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TR2/3/3A Lost Spark
- Thread starter mgedit
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mgedit
Jedi Knight
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So I seem to be going again. Checked all wires and they all had continuity despite gently wiggling and tugging on them. Only small thing I noticed was that the ground wire from body of distributor to plate was very slightly damaged. Looked like insulation was pinched a bit. Sorted that out with a very small bit of shrink wrap and reinstalled everything again just like before and started right up. Still not completely certain that I've found the root cause, but good for now. See what tomorrow brings 
Set points at 15 thou, and dwell is 50 degrees. Read that dwell should be more like 60 degrees. Does 50 indicate a little too much gap or a bit tight? Feeler gauge seems to have just slight resistance so I thought gap was pretty close. Just curious.
Thanks for everyone's help in working through my problem.
Cheers, Mike
Set points at 15 thou, and dwell is 50 degrees. Read that dwell should be more like 60 degrees. Does 50 indicate a little too much gap or a bit tight? Feeler gauge seems to have just slight resistance so I thought gap was pretty close. Just curious.
Thanks for everyone's help in working through my problem.
Cheers, Mike
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Dwell is how long the points remain closed between rides up the lobes. Smaller gaps = longer dwell. I have never bothered to routinely measure dwell (even when I was a line mechanic). Slight resistance to movement of the feeler gauge is the right test.
Bob
Bob
CJD
Yoda
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Like Bob says, dwell is how long (in degrees) that the points remain closed. The significance is that it relates to the time the coil has to fully form its magnetic field, before being forced to discharge. More dwell gives the coil more time to “charge”. Of course, at low RPM the coil has way more time than it needs. Lower dwell could become a factor at high RPM.
In your case, Mike, I would leave it at 50 degrees. As the points wear the dwell will increase on its own...unless you plan to go racing??
In your case, Mike, I would leave it at 50 degrees. As the points wear the dwell will increase on its own...unless you plan to go racing??