Dwell Meter Operation - A Puzzle

[Louis T.]

[Phil P.]

Re: Dwell Meter Operation - A Puzzle *NM*

[John H.]

Re: Dwell Meter Operation - A Puzzle

Louis -

Probably a fluke, bad connection, loose clamp, etc. I bought mine over 40 years ago, solid chrome-plated die-cast case, glass lens, etc. (J.C. Penney "Foremost" brand ), and they don't make them like that any more - works like a champ!

[Phil P.]

pulled the trigger too quick

i have thrown my battery charger away three times for failure to operate---and after a cooling off period i have pulled it out of the trash to find out why it let me down---every time it was the leads---took alot of flexing around to find the issue but it was always the wires that were broken inside the insulation---i could go on china built rant but it is like fighting city hall---good luck,phil

[Dick W.]

Re: Dwell Meter Operation - A Puzzle

Got the same one John by labeled Cal Equip. Came in a four tester set, dwell/tach, vacuum guage, fuel pressure guage, and voltmeter. All in a nice white steel case. If I remember correctly that cost the princely sum of $39.95 or $49.95. Lotta money then. I just bought one socket that cost over twice that!

[Clem Z.]

i built mine from plans in a electronics

magazine. does 4-6-8 cyl engines and also has a tach feature. i still have it and it still works

[Chuck Isaac]

Re: Dwell Meter Operation - A Puzzle

Hello Louis MY name is Chuck Isaac. Dwell is the measurement of the time the points open and close.The dwell reading will vary dependind on the gap between the contact points. The dwell reading for V8 is 28-32degrees, with the ideal setting 30degrees. On my dwell meter, there are three wires, one to a positive battery lead, and one to a negitive ground, and one single wire to the negitive side of the coil. That meter is a analong style meter. Now I have digital meters, that use only two wires. You mentioned that the needle went to the negitive side, well this happens, when your points aren't adjusted properly. I think if you would have adjusted the points with a dwell allen tool, or a feeler gauge, your dwell reading would be close to your 30degree setting. You did not mention any thing about your point setting at the beginning of the project. Your engine will run if your dwell is off far enough to make your dwell meter to go to one side or the other. I hope this will help in some way. Chuck Isaac

[Louis T.]

[John W.]

Re: Dwell Meter Operation - A Puzzle

Louis,

I don't think the engine would care if you had the coil in backwards(+ and - reversed) or not, but the dwell meter would. Try putting your dwell lead on the + lead of the coil to see if it will then read. Especially the Tach. The Tach should read something if the engine is running. It is only counting the pulses, doesn't care how long or short the pulses are.

Good Luck.

[Louis T.]