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Hi everyone - its nice to be back! I was a member years ago with several 245s, I still have my 1980 but there are major wiring issues to overcome before Buttercup is back on the road. In the mean time, I picked up a lovely, 1 (ish - there was a dealer between them and me) owner 1973 144, basically a barn find after sitting since 2012.
When found, the engine wouldn't turn, so the dealer removed the plugs, poured oil onto the cylinders and let it sit for a few months. I looked at the car in the fall and was able to easily turn the engine by hand. We winched it onto the car trailer, towed it home and had it running within a half hour. Parts for a 144 aren't readily available, I have very basic knowledge, but did a tune up the best I was able. New battery, points, cap, rotor, plugs. The wrong wires and condenser were sent, but since it started and ran I figured I would replace them when I was ready to drive it farther than around the block.
The car felt 'draggy' and I figured the pads had swelled from sitting so long, and that was another thing on The List before it hit the road for real. But you know how it is - I live in the middle of nowhere, had the itch and wanted to take it for a drive. We hopped it, drove it a tenth of a mile up the hill (again, seemed very draggy and I had to give it a lot of gas ((but it didn't really rev))... got just to the other side of the top and it died. Gave it a good push and drifted back into the driveway.
Thanks if you've made it this far!
So, here we are in the spring and I'm ready to work on it again. It now has a new condenser and plug wires. It cranks perfectly well, I smell gas and the injectors buzz. However, I'm pretty sure there is no spark coming from the coil - we removed a sparkplug and wire, plugged it directly into the coil. We can't see the spark plug spark, even when held next to the block. The coil tests good with a multimeter (and we put in the coil from my 1980, still no spark). I'm wondering if I blew some relay? I don't know where to go from here.
Help!
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