How do you diagnose your ignition system?

slapper said:

Tall order.
Put a timing light on each plug wire one at a time to see if secondary spark is being produced at the cap. Slowly rev the engine up to about 2500 RPM on each test to ensure that the spark is consistant and not erratic.
Visually check each spark plug for any kind of damage. Use a 10X magnifying glass to check for cracks in the white porcelin insulation. If I ever drop a spark plug, I consider it toast, and try not to use it. Plug color?
Clean out the distributer cap with brake clean or other elctro cleaner that does not leave behind any film or residue. Dry thoroughly. Look for tiny cracks in the cap, and ensure it's seated snuggley on the distributor without any gaps. Examine the rotor for cracks also. Clean the inside ends of plug wires, Q-tips, no corrosion or dirt allowed.
Points or solid state primary circut?
Take a close look at the distributor cam. Loose? Dirty?
Distributor shaft-Loose? Excessive play?
Coil- Gets really hot? terminal posts loose?
Primary wires going to coil- Good condition? Good ground in the distributor cap?

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Zooted_plus said:

I have the same ignition setup as you do, the pertronix ignitor and coil using stock distrib. When I hooked mine up, I used the resistor wire, and recently read this article saying that the coil needs a full 12 volts. Anything less and the system will not operate efficiently.

http://www.geocities.com/a65ragtop/VM_FAQ/mechanical/pertronix_wiring.html

I put a multimeter on my coil + while the engine was running and I'm getting about 10.8 volts at the coil.

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