[Mg-t] Ignition puzzle on a TF 1500

Glenn Schnittke g.schnittke at comcast.net
Fri May 24 23:03:51 MDT 2013


     Ran into an interesting IQ test today. After a full engine rebuild 
(ran fine on the test rack and in the car) and some transmission work, 
we took the car out on a test drive down the street today. In mid run 
the car died as if you'd turned the key off. I went through the entire 
ignition system and found nothing wrong. But no spark out of the coil or 
a replacement coil, condenser seemed fine, no continuity to ground with 
the points open, and the distro checked out fine on the Sun tester.

Then I noticed a black spot on the back side of the points spring where 
it comes closest to the distributor body right next to the terminal 
screw. It seems it had been arcing to ground between the spring and the 
diz body. I cleaned it off, massaged a flatter curve into the spring and 
added a flat washer between the leather insulator and the end of the 
spring to try to increase the distance between the apex of the spring 
curve and the diz body. Plugged everything back into the car and it runs 
fine again.I could probably relieve the slot in the end of the spring 
that goes under the terminal screw but I'd rather not at this point. I 
want to keep it regularly serviceable without special notes if possible.

Anybody else run across this happening? If so how did you deal with it?

Glenn


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