Short in Points system

[Colbeatnik]

I started with a short in my bike. Minimal Cafe Racer, no starter, odo, tach, or speedo. The wiring harness is bare minimum. Points, charging system and lights. It just stopped running and everytime I would turn the switch on it would show no voltage, flip it off: voltage. Chased ghosts for too long and stripped the old harness completely out(guy before me had patched the original to work)wired only the basics in. new regulator/ rectifier. Tested alternator:good. Got to coils and shorted out so i unplugged one side and narrowed it down to the top of the points system. The right hand coil? Now, why is it shorting? Obviously the shaft of the "rotor" is going to be grounded but why the points? how can I fix it or do I need to replace it? PLEASE save me some sanity!

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

Closely examine your points wiring, compare to these pics.

Ensure that the wire lugs are fitted properly to the points, lugs atop the points springs, and not twisted to allow contact with surrounding metal, including the cover.

Some budget import points use white plastic insulators, like this.

Those white plastic insulators have a history of melting, distorting, allowing the attaching screws to short (internally) to the grounded mount. The better insulators are a brown phenolic...

 

[Colbeatnik]

You think it could be as simple as bad washers? is the spindle supposed to be grounded? I'm assuming so but I've been wrong before.

 

[5twins]

If by "spindle", you mean the post that the moving point arm rotates on, then yes, the metal post is obviously grounded because it mounts to the base. But, there's an insulator sleeve on it that should isolate the moving arm from ground. The moving arm can't be grounded at all, except through the points when they're closed.