I've got a very strange problem with my distributor right now. Basically when I turn the key to run the coil power wire gets hot and starts smoking. I pulled the distributor and the wire that goes from the negative side of the coil to the points was melted. I replaced this wire because I thought maybe it was grounding out somewhere. Tried again and the power wire to the coil is still getting hot and smoking, the car will not start either....

Any help is appreciated.

Are your points in the distributor opening? If not, or it will melt that wire pretty fast.

The points being closed shouldn't melt wires. You may have a bad coil. I would replace the coil if you don't know how to test it. I would also replace the points and condenser to be on the safe side.

Agreed, something is shorted out causing the wire to heat up. Most likely the coil.

alan

Points are opening. I did replace the coil and it did the same thing, should have mentioned that in the first post. I did replace the distributor wire after I put the old coil back in... never seen or heard of a problem like this before.

Thinking I may just go to an HEI if it's not a simple fix.

I suspect the resistance wire from the ignition switch to the coil....In order to confirm this, try the following: Disconnect the wire at the positive (+) side of the coil and run a length of wire from the battery (+) to the coil positive (+) side and see if it still heats up.....Sounds like the resistor wire may be shorting out and will need to be replaced!

Would that require a new engine harness?

NO!....Just a new resisitor wire!

Hmmm what about the wire from the coil to the distributor? If the insulation has worn away, it could very well be shorting to ground as it goes thru the distributor housing. Easy enough to check with a DVM. Disconnect the distributor side wire from the coil, make sure the points are open. You should not have continuity between the spade on the wire and ground.

alan

I'll try that too. If it is the resistor wire, can I get these at a NAPA or is this something I need to get online?

Thanks for all the help guys

A short in a wire between the ignition switch and the coil, won't cause the wire between the coil and distributor to overheat and melt.

The fault is always down stream of the failure. A fault in the resistor wire would melt the wiring between the ignition switch and the resistor, a fault in the coil would melt the wire between the coil and the ignition switch, a fault in the distributor could melt any wire between the distributor and the ignition switch. Points are either shorted out, or the terminal (or the wiring) in the distributor is grounded. Its pretty easy to pinch the wire under the vacuum advance plate. Try putting a dwell meter on the ditributor and watch it as you crank the car. If you verify the points are open put an ohm meter on the wire (disconnected from the coil) and chec resistance to ground. If the points are open it should read infinite resistance (open circuit).

Any chance the hold-down screw for the points is a junk-box part that is extending far enough to short the points to ground?

Screws seem to be correct. I did try connecting the coil directly to the battery and there is definitely a short. When the points are closed, the coil is actually arcing on it's mount. Does this with the old and the new coil I have. When the points are open, no short.

How many wires are on your coil & where are they located?

Did you leave the original wire hooked up to the positive side of coil when you performed this check?

Had this happen once on a resto with new harnesses. Before long, the yellow/cloth wires to the coil got warmer than they should, would begin to smoke within a minute or so. Talked to AAW about it, the only thing they could figure was it was shorting somewhere in the starter solenoid.

Swapped it out, bingo, no more hot wires.

When I did the test, I disconnected the original power wire. The coil resistor (I think that's what it is) and the test wire to the battery were connected to the + coil. The distributor wire was conncted to the negative side of the coil.

Remove the coil resistor? from the + side of coil and try again.

I made some progress.... although I am not exactly sure what I did. I took the distributor out along with the points to make sure there wasn't something in there causing a short. I put it back together and back into the car and hooked it back up to the the coil. This time when I touched the test wire to the battery I noticed the coil was actually arcing from where the distrbutor cap wire goes (I hadn't put it back yet).

Hooked it back up to the ignition power wire and started the car.... now the only issue is the ignition wire is still pretty warm, but not smoking like it was.... is this normal for this wire to be fairly warm and almost hot?

Warm is normal, hot/smoking isn't.

is this normal for this wire to be fairly warm and almost hot?


YES!:yes:....Warm to the touch but no smoking allowed!:noway::thumbsup: