intermitend spark

[58rude]

My saga continues with my little 58 sportwin 10 model 10016. Got it fired up again and it was running really rough. So I put my plug tester back on and it would barley jump an 1/8, and not do that every time. Popped the flywheel off and checked the points. They were dead on, so I cleaned them, and it still barley jumps and 1/8. It has new wires, points, and cond. I screwd the new wires into the coils and have good ohm readings through the wires too the both coils. When I check the primary side of the coils, they ohm out at .1 on both. I read where they should ohm out at .9. So I am kinda at a loss. The coils look brand new, and the magnet on the flywheel will pull a screwdriver in from a inch away.

 

[Tim Frank]

Re: intermitend spark

Both sides of the ignition acting up or just one?

 

[samo_ott]

Re: intermitend spark

I hate the intermittent issues. Are they new coils or ones that look good? Did you remove them and look at the bottom if they are older? Sometimes they arc through. Are both sides barely jumping 1/8" or just 1 side? Can you post a good pic or two as sometimes folks can see something or have more ideas. I take pics of all my innards when the flywheel is off in case I wanna review em later.

 

[58rude]

Re: intermitend spark

Its both sides. Both coils were on it when I got it. They look new. When it was given to me, it had the wrong points hooked too the wrong coils. It took forever to figure this out. I just wander if that damaged the coils somehow? Let me see if I can get a pic for you guys. Thanks alot.

 

[58rude]

Re: intermitend spark

Here is the pic.

 

[samo_ott]

Re: intermitend spark

I just got a 33hp. Weak spark on one, none on the other. Opened it up andall the parts were new inside. oh oh. So I cleaned and gapped the points. No diff. Everything looked perfect. Finally took the new coils off (due to nothing else to try) and noticed a small bubble in each. Then checked the resistance and they were toast. Turns out they had mis wired the ignition switch and applied 12v to the coils and blew them both. New coils and it runs like a top.

While you don't haver 12v it might be something similar. Also I'm surprised that you screwed the wires into the coils without removing them. I find I need to remove them to get good contact. Anyway, I'd remove em and check em closely.

 

[58rude]

Re: intermitend spark

No sir, I did though. I took the whole mag plate apart and rebuilt it. I tested those coils on the bench, thats why I am confused here.

 

[samo_ott]

Re: intermitend spark

Nice looking engine. I've never seen red coils before. It looks like you have kill switch wires coming out of the front coil. But I don't think they were on that model/year. Where do the wire(s) go? They cant short out to anything.

And do you have a pic from right overhead to see it all?

 

[58rude]

Re: intermitend spark

Let me snap another shot. I just unhooked the push button kill wires just to make sure. But I did test the switch and wires and everything ohms out great. The switch is normally open and closes when I push it, and the wires read .0 even when I shake them too see if its shorting somewhere. Its a 1958 Sportwin 10 with a push button on the frame under the carb.

 

[58rude]

Re: intermitend spark

 

[samo_ott]

Re: intermitend spark

I assume the coil wires are disconnected from the points for testing? Everything looks good there to me. I hope someone else is reading the thread and can comment.

Here's a pic of the last plate I did which was the 33hp last week. All is the same other than you grounded the coils on the other screw which make no diff.

 

[58rude]

Re: intermitend spark

The coil wire is the red one. The black wire with the red end is the push button stop switch.

 

[Mas]

Re: intermitend spark

Is the points cam seated all the way down...it looks a little high?

Mas

 

[58rude]

Re: intermitend spark

Thats just with the flywheel off. Its got a spring under it. I put a short peice of pipe on it with the nut on top too hold it down while setting the points. Thanks though.

 

[kfa4303]

Re: intermitend spark

Geez, I'm kinda at a loss too:/ Your plate looks great and super clean. I like the red coils too. The only suggestion I might make are fresh s'plugs (J6C should work), but I'm sure you've thought of that, I'm sure. Perhaps installing one half of the ignition at a time, reinstalling the flywheel, then testing it to see if you get spark may yield some info. I realize it's a bit of pain taking the flywheel on and off, but you don't need to tighten and retorque it fully, just enough so you can spin it a few good times by hand to test for spark. I'm thinking there is something grouding out somewhere. Keep us posted. I'm curious to see what's wrong.

 

[wilde1j]

Re: intermitend spark

Sierra coils are only ~ $22. I'd get a pair and see if that cures the intermittent issues. I can't think of much else that would cause this, given the rest of the ignition components in good shape.

 

[1946Zephyr]

Re: intermitend spark

I would remove both plug wires and trim them off 1/4" and re-install them. Do the same on the spark plug end.

 

[58rude]

Re: intermitend spark

I'll go to Napa after work and have them get me two coils. I sure hope that does it. Thinking about just replacing the kill switch wires while I have it apart again. Thanks for all the help, I will keep everyone posted.

 

[Tim Frank]

Re: intermitend spark

I'd try it one time without the kill switch wires connected....just in case.
You can kill it as req'r'd with the choke.

 

[kfa4303]

Re: intermitend spark

I'm curious to know where you got the red coils. No one else seems to have seen them before either. It seems odd that they would be bad right out of the box and the color shouldn't matter, but they're the only thing that look a bit strange, so maybe they're not quite right. Just a guess. I look forward to seeing how it all works out. Keep us posted.