yes, I've replaced the condenser. smoke just comes out of distributor. a bad ground is all I have to check. any ideas?
- posted
16 years ago
Points burn up!
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- posted
16 years ago
Sounds like the plug assembly on the condenser is grounded where it goes thru the housing.
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- posted
16 years ago
make sure you connected the wire from the condensor to the negative side of the coil...if you connect it to the postitive it will fry the points wire...
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- posted
16 years ago
The points have to be perfectly free of oil. Even a fingerprint is enough to cause them to burn. Wipe your feeler gauge with lacquer thinner or acetone. Before you replace the rotor, put some lacquer thinner or acetone on the corner of a paper towel or Q-tip and wipe the points.
VW points are good for about 10A. of in-rush current, about 3A. as steady-state. If the primary of your coil is TOO LOW the points will see too much in-rush current.
Lotsa guys think a 'high power' coil will give them more spark. In fact, the coil must match the capacity of the points. If the coil draws more in-rush current than the points are designed to handle, you'll simply burn up the points.
The capacitor is the usual culprit in a case of burned points, and a new capacitor is no guarantee it is good; check it before installing.
On the stock coil be sure the NEGATIVE terminal, labeled '1', is connected to the points. The POSITIVE terminal, labeled '15' goes to the ignition switch.
-Bob Hoover