New cub magneto coil arrived but

[waynemo]

I received the new coil that arrived here 11 days after ordering. I think it was the usps fault as they kept me up on its location from Va to Ohio to Indiana to me in Mo! The coil measured 9 ohms and looks well made by Brillman.
When I put it in the mag with the points and condenser everything I touched showed to be grounded! I took the parts off and made sure they were insulated where they should be. I cannot understand how the insulated parts go to ground when assembled. I am very familiar with how these parts function with a standard coil but I have never worked with a mag. Am I missing something here? I set it aside till I hear from you guys and wonder if the circuit using rotating magnets should be any different from that of a standard external coil!
The lead from the mag coil goes to a terminal block where it connects to an external kill wire along with the condenser lead and then to the moveable arm of the points and then to the grounded contact point.

[Glen]

Hi,
If you turn the magneto coupling, and make it wind, and snap, to check the spark, they have said on here the spark needs to ground to the magneto. It can damage the coil to make it spark with no place for the spark to ground.
Plug a wire into the coil post, and hold it so the metal end of the wire is about 1/4" from the metal of the magneto when checking the spark.

[Rick Spivey]

Touching anywhere along the primary (small) wire and the casing will show continuity, that is normal if the points are closed. There should not be continuity when touching the secondary (nub on coil) and the casing.

[waynemo]

I do have continuity between the coil small wire and the points moveable arm with the points held open or not.
I got 9 ohms from the coil wire to the nub on the coil out of the box. That means the coil has continuity between the small coil wire and the nub measured with the coil out of the circuit by itself so how could I not expect continuity between the nub and the housing when it has the iron bar inserted and screwed to the housing?
There is something I am missing here! Could it be the small coil wire only has voltage when the magnets are rotating? And that would cause the points to function as normal.

[Rick Spivey]

I agree that you should get 9,000 ohms resistance (check your meter, I bet it is on the "K" setting when you measure 9). However, I don't think you would find actual continuity between the small primary wire (or its end points) and the nub. If your meter has a continuity test, try it. I also agree that it appears the case is connected via the tab under the screw regardless of point setting, which has confused me in the past as well. But you are correct that the primary wire has current only when the armature is rotating in the magnetic field, and when the points open, that electric field collapses, causing the secondary circuit to discharge and spark. Install your magneto and see if it works correctly. DO NOT snap over the magneto without giving the spark a ground to go to, that can burn up a coil.

Edit: I believe you will find that the moving arm of the points is connect electrically to the case only by the primary wire, the pivot is insulated. So when open, both ends of the points are electrically connected to the case, but there is a break in the circuit where the points open, causing the field to collapse.

[waynemo]

I cannot believe the trouble I am having setting the points. I have done this on other distributors all my life and I am 84 now but I should not have so much trouble. Maybe I have the stationary contact misassembled with the parts that hold it.
I have the stationary point fit into the groove and the points line up. Then I have the small piece on with the bent up portion and then a washer with the screw holding it all together. How should the small piece with its bend be positioned? I looked at the photos sent here by Bill V in MD and they are good but not showing these parts enough. Hope he sees this and responds!

[Bill V in Md]

Below are some additional photos that show the orientation of the stationary piece.

[waynemo]

Thanks to bill in md, the photos are worth a thousand words!
I think someone put an extra piece under the screw head in mine. It looks like there is nothing under the screw head on the photos except maybe a washer. Anyway, I see no need for this piece and does not look like it would serve any purpose and would not have anything to do with adjusting the points.
I guess my problem in adjusting the points lies in sliding the points in the machined groove that they fit into with nothing nearby to assist a screw driver to move them back and forth.
This forum is great with folks like Bill and others who know things and willing to help others.