Bad points out of the box!
Printed From: CorrectCraftFan.com
Category: Repairs and Maintenance
Forum Name: Engine Repair
Forum Discription: Engine problems and solutions
URL: http://www.CorrectCraftFan.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=34694
Printed Date: October-08-2024 at 6:32am
Topic: Bad points out of the box!
Posted By: cbr1000dude
Subject: Bad points out of the box!
Date Posted: September-27-2014 at 9:16pm
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I had my 88 BFN running finally, but it started getting hard to start, and then wouldn't start at all. I suspected everything except the new points I had installed. After chasing my tail for 2 days, I started over, and the points were burned after only a few test runs on the hose. Since I hadn't changed anything but the points cause that's all they had at the auto parts store, I thought the condenser must be bad. Cap looked a little worse than I thought after getting it out in the sunlight too. So I got a cap, rotor, condenser, points kit at a local boat yard. After installing, it still had no spark! Now I'm really confused. Tried taking out the points and cleaning them with lacquer thinner, no spark. It turns out the new points had 10.8 ohms resistance across them when closed. Last thing I checked! Must be some kind of non conductive coating. I used sandpaper to get down to clean metal,.7 ohms, now they work fine! Started right up. I ordered an electronic ignition kit, I think I'm done with points. But I will carry them , a screwdriver, and a little piece of sandpaper in my glovebox just in case. Oh, and a 3/32 allen hex wrench too. |
Replies:
Posted By: TRBenj
Date Posted: September-28-2014 at 1:27am
| Had the same thing happen to me this spring- new in package points needed a quick scuff of sandpaper. Not sure if it was corrosion or some kind of errant coating from the factory. Either way, they still beat a dead ei module and I've had a lot more problems with those things in the past few years than points- you won't catch me converting any distributors any time soon! |
Posted By: lewy2001
Date Posted: September-28-2014 at 9:54am
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The quality of points sets has gone down now the demand is very small. When I had boat with points I used to replace the points with a new set every year clean the old set up and keep for a spare. ------------- If you're going through hell, keep going http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=2999" rel="nofollow - 89 Ski <a href="http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=5685" ta |
Posted By: 63 Skier
Date Posted: September-28-2014 at 10:13am
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Tthat's strange, if they coated them at the factory you'd think they would say on the box to clean before using. I'm with you Tim, kind of enjoy having a points ignition. Glad I saw this, will test new sets before I put them in. ------------- '63 American Skier - '98 Sport Nautique |
Posted By: Nautiquehunter
Date Posted: September-29-2014 at 9:50am
| Any contamination between the points can cause them to burn. High voltage and a bad condenser can also cause it. I won a PCM electronic conversion kit from White Lake . It lasted 5 minutes I didn't even have time to check the timing. I reinstalled the points. The best things about points are cheap to buy and you can always make them work with minimal tools. If they quit on the water you can always make it home. |
Posted By: baitkiller
Date Posted: September-29-2014 at 10:08am
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I remember back in the dark ages when I ran points on my cars that Blue Point ignition products were the best quality I could get. Are they still around? ------------- Jesus was a bare-footer............. |
Posted By: MustangMadness
Date Posted: September-29-2014 at 5:16pm
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I'm not sure how many people even know what dwell is these days, let alone how to adjust it. Petronix kits seem to work pretty well. ------------- I like a 6' beam on a small lake... My Muscleboat 1975 Mustang 225 307RH |
Posted By: JoeinNY
Date Posted: September-29-2014 at 5:53pm
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It doesn’t surprise me in the slightest that new points would need to be dressed out of the box these days. First they sit on the shelf a while… like a long while, cause who is buying points anyway? Anything that still uses points is likely to be an occasional use vehicle like a boat, or a classic car and not a daily driver that would actually go through them. So a little oxidation is to be expected. I don’t know too much about the history of points but I have dealt a bunch with relay contacts and the issues they have when used with low voltages and currents. Plating is usually key, this is a little too much current/force for gold plating to be effective for long , Mercury used to an answer but it is all but Verboten for environmental purposes at this point. So either carry a file or convert to electronic, but don’t expect the points of today to be as good as the points of yore. ------------- http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=1477 - 1983 Ski Nautique 2001 1967 Mustang 302 "Decoy" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cO5MkcBXBBs - Holeshot Video |
Posted By: cbr1000dude
Date Posted: September-29-2014 at 6:45pm
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For some reason I thought the new points had a wonderful protective coating I shouldn't remove! I could have filed my old points and cap and been money and time ahead. Yeah, I asked about ignition wrenches at the auto parts store since mine are hiding somewhere, and nobody knew what they were except the old guy who said they hadn't carried them in years. Perhaps I'll leave them on as long as they are working and carry the electronic conversion kit in the glove box. |
Posted By: MustangMadness
Date Posted: September-29-2014 at 7:11pm
Be careful how you say old around here...  ------------- I like a 6' beam on a small lake... My Muscleboat 1975 Mustang 225 307RH |
cbr1000dude wrote:Posted By: cbr1000dude
Date Posted: September-30-2014 at 9:51am
Roger that! My bank just told me since I turned 70 1/2, 2 days ago, I have to start withdrawing an amount determined by an actuary,from my IRA account this year. Presumedly so I don't die before I pay taxes on the money. I think the government is trying to say I'm old! Oh yeah! I already bought a BFN with this years withdrawal, bet they don't hear that much. |
Posted By: Bri892001
Date Posted: September-30-2014 at 10:34am
That's exactly what it is. The only way to prolong the IRS getting their piece of the IRA is to have a much younger wife as a beneficiary, and then die before you hit Min-Dis (as they called Required Minimum Distribution in the industry). Then, you don't have to pay it until she hits 70 1/2. Of course, at that point you're not worried about it. The IRS asks you if you know how to set dwell on a points ignition, and if the answer is yes, you're required to take Min-Dis 
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