By the way, an alternator output should be about 14.7 volts, certainly not 19. What are you using for a voltmeter?

Test your battery voltage with the motor off. You should read somewhere in the 12 VDC to 13.5 VDC range. If it is higher, you have an optimistic voltmeter....make sure it is on the DC scale.

If you put an ohmmeter across the + and - terminals of a coil, you will read what is called the primary resistance. If you put you ohmmeter across the secondary terminal (the big wire to the distributor cap), you will not see continuity to the + coil terminal because the primary and secondary windings are not connected.