak ignition spark - I have absolutely none. Is 3V more at the coil going to make a difference? Is it a good test to pull the lead out of the center of the distributor and hold that near ground while cranking to look for a spark jumping the gap - cuz if that is a good test I have nothing jumping - period.

Sorry to keep coming back. I'm about ready to just tow it to a shop, but I hate to pay $100/hr for them to do exactly what I'm doing.

Any help appreciated.

Also - I pulled the distributor again and verified the little wire from ground to the points has continuity and the wire from the points to the (-) on the coil has continuity.

As part of this make over on the engine compartment I also replaced things like the voltage regulator, horn relay and the alternator - can they come into play in starting?

 

That's still strange that you're reading at the starter is lower though, is that with the wire disconnected at the (+) coil? That could be throwing things off if it's still connected?
How about your points and condenser? If they are old, replace them, your condenser may have taken a crap. And make sure the points are opening and closing as they should be. You won't get a spark if the points aren't opening and closing. Do you have a dwell meter to set them? Using a feeler gauge is fine for a starting point, but you want to throw a meter on it once the engine gets running. Adjust the points on the fly using a flexible hex tool through the window in the dist. cap.

 

I checked voltage at Solenoid with the wires disconnected from the coil. Still got 9V. Points & Condensor are new a year ago - never been run. When I turn the distributor the points open and close. Gap looks good. Point surfaces look like new.

Could the starter be cranking but be in bad shape such that it will turn over, but it is taking a lot more power than it should because of some un-obvious wear or corrosion or something - and this is reducing power out of the solenoid to the coil?

Also, in an attempt at this several months ago, a friend suggested I connect a wire from Pos battery terminal directly to (+) on the coil - could that maybe have wiped out the condensor?

 

At this point, anything is possible, but I'd be surprised. Did you save your old condenser to try it? What you could also try, to rule out a low coil voltage issue, is run a wire from the battery to the coil only while trying to start the engine. Many years ago, I had a clear distributor cap on one of my cars (I know...oooooh!!). It was a cross-breed engine swap that I did (350 in a Datsun P.U.), and I made the mistake of hooking the coil up to full voltage. Those points sure made a pretty light show, like a 4th of July sparkler...oops. The condenser wasn't damaged though. You might as well start to rule things out I guess.

 

Ok, I just have to ask this one....you didn't forget the rotor, did you?
And, is the center carbon contact button still inside the distributor cap?

 

You could just wire a cheap ballast resistor between + bat and + coil to eliminate wires from selenoid just to see if that is your problem. Also with cap off and key in the ON position if you open and close points by hand you should get spark

 

So, your not getting spark from the coil to the Distributor right?

First off, I'd replace the points and condensor. They are cheap and if the points or condensor are cooked, you won't get any spark from the coil to the distributor because the points are what make the contact to complete the circuit to send the spark... Make sense?

So, after replacing the points and condensor, and you've got a 12v lead to the positive side of the coil, new points (correctly gapped), condenser, then it's time to start looking at the coil. No sense doing a lot of typing, I'll just cut and paste

I know this is for a porch, but it's pretty basic stuff.
Ignition System Troubleshooting

Checking a GM coil.

 

The rotor is in tact and the button looks fine in the cap. One thing I never did was replace the cap - I'll grab one of those today too, although this one looks like new - no corrosion and noobvious cracks or damage. I do have the old points set and can try that as well.

Thanks for all the ideas folks. I'll be doing these tests today, with my fingers crossed. I'm on my third new coil. I'd be surprised if that's the problem, but will do the tests anyway.

 

I just want to back up a bit. Are you getting spark from the coil to the distributor? I doubt you would have three defective coils. Also, if the cap was bad, you could tell by the center button inside the cap as it would be burnt, thus not allowing contact.

If you're not getting spark and you have your 12 volts to the coil, I'd say it has to be the points and condenser.