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My blue 1980 4x4 is acting up again.Last time it got this cold, it turned out that the #5 fuse was blown along w points being fried.It's ran great from then, till now...

Just went out to crank it up after changing oil for trip tomm......won't start, found prob right away this time.
My points are fried ......AGAIN
It's only been about 1800 miles since i replaced the points.This is really starting to bring out the very worst of my cherokee indian temper and I am VERY tempted to trade this thing off for a good 6 cylinder FORD pickup if problems like this continue to come up.

Seems that everything is fine until it gets real cold outside again, then.....right when i need it the very most, something is wrong,fried etc.

WHAT would cause points to fry out again so soon
That is my $64.00 question...any and all help/info is greatly appreciated and I thank yall kindly in advance.***Duane***

Hmmm, off the top of my head.

Is your ballast resistor installed and functioning?

Does the + of your coil de-energize when the ignition key is turned off?

Having power to the coil with the key off, having 12v at the +side of the coil with the key on and the truck running(should be ~7-9v I think), uhm, seems like there is something else but I forget. My 76 used to go through points about once every 2000-5000 miles or so. Sometimes they'd last a while, others I'd be buying a set every other tank of gas it seemed. Resistor was replaced, all the voltages looked fine, coil powered down with the key off, etc. I never did completely figure it out but it seemed to help when I cleaned out the disti real good. Dust/crud in there seems to end up as burnt dust/crud stuck to the points.

See, this is why the EI upgrade is so popular.

_________________
Richard Barnes Salt Lake, Utah
1980 Luv Mikado 4X4
http://geocities.com/luvtruck2004/

Yes, the day before yesterday I replaced the igniter aka resistor,as well as the coil, the key switch and all wires running to the key switch.

But now, yes I see why everybody is changing over to E.I., think thats what im gunna do too.I know where ONE of those is.

Sure enough....just replaced points & condensor (again) and the stupid thing is running like new again.i did find a lotta crap/crud in the dist...like black dust.What causes this, does anyone know?because i could understand that stuff getting into the points and eating them up.
Just wondering if there is a cure for that, or something I can use to clean in there and keep that stuff down to a dull roar till i go get this E.I. unit

Thanks guys for all the kind words once again.**Duane*

I think a fair amount of the crud in there comes off the little deal on the points that rides against the disti shaft. I suppose some probably comes from the center contact on the cap wearing against the rotor too. Those things and just dirt getting in around the cap.

I keep meaning to come up with some sort of gasket that would slip over the edge of the metal points cover and seal things up, but I haven't found anything the right size. I haven't looked that hard yet either. I was thinking a thin rubber gasket with a grove on the inner edge that metal cover would slip into. That would seal top and bottom and make it virtually water proof, not to mention dirt proof.

I went with a set of eckland points. the parts store had a heck of a time finding them but they lasted me a long time. the first set lasted me from 1999 to 2003 as a occasional driver. i bought some pos points after that and they lasted me up untill 3 weeks ago. when i had to replace them because they were fried. up untill last friday it was running good when the rear main blew and spewed all my oil all over freeway

Well, I got some Borg Warner points from O'Riley auto Parts, they are sposed to be good stuff.After all everything else Borg Warner makes that i know of is real good.

Sorry to hear bout the oil-spill there,hope nobody slipped and fell down.
Hope things get better for ya