Removing/replacing the dist cap has nothing to do with whether or not the starter will engage. In fact, the distributor and ignition coil could be completely removed from the engine without preventing the starter motor from cranking over.
Consequently, voltage measured between the coil and distributor is meaningless when it comes to diagnosing problems with starter engagement.
The battery is your power source. Everything electrical begins there. It is the first item that should be status checked before attempting electrical diagnostics. Never assume that it is all good simply because the engine cranked over last week. That was then, this is now. By the way, do you have any idea how old your battery is?
Begin by measuring the surface charge with your dvom across the terminals and report your reading. As previously mentioned, the surface charge of a fully charged, good battery will register at or near 12.8 volts.
Next, trace the battery positive cable across the engine bay down to the starter solenoid on the opposite engine side. Ground your black probe to the frame or engine block and probe the large terminal lug on the solenoid with your red probe. Readout should be nearly identical to the one taken at the battery. What do you get?
Your readings at this point will indicate either a charged or a discharged battery. The next course of action depends on those results.
edit...now I see you deleted your previous post. What's up with that?
