Can't get started

[vg569]

No there's no spark when I spin the engine with the spark plug held against the engine block. Very frustrating , considering this engine was supposedly running before it was sent to me.

[Michael]

As has been mentioned a few times, I bet it is the points. They need to be very clean and check to make sure the gap is correct. You post saying no resistance through the points pretty much confirms that they are the source of your non spark

[Stelios_Rjk]

Or a dead condenser.

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=4716&p=37900&hilit= ... ser#p37900

[vg569]

Eureka! I took it over to a friend's house who is a great mechanic (Chevy Corvair specialist!). He showed me to stick a screwdriver in the sparkplug cap and hold the screwdriver against the engine instead of just holding the cap to it. When I spun it there was now a strong spark. What a relief! Then we cleaned the carburetor (not sure if it needed it, looked pretty good, regapped the plug (points looked good to him) and tried it again. Started on the third pull and ran like a top. So happy to see it go. Thanks for all your time - can't wait to try it on the water.