Auto Racing: Porsche 1983 944, feeler guage, rotor arm

Question
My Porsche has no spark and no fire. Please gve some advise?  

Answer
STart by checking for voltage at the ignition coil.  You should have about 12 to 13 volts at the terminal marked with a minus sign. Do this of course, with the key on.  Then inspect the points in the distributor, make sure the faces are clean and shiny or replace them.  Make sure while someone runs the starter for you, that the points open leaving a gap. The gap should be measured with a feeler guage at about .022" (twenty two thousandths of an inch).  Clean all the metal surfaces in the distributor, and inside the distributoor cap. Clean the tip of the rotor arm, reinstall it, and replace the distributor cap  

Now disconnect the large wire coming out of the center of the coil, to the distributor, If you can, remove it from the distributor, have your assistant run the starter, and hold the wire close to a metal part of the motor.  Don't hold the wire near the end because it can shock you badly. While your friend is running the starter a fat white spark should leap from the coil wire to the metal of the motor.  Carefully clean the top of the coil of any grease or dirt.

If there is voltage at the minus sign and the points are opening and there is no spark at the coil wire, you should test the coil for continuity.  From each of the small terminals to the center, and also across the two small terminals. If any of those circuits is open, the coil is defective.

If there is no voltage to the coil, then the problem lies in the primary wiring system.  Locate the big fuse box under the hook and try to remove it.  There is a big plug like affair under it that must be cleaned of corrosion, and the fuse box replaced.

There are also a bunch of relays that can control what the engine does.  Try those things and if it still won't start, write me again

Good luck !!

Dan Liddy
Sarasota, Florida