[Mgs] MGA Points

[Lambdin, Mike]

Ditto Barney's advice...I once had the exact same coil problem.

Mike Lambdin

-----Original Message-----
From: mgs-bounces at autox.team.net [mailto:mgs-bounces at autox.team.net] On Behalf
Of Barney Gaylord
Sent: Monday, September 28, 2009 12:07 AM
To: Robert J. Guinness; MG List
Subject: Re: [Mgs] MGA Points

At 09:47 PM 9/27/2009 -0500, Robert J. Guinness wrote:
>I have had to replace the points on my MGA's distributor after only
>3 months of service (less than a 1,000 miles).  Apparently, the
>rubbing block wore down so that the points remained closed.  The
>points could not be adjusted to increase the gap because they were
>already fully adjusted out. ....
>--

I had that problem once about 20 years ago.  In the middle of a long
road trip I had replaced the ignition coil, and the problem started
immediately thereafter.  I was driving more than 2000 miles per week
on that trip, so the problem would reoccur every few days.  At one
point I used large side cutters to notch out the slot for more
adjustment range.

After returning home I discovered I had installed the wrong ignition
coil, one intended for use with ballasted ignition system, half the
resistance, twice the current with no ballast resistor.  Apparently
the excess current would overheat the points and melt the rubbing
block.  These were contact points with the red plastic rubbing
foot.  Points set with phenolic rubbing block is more heat
resistant.  Check resistance on the primary of your ignition coil,
should be about 3.2-ohms (slightly lower for high energy coil).  If
it measures around 1.6 ohms, see how far you can throw it.

Barney Gaylord
1958 MGA with an attitude
http://MGAguru.com
Mgs at autox.team.net
http://autox.team.net/mailman/listinfo/mgs

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