Points coversion

[whatsagm]

Does anybody sell a points to electronic conversion kit for marine apps. I have a 58 or 59 johnson 50 hp with a 75 hp power head. I would like to get rid of the points and go with a more reliable system. Thank you for your help.

 

[tmcalavy]

Re: Points coversion

Coils/points/condensors are very reliable and easily maintained unless you have a bad top seal that slings oil onto/into the stator/mag plate. But yeah, there is a conversion kit...might use the Forum Search feature (you have to register and log-in first). Never used the kit and best I remember they don't have good ratings with those that have done that. What makes your Johnson unreliable as is? Probably a simple fix that we can help you with given more info.

 

[whatsagm]

Re: Points coversion

I just bought this boat and motor. I haven't messed with it too much yet. The guy that i bought the boat off of said he was trolling at a slow speed for an hour. He said he shut the engine off tho reel in a fish. He went to restart it and would not restart. He didn't know that it had a pull start also. I went to start the motor and found out that the starter was cranking very slow and smoking. I replaced the starter and have not had a chance to try and start the motor. The weather has been to crappy here. I'm not sure it the starter is junk or there is another problem. I just figured that electronic ign systems are a lot better than points.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Points coversion

once set up the existing is very reliable.

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: Points coversion

As long as your flywheel has only one magnet, try Brian Miller's NOVA II, electronic ignition modules. See the following link - the product is about midway down the page.

http://members.aol.com/pullingtractor/a1elect.htm

I have a set of these in a 1969 Johnson 6hp that I use as a kicker. They are sealed units and replace the points and condensors. Although Brian's primary customer base is among those who race riding lawnmowers, they work very well in other applications. I have been very impressed with them - they work for me and one was even submerged in water for two weeks following Hurricane Katrina, before I put it in the motor. All I did was to wipe it off and install it with the second one.

 

[F_R]

Re: Points coversion

Does anybody sell a points to electronic conversion kit for marine apps. I have a 58 or 59 johnson 50 hp with a 75 hp power head. I would like to get rid of the points and go with a more reliable system. Thank you for your help.

A lot of owners with newer "more reliable" systems sure would like to be able to go back to points and condenser magneto systems!!! Be thankful for what you have.

 

[whatsagm]

Re: Points coversion

thank you for your fast answers. I will keep the points system on the engine. I will replace the coil and points system just because of the age. I don't want to be on the lake and the ign system craps out.

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: Points coversion

I think you will be fine if you just replace your points and condensors but if you do go the NOVA II route, you can always go back to points. These units don't require any modifications to the armature plate and simply mount where the points go.

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Points coversion

Wats, On that motor, I believe the points have an "overlap". That is, they do not function seperately, but one set opens, and then the second set opens and the coil fires. if that is the case, I do not think the points replacement devices will work. You can confirm this by the fact that the motor only has one condenser and one coil.

In addition, the ignition system is real reliable on that model. Check the ignition coil (inside the distributor body) for cracks in the plastic. Clean, file and gap the points to spec, and make sure the wire that connects the points together is not shorted or broken. Replace the condenser, if necessary.

 

[whatsagm]

Re: Points coversion

yes that is the system this motor has

 

[samo_ott]

Re: Points coversion

Huh. And I was wondering how to convert my modern electronic ignition engines back to the cheap and reliable points & magnetos!

 

[F_R]

Re: Points coversion

Wats, On that motor, I believe the points have an "overlap". That is, they do not function seperately, but one set opens, and then the second set opens and the coil fires. if that is the case, I do not think the points replacement devices will work. You can confirm this by the fact that the motor only has one condenser and one coil.

In addition, the ignition system is real reliable on that model. Check the ignition coil (inside the distributor body) for cracks in the plastic. Clean, file and gap the points to spec, and make sure the wire that connects the points together is not shorted or broken. Replace the condenser, if necessary.

Not so. Two sets of points 90 degrees apart and and a two-lobed cam 180 degrees apart work together to cause a break every 90 degrees. The are not overlapped. Only one condenser is needed because thare is only one coil.

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Points coversion

FR, On that motor, the points are wired together, such that both must be opened for the coil to fire. The last point to open fires the coil. You would need to install two points Eliminator devices, wired together, and since the cam lobes act as a reluctor and fires the coil at its closest approach to the points eliminator, one points eliminator would always be grounded, negating the spark.

 

[Xcusme]

Re: Points coversion

Hmmm, I'm a bit confused..I would think that a standard 2 point set ignition would fire each set of points every 180 degrees , alternating of course. My thinking is , 360 degrees divided by 2=180 degrees, so every 180 degree rotation of the crank would fire a set of points.
I can see the 2 lobe cam, with lobes 180 degrees apart would still fire a single point set every 180 degrees accomplishing the same thing.

I guess the 90 degree thing is what I'm having a bit of trouble imagining.

Boy, I'd like to read a bit more about this if anyone has a source..Thanx

 

[F_R]

Re: Points coversion

Now y'all got me confused. Sure wish I had one here to look at. I do agree that they both have to be open at some stage in order to fire the coil. But I'm (fairly) sure they don't operate as the dual points sets on the 3 cyl. That's what I consider overlap.

I admit I don't know squat about how the eliminators work. First time I ever heard that the cam is still necessary to act as a reluctor.