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burning out points


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#1 markj

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Posted 17 October 2005 - 12:40 PM

Hi

Have a problem with a 1275GT: points keep melting ( the plastic oozes around the contact breakers until the car dies)

1) it is a new distributor ( last one had the bearing go)

2) have recently replaced simultaneously: points; condenser and coil

I really thought the last replacements would have cracked it but within minutes points have melted. I would guess it is an electrical thing rather than a mechanical one as the cam doesn't seem too hot and the heel of the points does not melt - it is rigjht by the gap that the problem manifests itself.

All thoughts appreciated as I don't know what else to do. I presume that rotor arm / distributor cap / changing the timing wouldn't help?

Cheers

#2 Guess-Works.com

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Posted 17 October 2005 - 01:35 PM

What coil you using, and has that been replaced recently ??

#3 markj

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Posted 17 October 2005 - 01:39 PM

replaced recently along with condenser and points. but points were burning out before replacement.
not sure on type: lucas i think. yellow stripes round edges - looks identical to the one that was on there

#4 Jammy

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Posted 17 October 2005 - 01:39 PM

Is this what using a non-ballasted coil on a ballasted feed (or vice-versa) would do?

#5 Guess-Works.com

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Posted 17 October 2005 - 01:56 PM

have you a pick of the metling bits...

#6 markj

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Posted 17 October 2005 - 03:09 PM

no pics I'm afraid: but it's melted the insulation that surrounds the contacts of the points. i.e. the heel is fine but the insulation has melted and come round the metal contacts.
bottom line is there's obviously heat being generated across the points gap but i just don't know why.

#7 dklawson

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Posted 17 October 2005 - 04:16 PM

On another forum this was discussed recently and there were two relevant comments.

1) as others have suggested above, make sure you're running the proper coil (i.e., a 3-ohm, non-ballasted coil if there is no ballast resistor). If you run a ballast ignition coil without a ballast resistor, too much current flows through the points.

2) there have been some quality issues as "newer" aftermarket points have a low quality thermoplastic "heel" on the points.

There's not much you can do about the second issue except to make sure that the melting isn't the result of friction. Make sure the dizzy cam lobes have a light coating of lube on them.

I'm surprised no one has mentioned this yet, but problems like this are what drive a lot of people to convert to electronic ignitions. However, you've got to confirm which coil you have/need before going that route.

#8 dklawson

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Posted 17 October 2005 - 08:59 PM

email received and sent.

#9 chocolate jazz

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Posted 17 October 2005 - 09:11 PM

eyyy up, i remeber speaking to a lad that said his points kept melting he said to solve it he drilled a few tiny holes in the dizzy cap dont no if thats true or if it will even run ok :angry:




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