Re: How to check Amplifier assembly
You will certainly want a original service manual. More that just the pulse pak will shut that engine down. It had battery CD ignition. Check Joe Reeve's post's. He exsplains how to check these systems
No arguement concerning the book. But it will tell you how to test it using a neon tester. Since you probably don't have one, check the amplifier like this, step by step:
0. Before doing anything, check all electrical connections. Assume nothing, clean and tighten them. Especially the battery connections!!! Make sure the battery is fully charged. Except as explained here, never make or break any connections when running or attempting to start. You can blow some expensive stuff.
1. Connect a voltmeter to the screw on the terminal strip where the purple wires are attached (and ground). Turn on the ignition key, and you should show battery 12V voltage. That proves that you have power to the amplifier.
2. Disconnect th coil's blue wire, then unbolt the coil. Now, rotate the coil and spark wire so as to unscrew the spark wire from the distributor cap.
3. Re-mount the coil and reconnect the blue wire. Rig up a spark gap off the threaded terminal on the spark wire. 3/8" gap is about right.
4. Disconnect the black & white wire that goes between the amplifier and breaker plate under the flywheel. Turn the key on. Quickly touch the black & white wire from the amplifier to a bare grounded surface and remove. There should be a spark jump the gap off the spark wire each time you ground and remove the black/white wire. Lightly brush the wire across the bare surface and you should get a bunch of sparks at the spark gap.
5. If it passes these tests, the amplifier and coil are ok. If it does not pass, either the amplifier or coil are bad. Without expensive test equipment, I can't tell you which one it is.
