Ignition System Issues (breaker points style)

[DOOM]

In the last 6 months replaced my whole ignition system consumables, i.e. coil, leads, cap, rotor, points, condensor/capacitor, all sparkplugs and the ballast resistor I set all my gaps too.

It was running without issue for some months until last month, when I chewed through one set of points. I replaced those points, about 2 weeks later the points had a chunk missing again they got replaced. It got down to week between ignition point failures, so I changed back to the old ballast resistor, now the points couldnt even last 2 days. I might try changing back to the old coil, as it had no issues it was just old.

 

Has anyone had similar issues? Anyone with more experience could shed some light? Or could something else be wrong?

 

Pleases and thankyous.

[PB260Z]

Gidday

 

I would be trying a new condensor, that is assuming the points gap is correct.

 

Cheers

 

PB

[DOOM]

Gidday

 

I would be trying a new condensor, that is assuming the points gap is correct.

 

Cheers

 

PB

 

Sorry forgot the clarify, the first time the points went bad I replaced the condensor too. Still continued to chew through points. I had similar driving issues to wogsrus (misfiring, inconsistent idle etc) these went away after changing points and setting gap 0.50mm, then the points would go bad again. 

[oldmates260z]

How are the points failing? Burnt I assume.

 

Sounds like either too much current or arcing. Could be a wiring issue or the incorrect spec part, I would think either the capacitor or resistor.

[Patch]

I had a similar problem years ago when the cheap Chinese copy's were coming in. the cam follower was soft plastic and would only last a week, look for good sets or you can upgrade to electronic sets , normally on e-bay. 

 

 

 

 

[pauly_adams]

welcome to datsuns and points, I use to carry 2 spare sets and a set of feeler gauges around with me as I use to go through a set about every 3- 6 months, I learned my lesson and went to electronic, since then ive not had a issue

[DOOM]

I was looking to eventually upgrade to electronic dizzy (is Pertronix any good?) I was buying bosch points and condenser that are made in Japan, but the coil was a generic black thing.

[dat2kman]

In standard operation the points carry a fair load.

Have a look at the Jaycar /Dick Smith type Transistor Assisted Ignition kits, very simple to make, very simple to connect across the coil to points dozzy, and the points themselves just become a very low load open/close switch.

The kit does all the work., higher spark voltage, fixed dwell angle.

Some later kits can be slightyly adjustable.

 

Way cheaper than anything else

 

Or just drop in a ZX dizzy with mdule, and its corresponding coil and be done with it.

[DOOM]

Looks like im going to need to buy an electronic distributor. Does anyone have a 79' to 83' 280ZX distributor in operating condition?

[theremm]

I have a pertonix in a 240z and it runs well.

 

A friend of mine has a petronix in a 280zx and he said that he noticed a big improvement using the pertronix over the standard 280zx electronic ignition module.

 

The petronix is really easy to install (15 min job), and doesn't require any fiddlying around, whereas (so I was informed) the 280zx module involves a little bit of dicking around to setup in 240/260z's seeing as they originally used points. Using the pertronix, you literally just pull your points and rotor out and screw in the new pertronix module.