I was setting my dwell the other day with my dwell meter, and just for grins, I flipped the switch over to the volt setting, and it showed only 5-6 volts. Shouldn't it be more in the neighborhood of 13-14? Or am I just measuring it at the wrong place? :confused: I had the meter hooked up the way it was to set dwell.

It's a '73 Laguna with a GM Goodwrench 350/260hp crate motor, with the original 1973 coil and points distributor.

No, it should be around 6 volts. There is a "ballast" resistor in series with the coil. It limits the current (and therefore drops voltage) going to the coil.
I thought 73's had HEI????

Ron

I think HEI was an option in '74, and standard from '75 on. So my coil is good? Thanks for the fast reply.

No, it should be around 6 volts. There is a "ballast" resistor in series with the coil. It limits the current (and therefore drops voltage) going to the coil.
I thought 73's had HEI????

Ron

I always thought in 1974 HEI was an option, in 1975 it came automatically with GM cars built in.

Should be around 9v while running but what your meter shows can vary. It's not a constant voltage. The points are opening and closing so the voltage on the input to the coil will change, it's not a constant DC voltage, more like an AC voltage, up and down. How your meter reads it may be different than a different meter.

A dwell meter connects to the coil's - neg terminal and to ground, if you want to check the input voltage to the coil you would connect the meter leads to the + side of the coil and ground.
Just flipping the switch over to volts without moving one meter lead won't give you the volt reading because the coil will be in series.

I think HEI was an option in '74, and standard from '75 on. So my coil is good? Thanks for the fast reply.

Sounds like the coil is good. As someone pointed out in one of the posts the voltage that you see will vary with the RPM. This is where the DVM starts getting iffy and an oscilloscope becomes the better tool.

What you are seeing is the "average" reading. When the points are closed, the circuit is grounded and when they're open its full voltage. So its .... ON.... OFF.... ON.... OFF. Like was pointed out a high impedance scope is better to use to 'watch' the operation.... The resistance cuts the current so stuff doesn't weld shut and the condenser keeps the points from 'arcing' when the make/break.