Re: 1948 288 coil

Posted by Ross On 2020/3/17 7:14:52

Make certain, as Howard suggested, that your points are not oxidized and thereby not conducting. That is far and away the most common problem after a a long hiatus. The oxide they form is quite hard; it can take some pretty substantial violence to get their little faces clean.

OK, I will now admit my secret shame: all the old books say never to sandpaper the points. I have done it for thirty years on everything from junkyard ornaments to neglected trailer queens. 600 grit wet or dry paper. Works great and I have never found the downside. Fold a little piece over quadruple so it is stiff, close the points on it and work it back and forth til you get continuity. Follow up with the corner of a 3 x 5 card to clean up. Point files are usually not sharp enough to get that oxide off.