old points type IGN. Coil getting too hot too touch. Wires too small?

I have a Prestolyte points style dist and an Accell coil. Yes while out on the water I felt the coil and it was too hot too touch. There are 2 spots where wires are connected to the coil. One of the sets of wires is fine but the other side was very soft and hotter than hell.

Heres a pic

http://i904.photobucket.com/albums/ac243/JBOAT1/7175e20f.jpg

See the ed and tan wires what connect to the coil on the right side of the coil in the pic? Those are the wires.


Is the coil supposed to get this hot? Should I replace it? Are the wires too small or is there something else wrong with the IGN or elec system thats making all this get hot?



Thanks

Re: old points type IGN. Coil getting too hot too touch. Wires too small?

Its possible the wires are going bad and causing the coil to heat up.
What is the voltage at the + term while running? It should be about 9v. If its 12 then you have to much going to it and thats causing the heat.
If its about 9v, the best bet is to replace both the wires and the coil. After they over heat, they can go out fast.

Re: old points type IGN. Coil getting too hot too touch. Wires too small?

Curious, is this the rear motor mount bolt, if so it`s all wrong.

Re: old points type IGN. Coil getting too hot too touch. Wires too small?

I dunno. I will look in a little bit when I go down to the boat.

If it is whats wrong with it?

Re: old points type IGN. Coil getting too hot too touch. Wires too small?

bifflefan said:

What is the voltage at the + term while running? It should be about 9v.

Click to expand...

ditto
with your negative meter lead on a good ground or batt. neg. - Not coil (-)

Re: old points type IGN. Coil getting too hot too touch. Wires too small?

no real spec on voltage at the ign coil + and engine ground while running. its mostly wives tales.
kinda like the keep tank above 1/4 to prevent debris being sucked up.
it kinda worked for stuff in the 20s to the mid fiftys but not anymore.
if you check the coil primary + to engine ground with a DVA you will see 140 to 160 volts.
it simply depends on what the system requires.
some used a coil with an internal resistor that required 12V to the +terminal, some used a resistance wire,some used a ballast resistor.
the ballast and the resistance wire are funny electrical properties of speacial alloys.
as they as current flows they heat and resistance increases,as resistance increases crrent flow drops and the wire cools decreasing resistance.
proper way to test coil inpt voltage.
measure battery voltage and record.
measure voltage from the + term on the coil, with the points closed, to the ign wire or tap point in the system.
record that voltage.
subtract the second from the first and the sum will be coil operating voltage.
remember voltage is simply a measure of electrical pressure current is a flow and measred in amps.
typically voltage is reduced to the coil to aid in point life longevity and current consumption.
you have to find does the system on that hull use a resistor wire in the harness,a ballast resistor or a coil with an internal resistor.
with points closed you will read the voltage drop between the coil,point contacts and the dist ground plate when measureing from the + tower to block.
with points open you will read battery voltage.
measure from the positive battery terminal to the + coil terminal with key on and points cllosed and you measure the voltage drop of all resistance points in the crcuit from the battery to the coil.

Re: old points type IGN. Coil getting too hot too touch. Wires too small?

Bt Doctur said:

Curious, is this the rear motor mount bolt, if so it`s all wrong.

Click to expand...

Looks like a normal OMC Cobra motor mount to me ???? What do you see that looks so wrong?

Re: old points type IGN. Coil getting too hot too touch. Wires too small?

on the volt drop test, hold on i got it backwards.
ill edit it in a bit.
trying to take care of 5 vistors staying with me from caracas VE and only 2 speak english and I speak no spanish.
my brain is mushy.

Re: old points type IGN. Coil getting too hot too touch. Wires too small?

edited all but a typo,or two. but its close.
I have 4 spanish speaking folks 3 feet from me chatting with a daughter/sister/aunt on skype and all getting loud and all in spanish.
all I need now is a game of chess.