73 CJ5 was running great, started sputtering and now wont start

Ahhh, that makes a bit more sense now. The last one I saw fail was on a Caddy. New cap and coil.
It's always fun to try to diagnose problems when you arn't given all of the info in the begining.

 

Put a new coil on it and it's only reading 5.5 volts w key on

 

Also put a new cap a rotary button on it. Still nothing

 

Does it have points and condenser, or is it breakerless?

So is that 5.5v going into the coil on the "+" terminal, or coming out on the "-" terminal?

Try hooking a 12v jumper directly to the "+" coil terminal and see if it makes a difference, just to rule out the resistor wire.

 

5.5 in goin into the coil.

Put a jumper from battery to + of coil. And no difference

 

Somehow, that doesn't look like what I have seen on friends 232s and 258s. It's not a HEI. looks like it is an old style point ignition system but someone may have put a Pertrinics unit in it. I'm not saying points are bad but I've been running a basic old Delco in my Commando for about 7 years and haven't had to touch it. Errrr yet.
Yep, a picture of the innards would help.

 

Delco distributor. Factory equipment for 1973.

Are the points open or closed? It makes a difference in the voltage measurement.

 

Make sure your blue wire isn't pinched through and arcing where it enters your distributor.

If that's not it, try a new condenser.

 

Also make sure you aren't getting arcing between the distributor housing and the post/bolt that the coil/condenser wires bolt to. It looks awfully close.

 

I'd try testing the condenser, or just replacing it.. And yes the blue wire looks like it is being pinched..

 

There should be a hole in there somewhere that your blue wire would have ran through rather than being caught under the cap. Usually there was some sort of rubber gromitt or such to seal things up. It looks like where you are running the wire now is where the indexing part should be for fitting for the cap.

 

I have the blue wire ran through that hole so it don't get pinched. I'll get a new condenser today and see if it helps. Thanks for all the help.

 

Am I missing something here?

Wouldn't cleaning and setting the points be the most obvious and basic thing to do before a lot of arcane remove-and-replace?
(Or perhaps even a new set of points, for $10?)
Followed by checking the timing?

You know, like a basic tune-up routine?


Also - it is hard to see exactly from the photo angle - but the connecting strap from around the points pivot to the terminal block looks like it might be distorted or jammed against the crimp insulator on the blue wire. Might be inhibiting the action of the points?

Alternatively - have you tried unplugging it and plugging it in again?
Although that didn't help when we tried it on my grandfather.

 

Look I'm new to all of this, just trying to learn and get it fixed. I apologize.

 

Sorry, my post was rude and unwarranted. I deleted it.

We are trying to help. The information is trickling in and we're grasping for ideas. If those last pics were supplied first, you might have had this thing back on the road days ago.

We're pulling for you!

 

My comments about basic points maintenance were directed at the diagnoses by forum members generally, not the OP as a new jeep owner.
Sorry if it seemed rude. Not intentional.

 

Hi Rodney -

It can be very hard to diagnose an electrical problem over the internet. Usually you need to test systematically to find the source of the problem. Making a guess and replacing parts works sometimes ... but often it does not. You realize that your coil is polar, and has a (+) and a (-) connection? It sounds like you have a multimeter and know how to use it. If the points are open, and the key is on, you should have a full 12V all the way through the coil to the points and condensor. If you do not, something is connected wrong or broken. I would try my best to figure out the problem before I replaced more parts.

If the condensor is shorted, you can disconnect the condensor at the points and there should then be 12V all the way to the points - if the points are open. With the points closed, the voltage will drop at each step from the battery to the points (the ground).