8N Burning up Points!

[WeakEndFarmer]

I'm burning up points and maybe condensors every 10-15 hours. I gap em' at .025. Have replaced the coil twice so far. I've got a 52' 8N side mount that I converted to 12V 3 yrs ago. It runs great! ...until the points go.
A 'friend' told me to put a .5ohm resistor between the Ignition and coil wire to prevent this. Everything I've read on this forum says you don't need a resistor on a 12V side mount system. Do I? Would it hurt if I put one on? (I'm a weekend novice hobby rancher!)
Thanks for any advice I might get!
WeakEndRancher
Wayne [yes, I do know how to spell weekend!]

...and by the way, this Forum bailed me out of trouble 3 yrs ago when I did the conversion! What a great source of friendly help!

 

[JMOR]

(quoted from post at 23:31:25 06/23/08) I'm burning up points and maybe condensors every 10-15 hours. I gap em' at .025. Have replaced the coil twice so far. I've got a 52' 8N side mount that I converted to 12V 3 yrs ago. It runs great! ...until the points go.
A 'friend' told me to put a .5ohm resistor between the Ignition and coil wire to prevent this. Everything I've read on this forum says you don't need a resistor on a 12V side mount system. Do I? Would it hurt if I put one on? (I'm a weekend novice hobby rancher!)
Thanks for any advice I might get!
WeakEndRancher
Wayne [yes, I do know how to spell weekend!]

...and by the way, this Forum bailed me out of trouble 3 yrs ago when I did the conversion! What a great source of friendly help!

It all depends on the coil. A true 12v coil such as NAPA IC14SB has 3.25 ohms resistance in the primary and is intended for use on 12v systems without a ballast resistor.
On the other hand there is the original 6v 8N coil that is intended for use on 6v system without resistor.

Then there are a multitude of coils that range all over the place in primary resistance that need a resistor, such coils as 0.5,1.0, 1.2, 1.4,1.5, 1.8, 2.0, 2.2, etc.

If not a true 12v coil, such as IC14SB, then coil plus resistor should total up to something in vicinity of 3.25 ohms, with the ultimate goal of a steady state coil current between 3 & 4 amperes.

 

[old]

Very simple if it has a 6 volt coil you need a ballast resister. If it has a TRUE 12 volt coil no resister. But you have to judge which you have. The newer coils will have on them resister needed or no resister need on them

 

[Dell (WA)]

Wayne........gitta a REAL 12-volt roundcan ignition coil like the NAPA IC14-SB ($15, cheap) and use NO RESISTOR ever.

And iff'n yer burning up points, ya gottta problem with yer condenser connection. INSPECT it carefully 'cuz the flatmetal spring connector is known to "CRACK" open and NOT CONDUCT the condenser. How do I know this? Condensers protect the points and MUST be connected to the insulated points connector........Dell, yer self-appointed sparkie-meister

 

[Bruce (VA)]

In order of probability, I'd say your problem is caused by:

1. Cheap points/condensers made in "The Land of Almost Right"
2. A coil which requires an external resistor
3. Bad condenser or connection.

I suggest that you go to NAPA & get their BlueStreak points/condenser & their IC14SB coil. Make sure you have a good solid connection on the condenser.
50 Tips

 

[WeakEndRancher]

I'm on my way to NAPA to replace the coil with the part# you guys suggested. ...and the points, condensor, rotor and [copper] plug wires!
It's a true 12V coil so I WON'T use a resistor! (thank you)
...the 50 TIPS is great! I learned a lot.
Thanks to each one of you experts for your quick replies! ...I need to get this baby running this weekend as my workload is backing up!
WeakEndRancher...
Wayne

 

[gahorN]

Resistors protect coils, not points. It ainchur resistor.
It's your condenser. Make certain your condenser is well grounded.
Make certain your condenser lead is making eletrical contact with your ponts. If it ain't electrically connected to the points it ain't doin' it's thang. Again, USE A volt/OHM meter! to test the little spade on the lead and the point itself to determine connectivity.

 

[Greg in MO]

No manual in front of me and I may be mistaken, but aren't the point supposed to be gapped to 0.015? I think 0.025 is the spark plug gap. I don't know if that is causing your problems, but it can't be helping any.

Greg

 

[Dell (WA)]

Greg.......WEF has the 5-nipple sidemount distributor and the points gap is 0.025" and the plug gap is also 0.025". It has also been converted to 12-volts.

The 4-nipple frontmount distributor points gap is 0.015".......Dell, yer self-appointed sparkie-meister