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Re: [GMCnet] Bringing Onan back to life due to impending hurricane [message #185485 is a reply to message #185479] Sun, 23 September 2012 13:20 Go to previous messageGo to previous message
James Hupy is currently offline  James Hupy   United States
Messages: 6806
Registered: May 2010
Karma:
Senior Member
Robin, any replacement ignition system that goes in the original points box
and uses the phenolic resin points plunger to trigger it has the same
Achilles heel as the points do. Asthe engine runs, plunger wears shorter,
and the timing is retarded as a result of the wear. The pertronix module is
triggered by a rotating magnet on the flywheel. No parts come into contact
with each other, ergo no wear takes place, and no degradation of timing
accuracy over time takes place. They either work or they don't. Unaffected
by grease or dirt as well.
Jim Hupy
SALEM,OR
78 GMC Royale 403
On Sep 23, 2012 9:11 AM, "Robin Hood" <loxley@gmail.com> wrote:

> CFO forbids spending money by taking it to the shop. "They're just
> going to throw new parts at it AND you'll still have to pay labor. Buy
> the parts yourself and we'll put them on together."
>
> I see Jim K. sells the Dinosaur brand Onan control board and a wiring
> harness. That will be a good start. I can also clean up the carb
> whilst I wait for them to arrive.
>
> I've seen people talk about Pertronix and other ignitions. Jim sells a
> "solid state" ignition point system. Hell, for that matter he sells a
> new fuel pump to. I need simple and reliable. :) I don't need to try
> to fab up or modify.someting to make it work.
>
> Robin
>
> On Sun, Sep 23, 2012 at 10:30 AM, Robin Hood <loxley@gmail.com> wrote:
> > Ok, so then the wires are *designed* to work like that then? That is,
> > a sharp needle like projection pokes into the collection of wires at
> > the center of the spark plug lead. If that's the case, then the wires
> > are probably good.
> >
> > If i'm not seeing spark at either the points or at the end of the plug
> > wires, does that mean the control board is the likely culprit? Or more
> > likely the various wires. I will take contact wire to the control
> > board and check the connections on each individual wire.
> >
> > I am THIS CLOSE to just saying screw it and taking it to the Cummins
> > dealership and getting them to mess with it.
> >
> > I wonder how much they'll charge, and how far that would get me
> > towards a new control board, new wiring harness, and new ignition
> > system. I can easily seem them just wanting to replace everything till
> > they got it working. Hell, even *I* could do that, I think.
> >
> > Argh. How frustrating.
> >
> >
> >
> > On Sat, Sep 22, 2012 at 5:20 PM, James Hupy <jamesh1296@gmail.com>
> wrote:
> >> Robin, if you look into the top of the coil where the secondary lead
> goes,
> >> you will see a sharp needle-like projection that goes into the center of
> >> the lead. Onan used real wire back when these units were made. No sir,
> none
> >> of that graphite impregnated nylon strand crap for them. RFI was not
> even
> >> in the picture then. They first introduced resistor spark plugs for RFI
> >> problems, and promptly cut plug service life in half, then they
> introduced
> >> resistor wires, and ignition related service problems went through the
> >> roof. They went away from flywheel magnetos because they didn't produce
> >> enough voltage to overcome resistor crap. Now we have battery coil
> ignition
> >> with contact breaker points. Not much better. Put on a pertronix solid
> >> state ignition module and end the problems. JWIWD.
> >> Jim Hupy
> >> Salem, Or
> >> 78 GMC ROYALE 403
> >> On Sep 22, 2012 2:32 PM, "John Wright" <powerjon@chartermi.net> wrote:
> >>
> >>> Robin of the Hood,
> >>> The picture was very small and hard to see.
> >>>
> >>> Why don't you joint the rest of us on the GMC Photo Site. Doesn't
> >>> cost anything and it is where we store the GMC photo information.
> >>> http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/
> >>> Go to the bottom of the page and sign up for an account.
> >>>
> >>> JR Wright
> >>> 78 Buskirk Stretch
> >>> Michigan
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> >
> >>>
> http://m164.photobucket.com/albumview/albums/goodluckfox/1348348389_zps9654ea85.jpg.html?o=0&newest=1
> >>> >
> >>> > Is that what the spark plug wire is supposed to look like where it
> >>> > plugs
> >>> > into the coil? Because it looks like there's just a few strands of
> >>> > wire
> >>> > that don't connect to nothin.
> >>> >
> >>> > Tester says no spark at the plugs.
> >>> >
> >>> >
> >>> > --
> >>> > Robin Hood
> >>> > Jackson, MS
> >>> _______________________________________________
> >>> GMCnet mailing list
> >>> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
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> >>>
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> GMCnet mailing list
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> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Robin Hood
> > Jackson, MS
> > 2003 Buick Lesabre
> > 1968 Pontiac Catalina
> > 1978 GMC Royale motorhome
> > 1977 GMC Palm Beach motorhome
>
>
>
> --
> Robin Hood
> Jackson, MS
> 2003 Buick Lesabre
> 1968 Pontiac Catalina
> 1978 GMC Royale motorhome
> 1977 GMC Palm Beach motorhome
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
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>
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