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KC, Im not quite sure if Im understanding your question, so forgive me. This is what you should measure: 1) If you place a voltmeter on the coils high supply side (side from switch, NOT to distributor) and turn the ignition switch on and if it and the wiring to it is good, THE METER SHOULD READ NEAR BATTERY VOLTAGE. 2) HOWEVER, if you place a voltmeter over on the coils other low (to distributor) terminal and ifffff fff the points are good and they are closed and all the wirings good and in place, THE VOLTAGE SHOULD READ NEAR ZERO since that point is connected to ground via a closed set of contact points (if all is good). If you think somethings wrong cuz the low (to distributor) side of the coil reads near zero volts when a good and properly connected set of points is working THATS WRONG, it should read near zero volts there. However, when the points are open on high cam, then you would read near battery volts there, and if not its either that the coils low voltage primary winding (between its lil + and - terminals) is bad/open,,,,, or else theres a dead short at the points,,,,, ,,, or the condensors shorted,,,,, ,,,,or theres a short like where the stud passes thru the side of the distributor. A coil ignition should draw around 4 amps and thats not enough to drag the battery voltage down assuming the battery is anywhere near good. A voltmeter on the battery shouldnt drop very much if you turn on both lights and ignition. NOwwwww www that slow cranking may be caused by another problem, but even if the points are good and closed and the coil voltage is near zero (as it should be when points closed) on its low side, I dont see that as causing any cranking problem. Often slow cranking is caused by weak batterys or poor connections like at the battery or ground or starter etc. OR YOU CAN HAVE A STARTER MECHANICALLY STUCK YOU KNOW!!!!! !!! Remove, clean n wire brush, n reattach each n every battery n ground n starter n switch cable and insure the batterys good (maybe have it load tested) or try a known good substitute battery n let me know what happens. ALSO, I dont see any dead short using even up to a 12 gauge wire (yours is likely 14 or 16 gauge) being able to conduct sufficient amperage for a sufficient time to drag an entire battery down to 1 volt!!!!! !!!! Cuz the high curent draw would instantly burn the wire in two!!!!! ! It should take a largeeeee ee cable like a 4 or larger gauge to withstand sufficient current necessary to drag a 6 volt battery down to one volt and even that cable would get hot n there would be smoke n arcing ASSUMING THE BATTERY IS ANYWHERE NEAR GOOD AT ALL Theres no way a small gauge wire could conduct enough current for a long enough time to drag a battery down that far that quick cuz a dead short wuld burn up n melt the wire suddenly. You better have that battery load tested at a shop !!!!! !!!! You have a known good substitute battery you can try????? ?? Even when cranking an engine (assuming a good starter n good cables n connections) the battery voltage shouldnt drop much below 4 volts or so. BE SURE N CHECK ALL CABLES N CONNECTIONS AS A BAD ONE CAN CAUSE HEAT N ARCING AND SLOWWWWW W CRANKING If the starter or its armature were near a dead short and if the cables n connections were all good and permitted high current flow something like that would draw a batterys voltage wayyyyy yyyy down, but other then that I dont see any light gauge wire being responsibe for any such drastic voltage drop as the wire would simply melt open first. So, did I take your question correct??? John T in Indiana, retired electrical engineer
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