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Well I learned what not to do, I accidentaly left the Ignition swith on the other day after working on my 51' M38 with the 24 volt dist. Today it wouldn't start, I still had plenty of power to try cranking it the entire time, I have 24 volts to the dist. so I then took the cover off the dist. and checked voltage there and I have 24 volts to the input side off the dist. but ZERO coming out and NO ark between the points when they open.

So am I correct in assuming that the coil is now bad?

I know its not good to leave the ingnition on for any vehicle but over my 25 years of working on my projects I've accidentaly done this to many times to count and I have never burned up a coil before. Killed the batteries but never the dist.

Is this normal for this system to kill the coil if the ignition is left on?

Or was this just a weak coil?
Or am I missing something here?

Thanks
Keith

If the points are closed the coil will cook. You've been lucky for 25 years and either you left it on with the points open or you had a pointless ignition system in those cars.

Disconnect the wires to the coil and using an ohmeter check across the primary side for about 1.0 Ohms and the secondary side for 12,000 to 16,000 Ohms. Most likely the primary on yours will read open or 0.0 Ohms.

Now that you are shopping for a coil try AJP, MWM. DeBella & Rapco. Make sure you tell them US made coil only. No imported coils.

yep I'm getting open line on my meter. Thanks for the vender list those are my favorite ones also.

On a different subject my temp gauge tests bad is there any hope of pulling it apart and fixing it or do I have to spend $135 for a nos gauge?

Thanks for all the great advise
Keith

The crimped edge on the bezal and the micro electrics inside have always kept me from bothering with them. It is tedious work, not always rewarding and often the repairs do not last long. If you have tested using the proper TB at http://www.cj3a.info/sibling/milgauge/milgage.htm then I would shop for a more reasonably priced original or late model and adapt the Packard connectors to Douglass.

OK I don't think I'll pull it apart yet maybe after I get a good one working I'll take it apart for fun to see what makes it tick! I did call around on prices to the 3 favorites and pete debella had the best price @ 125.00 so I got a nos temp gauge and coil coming my way.

Thanks for the great advice,
Keith

Which was which price wise?