Your thoughts on Dist. points or not
- Thread starter JASTECH
- Start date
camarotoolman
Banned
I have just about the same eng. How many ponies do you think it makes? I got my dist, from Summit.
Charles (in GA)
Well-known member
Same here. Seems that points and condensers, drum brakes and column shifts seem to throw off the newer generations. I don't drive my '67 Falcon on the road any longer, but it cranks right up and runs (now that I've replaced the fuel pump) with the old stock ignition. Biggest problem is that good points and condensers are difficult to come by. NAPA seems to still have good ones, they always were better than others.
Charles
Charles, I still like my DP setup too, will keep it as backup I guess. My points are 10krpm if recall, I have some Filko? points still in box from 25 yrs or so ago, they are in white box with green writing. Does this ring a bell anybody?
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I am wanting to compare pro/con to Mallory Dist. replaced with MSD Crab top and just installing Mallory Module 650-605. This would be much cheaper, what system is better? The Mallory Comp. 9000 dist. is good quality eh?
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I am wanting to compare pro/con to Mallory Dist. replaced with MSD Crab top and just installing Mallory Module 650-605. This would be much cheaper, what system is better? The Mallory Comp. 9000 dist. is good quality eh?
GeorgiaHybrid
Well-known member
Charles,
Funny that you mention drum brakes as I just finished replacing all of the lines with stainless, replaced the rubber brake lines and the master/wheel cylinders and everything else as well. Not only that but the drum brakes are manual (no power) and neither is the steering which throws a lot of the younger guys off.
Try explaining a 2 speed Ford-O-Matic ****** to them with type "F" fluid. The kid at the parts store kept on saying "Mercon fluid, right?"
pfarber
Well-known member
My 42 GPW is mechanical from bumper to bumperette.
If you cannot spend the hour or so every 1000 miles to service the vehicle then you should not own it.... they will fail unless maintained.
Plus 99.9999% of the population set the gap wrong. Hint: if you are using a feeler gauge you are wrong. GM specifically states that the PREFERRED method is via a dial gauge. If not available, then a feeler. A reliable dial gauge is $20 on the net.
If you cannot spend the hour or so every 1000 miles to service the vehicle then you should not own it.... they will fail unless maintained.
Plus 99.9999% of the population set the gap wrong. Hint: if you are using a feeler gauge you are wrong. GM specifically states that the PREFERRED method is via a dial gauge. If not available, then a feeler. A reliable dial gauge is $20 on the net.
In my experience breaker points are never more than a wet-fart from being broke. Pertronix Ignitor FTW.
Charles (in GA)
Well-known member
I've put several hundred thousand miles on breaker ignition (points) automobiles, and never had a problem, I changed them when they needed changing, but only once had anything fail and that was a condenser. Motor died at a stop sign like I killed it when starting to move (clutch) and would not restart. It was two blocks from home. I usually kept spare parts in the toolbox in the trunk, but didn't have a condenser (I changed the points to no avail). Started to walk to the house, didn't get ten feet when a neighbor picked me up. I went back and changed the condenser and it started right up.
Charles
I didn't read every post so apologies if I repeat anything already said.
There are four, five different ways to go.
HEI from Davis. Expensive, but gives good performance, out of the box. Doesn't fit well (vacuum advance rubs the 304/345 thermostat housing). If you call Davis they'll tell you to remove the vacuum advance which is ridiculous.
Mallory. They have a direct drop in, special order, but I haven't never used one so won't comment.
Pertronix** Easy to install, but not the most reliable and you can't buy a replacement just anywhere.
Parts store electronic IH distributor** Easy, but you're still stuck with the subpar, unreliable, IH electronics.
My favorite** Modify your existing distributor to accept a pick up coil. Then you can run a HEI module or pretty much any aftermarket ign system. Look on binder planet for step by step instructions.
**Downside is most older distributors have worn shaft bushings, and the mechanical advance usually needs work. Parts store distributor, may or may not be properly rebuilt. I've seen 10 thou side play out of the box. i.e. worn out bushings.
There are four, five different ways to go.
HEI from Davis. Expensive, but gives good performance, out of the box. Doesn't fit well (vacuum advance rubs the 304/345 thermostat housing). If you call Davis they'll tell you to remove the vacuum advance which is ridiculous.
Mallory. They have a direct drop in, special order, but I haven't never used one so won't comment.
Pertronix** Easy to install, but not the most reliable and you can't buy a replacement just anywhere.
Parts store electronic IH distributor** Easy, but you're still stuck with the subpar, unreliable, IH electronics.
My favorite** Modify your existing distributor to accept a pick up coil. Then you can run a HEI module or pretty much any aftermarket ign system. Look on binder planet for step by step instructions.
**Downside is most older distributors have worn shaft bushings, and the mechanical advance usually needs work. Parts store distributor, may or may not be properly rebuilt. I've seen 10 thou side play out of the box. i.e. worn out bushings.
Shadowdog500
Well-known member
A few years ago, I drove a '54 Buick every day. My distributor was the one Pertronix used to prototype their kit for Nailheads.
It worked great, until it didn't. Then I was stuck.
A couple years ago my wife's daily-driver '61 Corvair stationwagon had an intermittent ignition problem that I couldn't find... hot or cold, first turn of the morning or randomly during the day, I wouldn't fire.
After replacing every single component of the ignition system, all that was left was the Pertronix. Replaced it with points, and never had a problem.
There's a lot to be said for keeping things simple.
I drive our stuff everywhere though--so I like being able to fix it on the side of the road with a nail clipper if I need to.
The chances are that electronic ignition will be just fine... but if it dies, you're stuck. It's been my experience that OE stuff lasts, while aftermarket stuff just doesn't have the same first time/every time reliability.
All that said, my daily-driver '61 Suburban had a junkyard HEI distributor in it when I bought it 7 years ago, and I put 50,000 miles on it. I just replaced it this summer, hopefully good for another 50,000 miles.
-Brad
It worked great, until it didn't. Then I was stuck.
A couple years ago my wife's daily-driver '61 Corvair stationwagon had an intermittent ignition problem that I couldn't find... hot or cold, first turn of the morning or randomly during the day, I wouldn't fire.
After replacing every single component of the ignition system, all that was left was the Pertronix. Replaced it with points, and never had a problem.
There's a lot to be said for keeping things simple.
I drive our stuff everywhere though--so I like being able to fix it on the side of the road with a nail clipper if I need to.
The chances are that electronic ignition will be just fine... but if it dies, you're stuck. It's been my experience that OE stuff lasts, while aftermarket stuff just doesn't have the same first time/every time reliability.
All that said, my daily-driver '61 Suburban had a junkyard HEI distributor in it when I bought it 7 years ago, and I put 50,000 miles on it. I just replaced it this summer, hopefully good for another 50,000 miles.
-Brad
rsanter
Well-known member
NO the preferred method is with a dwell meter......thats what the little sliding door in GM point distributor caps is for, so you have access for the Allen wrench to adjust the dwell .......check the Factory Manual
Shadowdog500
Well-known member
Pardon my ignorance, but how do you use a dial Gauge to set the points? I've used dial gauges to center the points cam on an old Harley but never to gap the points.
3 thousand miles is fine for points. I usually checked them at the same time as the oil change (which used to be 3k miles).
Why are you setting the dwell on both points? Usually you gap both points, then set the timing. The coil fires when the second set of points open so you leave them alone since your timing is set. Then adjust the other set of points with the engine running to get the dwell you want.
The points overlap to increase dwell time. Only one of the points fires the coil, the other one is just there to keep the points closed longer so the coil can get more saturated.
Chris
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chris142
Well-known member
Points are great! As long as they open and close the thing will run.run better with them set correctly but having a car that's fixable out in the desert is a plus. I ran my points 10k then replaced them and never had to mess with them as the dwell never changed. Most guys forget to put grease on the eccentric and that wears the block down. My old scout never left me walking. I dread the day that my computerized jeep quits.