testing for spark
 

85 GSL, idle has gone rough, sputtering while coasting and power loss. To test for spark I removed a plug for the block, placed it back in the wire socket, rested it on the strut tower and turned the engine over looking for a spark. I see a spark for the 2 higher plugs(trailing) but don't see anything for the 2 lower plugs(leading). Is this test only supposed to work for the trailing plugs or have I found my problem?

sounds like an ignitor or coil(probably ignitor!)

I have changed the ignitor and the coil. When I was at the wreckers getting the parts I noticed inside the dizzy, where the ignitor connects there is a spindle that contacts some contact points. I'm going to clean them up and then I'm lost. From what I understand, following the path backwards from spark is:

Plug
plug wire
dizzy cap
dizzy rotor
coil wire
coil
ignitor
internal contacts
??? I'm not sure what else.

Victory is mine!!! I decided to get into the wires that connect the ignitors to the magnetic contacts to make sure they weren't broken or corroded. Didn't find anything. While I was that far in I swapped the leading and trailing ignitors(just for the hell of it). Put it all back together and it works!! So I didn't do anything really and I won't be suprised when the problem comes back but for now it's good to go.

good news man! :)

How was it originally connected? Which wire went to the center of the distributor cap? Mine is whichever ignitor is on the right, I don't know if this is right though, I just want to check.