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KSB, the Delco Distributor runs a point gap in the 0.022 vicinity as posted below. Now, as to your question of why the tractor may burn points up quickly there could be a few reasons: Regardless how the tractor was originally configured, I have seen all sorts of jury rigs and incorrect modifications, so not being there its a lil hard to tell, but I will throw out some possible problems. 1) One leading cause or premature point burn up is a failed, open, disconnected (it wires to points and its case is grounded to distributor), not well grounded, or the incorrect size of condensor. One of the condensors jobs is to absorb some of the coil primarys stored energy and resultant arcing current across the points when they break open, and if the condensors bad or open or disconnected or not well grounded (its in paralell with points) she can still fire but the extra arcing across the points burns them up much quicker. a) A simple ohmmeter test can show if a condensor is definitely BAD (open or shorted) but it wont necessarily tell you if its really good and the correct value etc. i.e. it will test for BAD but just cuz it passes dont necessarily mean its definitely good. b) You can partially check it by disconnecting it and discharging it by connectign its lead to its case. Then with an ohmmeter on the low ohms scale measure between its case and lead and it should read an OPEN circuit (if reads short its bad). c) Next I use an analog ohmmeter like my Simpson 260 or RCA WV 38A etc. I discharge the condensor, place meter on highest scale like R x 10,000, then connect it to lead n case. The meter should initially swing over towards a short circuit (as condensor charges up) but then slowy swing back over to and remain near infinity open circuit. SUMMARY 1: Insure the condensor is in place and wired to points and passes BOTH tests above. If theres any doubt as to its condition, I would replace it with a new unit and see how she does. 2) Another cause of premature point burn up may be they are drawing excess current. This could be caused by: a) An bad or an incorrect coil (say a 6 volt coil on an unballasted 12 volt ignition circuit); or, b) A failed or shorted or miswired or missing Ballast Resistor in an ignition that uses a 6 volt coil and was intended to have the series current limiting ballast in place which drops around 6 volts leavign 6 across a 6 volt coil. c) A 6 volt coil should have around 1.2 to 1.7 ohms or so in its primary windign as measured between its lil + and - terminals, while an internally ballasted 12 volt coil would be around 2 to 3.25 ohms or so. d) If you had a 6 volt coil ONLY (no external ballast) on a 12 volt system, the points draw excess current and burn up quick PLUS the coil could get so hot you could hardly keep your hand on it. How hot is your coil after running??? Should be warm BUT NOT so hot you cant keep holding it. If so, check to see if its a 6 volt coil and if so if theres a series bathtub type ceramic ballast resistor in the circuit ahead of it between the ignition switch output and the coil??? e) QUESTIONS: Do you have a series ceramic bathtub type ballast in the ignition circuit between ignition switch and coil???? If so, is it good, wired correct, and measure around 1.5 to 1.85 ohms??? Is your coil labeled 6 or 12 volts???? Does your coil run very hot????? Whats the DC resistance of the coil as measured between its lil + and - terminals with all else disconnected???? The answers to these questions helps me diagnose your problem. SUMMARY 2: See what voltage coil you have, if it runs HOT, and if so it may be a 6 volt coil in an ignition system thats designed for a series ballast resistor. Then if that ballast is missing or bad or miswired, the coil and points draw excess current and can be damaged. There should be around 3 ohms total (any ballast + coil) in a 12 volt ignition circuit to limit point and coil current to around 4 amps or else points can burn up quicker and/or coil run too hot. 3) Other possible problems may be the points themselves, or not gappign them correct, but if its NOT a bad coil or wrong voltage coil or a ballast or wirign problem, post back for other things to try. Hopefully you may just need a new condensor in the event you have EITHER a 12 volt internally ballasted coil ORRRRR RR a 6 volt coil in series with a good and correct wired ballast. YOU GOTTA HAVE ONE OR THE OTHER (Plus a good condensor) TO AVOID PREMATURE POINT BURN UP Maybe some of the other gents can add to this or offer other ideas n opinions on why the points are burninG up quickly. pOST BACK OR E MAIL ME AT [email protected] WITH YOUR FINDINGS AND ANY MORE QUESTIONS. Best wishes n may God Bless yall John T Nordhoff in Indiana
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