Gee PowerStroker, maybe you should have read more than just my most recent post.

I had already stated that one of the leads will pulse while the engine is running/cranking. I felt it was worthy of mention given the fact he was trying to test the coil.

Had your smart ass read 9 post prior you would have seen this-

"Well you could check for KEY ON POWER at the positive of the coil. Using a test light or volt meter to see that there is 12 Volts when the key is on.

While I have never tried this on an 83 380 MB, you could check the ground connector at the coil to see if its opening and closing. I guess you could do this by putting a test light lead on the positive side of the battery and then probing the negative while someone cranks it. The light should go on and off as the engine turns (Again this is not something I have personally tried on your model). If however the light does turn on and off its safe to say the ignition control module and distributor are doing their job."

However given the fact the guy was somewhat NEW to testing the coil, I figured he should know that with the "Key On" there would be postive voltage at both leads, and that the years I work with do not have a positive or negative symbol by the terminals. His older style coil MAY have a +/- symbol by the terminals, and if they did both could be energized with just the key on.

But thanks for trying. LOL 

-- Edited by SELLC on Friday 15th of October 2010 08:05:06 AM