Points or Electronic ignition

What are the pros and cons of switching from points to electronic on my 1974 Ski Nautique. Also, How hot is your ignition coil supposed to get? I can barily keep my fingers on mine for more than a few seconds. Is this normal?

Chris,
Was the coil changed out? Is the voltage going to it proper for the type? (internal or external resisted) It also should be epoxy and not oil filled sing they lay on their sides.

Point sets have been used since they got rid of the old "hit and miss" engines. That's lots of years!!! They work plain and simple. Conversions on the other hand always don't. There are several brands out there that reliability is a problem. If a conversion goes out on you in the middle of the lake, you had better have an extra on board. If a pont set gets bad, all you need is to clean up the contacts to get back home.

What is the problem with the engine or are you just wanting to go for some bling?

74SkiNautique wrote: This coil says use external resister on the side of it. We havnt changed it since we bought the boat in 2004. It feels VERY hot, and it seems like it is oil filled because I can hear liquid in it. Anyway, the boat runs great when the points are cleaned and gapped properly. it seems about every 25 hours we have to re-clean and gap them because it gets a little hard to start when hot. If I switch to electronic, is it an upgrade or a downgrade. How long do you guys run before you have to clean your points?

Chris,
Check the voltage to the coil to make sure the ballast resistor is doing it's job.

You should not need to clean the point set every 25 hours. You may have a bad condenser.

I went over 20 years (over 420 hours) on my 312 without even opening up the distributor!!

Throw the old points away and install new ones along with a new condensor. Once the coating burns off the points they are done, cleaning/filing will get you home but that's it. Be sure the new contacts are clean and oil free before and after install. Oily feeler gauges are points worst enemy.

I had a 1985 Ski Centurion with a PCM 351 and points. I converted to electronic (sorry, can't remember the brand) about four years into my 10 years with that boat before my Nautique, and I was very happy that I did. Not one problem; worked like a charm, and no more dealing with points and condenser. :) I'd do it all over again if I had a points engine.

I have heard that do to the fact that no one uses points in the volume that there used to be, that the replacements are not up to the quality standards of old. If I needed some I'd check with Napa

Ok. So I should just replace em all together, instead of keep cleaning them every 25 hours.