The Stovebolt.com Forums Home | Tech Tips | Gallery | FAQ | Events | Features | Search
Fixing the old truck

BUSY BOLTERS
Are you one?

Where is it?? The Shop Area

continues to pull in the most views on the Stovebolt. In August alone there were over 22,000 views in those 13 forums.

Searching the Site - a click away
click here to search
New here ??? Where to start?
Click on image for the lowdown. Where do I go around here?
====
Who's Online Now
11 members (RBs36, 2-Ton, Charles in CA, Wally / Montana, TUTS 59, Shaffer's1950, JW51, 46 Texaco, niobrarafun, MikeE, Ponchogl), 549 guests, and 1 robot.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Forum Statistics
Forums66
Topics126,776
Posts1,039,277
Members48,100
Most Online2,175
Jul 21st, 2025
Step-by-step instructions for pictures in the forums
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
#886802 10/04/2012 9:03 AM
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 38
5
Wrench Fetcher
Wrench Fetcher
5 Offline
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 38
A basic question here regarding converting from a 6 volt to 12 volt system .... if I currently have points and condenser in my 6 volt distributor and now changing to 12 volt system do i need to replace the points and condenser or can I run my old ones?
Thanks,

Joined: May 2001
Posts: 7,440
Extreme Gabster
Extreme Gabster
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 7,440
I always used the same ones with no problems.


"It's just a phase. He'll grow out of it." Mama, 1964

1956 Chevy 1/2-ton 3100
1953 Chevy 6100 "The Yard dog"
1954 GMC Suburban Now with a new proud owner.
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 85
M
'Bolter
'Bolter
M Offline
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 85
You need an ignition resistor feeding the power to the coil. This makes the points last longer by reducing the arcing.

If you want more spark during starting (a good thing) you wire from the start pole (ign switch, button, etc) to the coil side of the resistor. Then 12V will flow to the coil during the time the starter is running, 6v while key on.


1951 Chevy 3600 rust bucket with GarWood dump bed conversion
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikeybs51chevy
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 38
5
Wrench Fetcher
Wrench Fetcher
5 Offline
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 38
Thanks Cletis for the information on the condenser...
Mikeybakken - you mentioned the resistor being added. If I have a 12volt coil with the resistor built into it would I still need this added into the circuit?
thanks,

Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 85
M
'Bolter
'Bolter
M Offline
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 85
Not heard of the resistor built into the coil, would have to see the skematic of the coil to see whats going on inside.

If you get a plain old standard 12V coil, yes, again it will make your points last longer. When car and tractor companies switched to 12v all ignitions had ignition resistors. GM started solenoids had a pole that provided 12V that was wired to the coil side of the resistor. Ford ran a wife from the starter solenoid pole of the ignition switch for the same purpose.

You don't have to, just keeps the points contacts cleaner longer.

Mike


1951 Chevy 3600 rust bucket with GarWood dump bed conversion
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikeybs51chevy
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 12,029
F
Cruising in the Passing Lane
Cruising in the Passing Lane
F Offline
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 12,029
there are newer style coils that are 'internally resisted', usually it will be printed on the coil that they do not require an external ignition resistor - they work fine with any 12V conversion or on the TF and later trucks that are factory 12V - either type coil should be available at the parts stores

Bill


Moved over to the Passing Lane

"When we tug a single thing in nature, we find it attached to the rest of the world" ~ John Muir
"When we tug a single thing on an old truck, we find it falls off" ~ me
Some TF series details & TF heater pics

Moderated by  Jon G, Rusty Rod 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Home | FAQ | Gallery | Tech Tips | Events | Features | Search | Hoo-Ya Shop
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 8.0.0
(Release build 20240826)
Responsive Width:

PHP: 8.3.11 Page Time: 1.973s Queries: 14 (0.032s) Memory: 0.6130 MB (Peak: 0.6638 MB) Data Comp: Zlib Server Time: 2025-09-22 16:28:55 UTC
Valid HTML 5 and Valid CSS