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Coil with points vs coil with electronic

When I got this bike it needed many things to get it to run. I took it into a guy and it had electric and he changed it over to points. I think to save cost. I was trying to keep it around$1000 for everything. But he didn't ask me he just did it.
 
illusionrider :-

First don't go back to a shop that does for you without asking what you want! Your money being spent deserves good answers, there are no stupid questions.

If you like to tinker points will give you plenty to tinker on, in fact so much so we used to carry a point file, screw driver a second set of points, a condenser and a spare set of plugs.
Most every body smoked back then so a match book was used as a feeler gauge. Do you smoke never mind no body uses matches anymore and the covers started to get thinner than twenty thousandths about 1967 so keep a feeler gauge with you as well. Every once in a wile the spring wire brakes or the contact burns through on a point set, you might need the spare parts at any time.

Wile sitting along the road side, If you find you lost the point file a dollar bill will work in a pinch folded in half twice the long way and used to polish the contacts, don't leave any paper behind it is an insulator and will stop the spark from getting through. As the points fart out your plugs start to foul that is why the second set, so bring a plug wrench along also.

Some of the above dates back before weights were put into the distributor and a wire was used in the left hand grip to turn the distributor to advance or retard the spark

Who in there right mind wants to go through all of that this day and age.
Get a stock or slightly advanced ignition module and the correct coil some fresh plugs and wires and we will see you again in about 50,000 miles.
Alley
 
I do not think that it should matter what the trigger system for the coil is the same coil should work with points and electronic triggers
Points are simple in the way they work and require regular maintenance as the cam follower wears and the points gap closes every time the gap is adjusted the ignition timing needs adjusted to suit
Power flows through the coil (creating a magnetic field in the coil) through the points to ground when the points open the power flow is stopped which collapses the magnetic field in the coil, the collapsing magnetic field is captured by the coil core and redirected to the spark plugs an creates the spark
When electronic ignition is used sensors are in place of the points which send a trigger pulse to the ignition module the ignition module cuts the power flow through the coil and so a spark is created

Things do get a wee bit more complicated than that so the correct coil for the bike should work with either system unless something else has changed
Heat , vibration and time are not good for a coil and they do die

Brian
It's nice to know there are a few experts on here . I was very interested about finding if the coil on my 1991 FXSTS would be ok to use on a points conversion . Your explanation of Faraday's law of electro magnetic induction was excellent . I bought a conversion designed for a 1978 Shovel, and am going to keep it as a back up for my OEM ignition system on my 1991 evo engine. . Like you , I didn't see any reason not to, but on other forums I got such negative responses ,( with no reasoning) I thought I'd ask on a few more sites .
Thanks ,Xcaret
 
I'm glad you found some help here! We try to maintain a friendly site and help folks like you and myself learn & understand our machines. :)
 
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