Changed points... now i get no fire!?!

[TeamPSI]

I changed the points in my 1971 Johnson 85hp yesterday. I cannot believe that I goofed up something so simple. The engine ran the last time I tried to crank it before I changed the points.

I am 99.9% sure that the gap setting is correct. I also checked to make sure that the points were making a connection when they were closed.

I did forget to completely tighten one of the screws that holds the connecting ground wires wires. I tried to crank it with this wire "loose". Could that have caused some sort of damage?

What in the heck could I have done wrong?! I'm sure it's something simple, but I just can't figure it out.

 

[F_R]

Re: Changed points... now i get no fire!?!

What gap did you set them at? Should be .010. Loose screw wouldn't have damaged anything as long as it didn't fall out. How about the anti-reverse cut-off ring, did you mess with that at all? It needs to be free to move back and forth between the metal and plastic stops.

 

[TeamPSI]

Re: Changed points... now i get no fire!?!

What gap did you set them at? Should be .010. Loose screw wouldn't have damaged anything as long as it didn't fall out. How about the anti-reverse cut-off ring, did you mess with that at all? It needs to be free to move back and forth between the metal and plastic stops.

The gap is set to .010"

The spring... It just seems to be sitting there. It seems to slide back and forth down there, but I'm unsure of how it should really be moving/acting. It didnt mess with it at all, but I guess I couldve messed it up somehow, maybe.

 

[R.Johnson]

Re: Changed points... now i get no fire!?!

Disconnect the wire from the points to the power pak. Brush the wire from the pak to the side of the block as someone crank's the engine. If you have spark, there is something wrong under the flywheel.

 

[TeamPSI]

Re: Changed points... now i get no fire!?!

Alrighty...

Theres spark coming through the plug wire! Ask me how I know.

Forgive me for sounding stupid here....
The points remove the ground from the wire and that tells the ignition to fire, right? I've noticed that at no period in time is there not a ground on that wire. No matter what position the cranshaft is in, there is always one of the points connected and giving a ground. Is this wrong?

As for that spring...
It's just sitting down around the shaft. It's not connected anywhere. It just sort of slides back and forth. I really can't see how it would be doing anything.

 

[F_R]

Re: Changed points... now i get no fire!?!

No, the points make and break the ground connection as the shaft is rotated. You must not have them gapped properly. Make sure each one is on the high part of the cam when you set them, that is the shaft must be rotated to open them one at a time. If you watch them as you turn the shaft you will see there are times when they are both open and not grounding anything.

The spring is rotated with the shaft till it stops up against the plastic clip holding the wick. If the shaft turns backwards, like if the engine tries to run backwards, the spring is rotated backwards with it till it bumps up against the terminal holding the points wire, thus shorting out the points and killing the engine. Lubricate the spring where it rubs on the shaft very lightly with just a dab of EP grease.

 

[R.Johnson]

Re: Changed points... now i get no fire!?!

The point's are correct, they are wired in paralell. That anti-reverse spring is just a light friction fit on the crankshaft. It follow's the crank until stopped by the plastic block. If the engine were to back fire, and try to run backward's, it would follow the crank, and hit the ground strap. This would kill the ignition. It should be just as you see it. By the way, what did you set the point's at?

 

[TeamPSI]

Re: Changed points... now i get no fire!?!

Is there any difference in the 2 points? Like.. is one any longer than the other? It seems that no matter where I gap them, there is no way that they will both be open at the same time.

Hmm... Ill go mess with it some more and see.

thanks

 

[R.Johnson]

Re: Changed points... now i get no fire!?!

Set them at the high point on the point cam. They won't be open at the same time.

 

[TeamPSI]

Re: Changed points... now i get no fire!?!

Yep...

I figured it out. There as a stray strand of wire on one of the point connecting ground wires. It just took me a few minutes with the multimeter.

Thanks guys. I appreciate it!

 

[F_R]

Re: Changed points... now i get no fire!?!

Glad you found it. But com'on guys they both have to be open four times per revolution in order to trigger the amplifier. Otherwise it would be constantly grounded when either or both are closed.