Points

[Eric Wettschreck]

Ok fellas, here's some old skool stuff I'd really appreciate some help with.

68 Fury III. 318, 727 trans.

This baby ran like a gem for years. Then the points went out. Ok, no biggie, it happens. I replaced the points and condenser. Ran like a top for a couple weeks, then the points fried, so I replaced them again. Ran like a top for a couple weeks, points fried.

Over and over again.

So, my question is, on a 68 Mopar moter, 318, what would make the points keep toasting out? Or, where do I start looking?

[Macgyver55]

Has anybody bypassed or removed the ballast resistor?

[fishing tech]

Are you changing the condensor each time also? I was thinking balast also.

[Eric Wettschreck]

Has anybody bypassed or removed the ballast resistor?

No. Well, as far as i can tell. It's an old car.

Yes, everytime i replace the points i replace the condenser also.

[fishing tech]

By points fried, what do you mean? are the contacts burned away?

Are the lobes on the distributor all good?

Is the distributor tight,ie the bushings. No slop.

Stock coil on it?

[Eric Wettschreck]

This is not a hot rod.

Stock coil. Dist seems tight no slop. it's turning nice when motor turns over.

Dist lobes seem good to me. Is there something special i should be looking for?

Point contacts seem fine to the eye, but no spark. Replace the points, and get spark for a little while then it's gone. Replace points again and get spark back, for a while, then it's gone.

I tried the old skool emery board across the points and no go. Needs a total replacement.

I'm confused.

[fishing tech]

When you have no spark, is the point gap still ok? How about the wiring to the points? those are a pretty thin wire if I remember right and have seen those broken inside the casing.

[Eric Wettschreck]

Yes, point gap is good. Which is really blowing my mind. There really isn't that much to a points ignition compared to todays modern ignition systems.

Don't know aboot wiring to the points. I have not checked this. I'll look into it tomorrow after work. Getting kind of late and I have to be up at 3 am for work, and I'm getting old so I need my beauty rest.

Thanks so far. Like I said, I'm pretty confused here.

[Eric Wettschreck]

Does anyone know what the resistance across the ballast resistor should be?

Voltage at the coil should be 9 volts, correct?

I'm still at work and haven't dug this far yet. If it's not raining buckets when I get home I'll get to checking.

[Scott K]

Yes 9 volts. I would think a bad ballast as well. Or the wrong coil? I believe the coils had a higher resistance then other coils.

[Scott K]

Hey Eric, what is your email address? I can send you the tune up specs for it. Then you will have them. It should list all of the important stuff like points gap, coil resistance, etc..

[RebelSS]

The ol' Mopar ignition probs, boy, does THAT bring back memories!!! Your point gap may need to be widened a bit, as not all gaps ran well by "the book" close setting. Check that condenser, cloi, again, too, AND your voltage regulator. Mopars were notorius for frying these along with points...ask me, I can't tell ya how may sets of these I replaced in my '67 Belvedere and Plymouth Fury. You might want to try a set of "cross-cut" points, if they even sell them anymore, they run cooler and won't "arc' like flat surface points. At last, putting in a solid state conversion kit is a piece o' cake....good luck!!

[Eric Wettschreck]

Hey Eric, what is your email address? I can send you the tune up specs for it. Then you will have them. It should list all of the important stuff like points gap, coil resistance, etc..

[email protected]

Thanks

[Eric Wettschreck]

At last, putting in a solid state conversion kit is a piece o' cake....good luck!!

I'm listening. What's a guy gotta do?

[Scott K]

Email sent.

I included Chrysler and Dodge with it, incase there was any differences.

[RebelSS]

I'm listening. What's a guy gotta do?

[delcecchi]

bad condensor (it suppresses arcing when points open)

Or CD ignition, what was the name of that kit again?

[Eric Wettschreck]

Spent some time troubleshooting and working, here's the scoop.

Ballast resistor had a whopping .01 ohms resistance. The reading I've done says it should have between .08 and .12 ohms. Me being me I have a coffee can full of these things because I don't posses the ability to throw anything away. I ohmed out a bunch of them, half were bad, found a good one and installed.

Checked voltage at the coil. 9 volts.

Replaced the points and condenser. Gapped the points to .15 and started the old girl up. She started (phase 1) but runs like doodie. Set the timing to 5 degrees BTDC and she runs a LOT better. Not perfect, I think there's carb work to be done but it's a ton better.

I took a peek at the points I removed, and the other sets of points I've replaced, (I can't throw anything away) and I noticed the little nubber that rides on the dist lobes was terribly worn. Then it dawned on me. Back in the day when we had to do this often, points came with a little tube of lobe lube. Not so much anymore so I need to find a little tube of lobe lube or axle grease or something. Any suggestions?

The conversion kit is looking better every day.

[fishing tech]

Dielectric grease.

[jmd1]

Man i had one of these cars as my first ride as a kid. Got it from my grandparents, had plastic seat covers on it. It would eat points but when you said the lobe lube, i darn neared peed myself. i have forgotten about that little tube, today we just buy a big tube a squeeze a dab in the weatherpaks. I kind of miss the old car, my sister put it in a bar ditch and that was it. oh well, great memories.

[Macgyver55]

Eric, have you ever replaced the coil or checked the resistance of it? One of the side effects of a bad coil or low coil resistance, is the possible over heating of the contact points. High current can burn the points and possibly melt the plastic rubbing foot.

Oh, and yes greasing the lobe is an important part of replacing points.

[Eric Wettschreck]

I've had this car since 07 and have never replaced the coil, nor have I ever checked the resistance. Honestly, I've never heard of checking coil resistance.

[Macgyver55]

Since I'm slow at typing, here is a quick explanation from (http://www.international-auto.com/fiat-lancia-electrical-system/how-to-test-an-ignition-coil.cfm)

This testing procedure is valid for most automotive coils. Using an ohmmeter, check the resistance between the side terminals of the coil. Do this with all of the wires to the coil disconnected. You should see 0.75 to 0.81 ohm of resistance. Then check the resistance between either side terminal and the center high tension terminal. The reading should be 10,000 to 11,000 ohms. Any significant deviation from these numbers would indicate that the coil is defective.

[Eric Wettschreck]

Sweet. At work now but I'll check it out when I get home this afternoon.

Thanks Mac.

[Eric Wettschreck]

Got home today and greased up the dist lobes and checked coil resistance. Everythings looking good. Roped this thing over and it barely ran. I figured the timing was off from the change in dwell. I moved the dist back and forth to try and find a sweet spot to get it running half way decent so I could put a timing light on it.

I finally got it to idle, barely. I hooked up the timing light and nothing happened. Tried another wire and nothing. I thought my light had gone kaput so I hooked it up to my truck and it worked just fine.

Allright, no spark in some wires. I ohmed the wires and it came out to between 7k and 8.5 ohms per wire. I went, "What the heck!??!?!" and grabbed a chunk of wire out of my garage and ohmed it. .02 ohms.

What the heck?!?!?!? Any one know what the resistance on the plug wires should be?