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What is fouling my points out?

R

ramses

1/2 ton status
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Jul 2, 2004
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West Virginia
The points on my 73 truck keep fouling out rather quickly. It causes the engine to miss annoyingly when under load. Everytime I replace them it runs great for about a day then back to crap again. Ive replaced everything electrical except the coil, could that foul my points out? I think its the original coil? My uncle said a resistor could cause it but we dont know if my truck has one or not? I know if the distributor has play in it the points will foul so I checked that and it doesnt. Any thoughts anyone?
 
What do the points look like when you take them out ? Are they burnt or oily or what. Are you getting a good set of points or the cheapest thing you can get ? Dont try to save money on points it aint worth it.Did the truck just start doing this ? Did you play with any under hood wiring right before this started ? I think the resistor was built into the wire but Im not sure. A points system has to have a resistor somewhere it could be a resistor wire , a plug in type or it could be inside the coil the coil should have it writen on the side of it has an internal resistor or needs an external one.
 
what is the plug gap and condition?
is it burning them? WTF is fouled points?
 
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My uncle said a resistor could cause it but we dont know if my truck has one or not?

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That's your problem. Without a ballast resistor, you will fry your points on a regular basis.

Check your voltage at the distributor in the run position, it should be no more than 8 volts.

You can set them to bypass the resistor for starting only, but in the run position, you MUST use a resistor.
 
The points I put in about a month ago have a small cavity burnt into them, the points I had in for a few months were blistered pretty bad. Im getting the best points. My truck has done this since I brought it home last year but it seems to have gotten worse. Im putting a new coil on it for sure and ill try to see how much voltage im getting at the distributor too. Everything else is in good shape, all the plugs are firing good and everything else electrical is new. Other than the fact I dont know what to set the timing to on a 73, everything is adjusted right.
 
Stop concentrating on anything except that ballast resistor. A new coil isn't going to do squat for you.
 
it might actually
coils do not like running without a ballast resistor for very long
I cooked one bypassing the resistor
 
Yeah but he knows he has a coil and it's firing. He doesn't know if he has a resistor or not. He needs to do some diagnosis before he replaces parts he may not need.
 
I agree its probably a resistor problem,maybe someone replaced the coil with one that had no internal resistor,and the original one did.A condensor that is out of specs will make the points pit and burn also,as will oil fumes getting into the distributor.Might be a good time to upgrade to an HEI distributor--points are antique and costly,and hard to get nowadays-I'd put an HEI distributor in it--no resistor needed,just a 12v hot wire when the key is in the "on" posistion,use a 10 or 12 ga.wire--It will run much better with HEI. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
 
My vote would be for installing an HEI. Don't use the hot wire to the coil for the HEI though because it should be a resistor wire. If the wire has been replaced it could be the problem with your points.
 
with HEI you can"set it and forget it"




little Ron Popiel reference there /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif /forums/images/graemlins/histerical.gif
 
The points have the condenser made into them so a new one is changed with the points. Thats what is supposed to keep them from getting too much current. Im putting a new coil on it, seeing how it does, then if they foul again im putting a resistor in the wiring harness that will fix it for sure. Eventually I will switch to HEI I have most of the parts.
 
I have a '73 chevy blazer with point problems too.I can't find a resistor anywhere on the truck...Theres a wire but i can't follow it.Where might it be?I replaced the condenser,point,and coil...
 
I believe on older model trucks the wire had a MEASURED amount of resistance in the wire itself,,,shortening the wire by a few inchs would change the resistance value of the wire,,,also there was a BYPASS wire on the key switch or the starter solenoid that would apply the full 12 volts to the coil for starting and when the key was released it would run on the resistance wire,,,Old school for sure.

If your points are burning up at the gap of the points the condensor may be bad,,,the condensor "absorbs" the "arc" created by the magnetic field collapsing in the ignition coil every time the points break,,,if the condensor is bad the "arc" will not be "absorbed" and the points will fry.

Man this is showing my age /forums/images/graemlins/whistling.gif /forums/images/graemlins/whistling.gif,,,,I can remember setting up
many dual point distributors before the advent of electronic ignitions.

You could find a wire that gets "hot" when the key is switched on and install an inline ballast resistor,,
if you feel the original setup is not working,,,
just remember to install the bypass wire I spoke of earlier.
 
hehe, i still have many points setups i play with on a daily basis, being the marine industry is usually about 20 yrs behind the times.. /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif

i try to get customers to upgrade to electronic asap...
 
[ QUOTE ]
hehe, i still have many points setups i play with on a daily basis, being the marine industry is usually about 20 yrs behind the times.. /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif

i try to get customers to upgrade to electronic asap...

[/ QUOTE ]

I used to do that too when I wrenched on boats. /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
I believe on older model trucks the wire had a MEASURED amount of resistance in the wire itself,,,shortening the wire by a few inchs would change the resistance value of the wire,,,also there was a BYPASS wire on the key switch or the starter solenoid that would apply the full 12 volts to the coil for starting and when the key was released it would run on the resistance wire,,,Old school for sure.

[/ QUOTE ]
I guess I'll show my age too. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Wasted wages is right.
Back then GM used a resistor wire to the coil. If that wire has been replaced with regular wire or bypassed it will kill the points in a short time. Using no resistance can also fry the coil too. Check the power wire to the coil it should be around 8 0r 9 volts max at the coil.
Changing the coil will do you no good unless you get one with an internal resistor.
 
A set of brand name points around here is about 25 bucks,and special order day wait to get them,since they are 30 old antique parts now at most parts stores--I can buy an HEI distributor from the junkyard,with cap,coil,and even plug wires for less than 30 bucks--unless you love lying on your air cleaner stud while you fool with the points every few weeks,I'd definately get an HEI from a 75-79 GM car or truck before they crush them all--they are starting to get a little hard to find now,and will be priced accordingly pretty soon! /forums/images/graemlins/thinking.gifYou wont regret it--you'll get hotter spark,easier starts,and better gas mileage(if that matters!). /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
 
Yeah... HEI definetly the way to go... Points are a pain... Dual points, twice the problem... Resistor wire is not very user-friendly even if you can find it, so many ohms per inch? no thanks... At one time you could get a ballast resistor in the "Help" section of your local part store.... I don't know if thats the case anymore... HEI is so much better I have'nt looked back... I had a '55 1/2 ton, a '69 El Camino, and now a '69 Blazer and a '68 commando with a buick v6... All of which I changed to HEI.... zero ignition probs..
 
Well I put a resistor and new coil in and it ran good for a while but now I think its starting to do it again. Its a little different this time though, it runs strong if i go easy on the pedal but if I push it pas about 1/4 of the way down, it just shudders and shakes a lot and has no power to gain any speed. Im gonna check the points again to see if theyre burnt up and go from there again I guess. After I put the resistor on, my tach doesnt work anymore, which is reallly annoying to me now. Im converting to HEI soon but id like to get it to stop for a while until I do. What all exactly do I need for convert it to HEI? I need a list of every part I need. I think I have most of it though.
 
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