Starting issue

[davids2toys]

OK, I will do one thing at a time. I set the meter to Ohms (auto), and measured across the pickup coming from the dist, those are the wires you are suggesting right? My reading is erratic and keeps rising. In mega-ohms it start around .710 and just keeps going up the longer I keep the probes on the wire metal ends. I stopped testing it at 1.022. On line conversion of .710 mega-ohms is 710000 ohms. Does this big number real mean 710 ohms? I told you electricity is not my strong suite.
On my last test last night, after I tested for spark, I left everything all hooked up and hooked the pigtail back together. Then I turned the key on, remote cranked the engine. No spark out of the coil wire. I am thinking I should be getting the same spark as I got with the jumper test? Should I be? I am thinking because I do not have time at the moment, and don't want to bring fuel and actually running it into the equation, that I could do what Pat said by rapping the pick-up and just test it this way instead of actually starting it up. Pat, where exactly should I hit it?
Also, is there anyway I can re-attach the Water temp needle in the gage? I still can't believe it fell off