Ignition confusion

[ernst]

Glad it all worked out. Just a brief note - Twenty strokes w/point file seems too much for regular yearly maintenance and point life. After 6-7 months winter layup with a fogged engine 2 or 3 strokes w/file seems to work fine.

Thank you, good to know. This was the very first time I used a points file and I did not know when to stop. Will keep that in mind for next year!

[joe_db]

My engine has been a bit hard to start lately.
1. File points and clean them. Result - engine runs worse.
2. Replace points and condenser. Result - no spark at all.
3. New points have about 800K resistance when closed
4. File new points and clean them. Twice.
5. Resistance now about 0 ohms closed.
6. Put new rotor on just because it is sitting there.
7. Test new condenser and old one - both meter at about 220 pF.
8. Find other old condenser in drawer and that one is 220 pF too.
9. Put distributor back together with new cleaned points and new condenser.
10. Test spark with wire from coil - nice long blue spark.
11. Engine still won't start
12. Put wire back on distributor
13. Engine fires right up

[JOHN COOKSON]

How worn was the rubbing block on the old points? Did you take a dwell reading before or after replacing the points?

ex TRUE GRIT

[joe_db]

Not sure and not yet - the dwell meter is in the shed someplace.

[Dave Neptune]

Cleaning points

I had a good deal of experience with "clean or new" points in the "transistorized" style ignition systems before the newer electronic triggered stuff. Those systems ran a very low voltage through the points for the spark triggering signal", amplify and signal the coil. The purpose was to make the points last longer.

One of the problems was the points getting dirty and not conducting!!! These point systems often needed cleaning ESPECIALLY IF A POINT FILE WAS USED!! Sometimes even a fresh set was non conductive. To clean the points on these systems we would use a piece of smooth card stock like a 3x5 cut into a small strip. Then we would dip in acetone or lacquer thinner and pull the paper between the closed contacts to remove any debris and the oils than made them cling. I never had a failure of new points, but many sets that needed the cleaning before they would work. Fresh non filed points will last longer. A filed set will work just fine but the wear of the points is considerably faster.

Filing an old set is fine but not as good as a fresh shinny set that is "clean". They will just plain ole last longer which means more run time to get sailing.

In these old engines with well worn cams in the distributor it is very necessary to set the gap by dwell and not by a physical measurement like a feeler gauge!!! The engine will run much happier as only then will it have "proper coil saturation" for a good spark.

Dave Neptune