Points and timing help

[biggieou]

I'm trying to replace the points and condenser and set the timing on my sport coupe. I replaced the points and condenser, had it at TDC. My test light is getting nothing though on the breaker point arm though. Car won't start. Switched back to the old points and condenser and no light either. What the heck did I do?

[Gary WA]

Key on when you test?

[Kevin in NJ]

First question is why did you feel the need to replace the points? They should only be replaced when something is bad.

Now to your problem.

A test light will not show a light if the there is a short before the arm.

You need to trace the voltage from the lower plate to the upper.

Is there voltage at the end of the pop out cable?
Then follow the path through to the upper plate.

[biggieou]

Key was on. The car had a miss and I have not changed the points and condenser, so I had no idea how many miles on them. I have voltage on the passenger side of the coil (although it's with and without the key on)

[Patrick L.]

Just start tracking back for voltage and find out where you're losing it. You'll only have it while the point arm is held open and not grounding.

This is a common subject so there is more info than you'll care to read in 'search'. And you won't have to search very far.

[biggieou]

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I'm not sure I know what you mean. How do I check lower and upper plates?

Originally Posted by Kevin in NJ

First question is why did you feel the need to replace the points? They should only be replaced when something is bad.

Now to your problem.

A test light will not show a light if the there is a short before the arm.

You need to trace the voltage from the lower plate to the upper.

Is there voltage at the end of the pop out cable?
Then follow the path through to the upper plate.

[Mitch//pa]

Since this happened since you changed the points and condenser make sure the wire going to the top plate and the flag terminal is not grounding...did you unscrew the armored cable ?? Maybe it's put back in to far... More detailed info is always helpful... Such as what was removed,,, what style points do you have,,, wired or wireless plate,,,,with key off you should have voltage to both sides of the coil.... More info please

[Patrick L.]

As mentioned, it sounds as though you just have a primary connection/wire that is grounded and shouldn't be.
Just start looking for voltage and where it stops. Primary voltage should go completely thru to the moveable point arm [ if held open]. When the points are closed, no voltage should be present at them.
Its common for one of the connectors/fasteners to be contacting ground.

[biggieou]

I did not mess with the armored wire. I simply (or not do simply) replaced the points and condenser. I have no idea what a wireless plate means, so I've attached this pic. Points and condenser are from Snyder's.

[biggieou]

Here are a couple more pics

[Hook]

You have a modern style points set up with the wireless plate. That L shaped copper piece has to make contact with the lower plate to get voltage to the points. Loosen the nut and rotate the L shaped piece so it points down. Be careful not to let it touch either side of the upper plate or it will be grounded.

[Mitch//pa]

Do yourself a favor and get rid of the wireless lower plate set up....
That may have been causing your driveability issues to begin with

[biggieou]

Ahhhhhh! Perfect! Thank you hook!

[Patrick L.]

Yep.

I don't a problem with the modern plate as long as quality points/condenser is used and it isn't wireless. The wireless ones are a PITA.

[Mitch//pa]

It seems you also have an issue with your advance /retard Rod as its bent.. This can affect setting the timing correctly and overall drivability.
If you have any side play in the distributor shaft that will fluctuate your point gap

A simple picture is worth a thousand words...

[Tom Wesenberg]

Also get rid of the rust on the points cam and keep it lubricated.

[Keith True]

That wireless plate setup is not one of my favorite things,but I keep after a couple of them for guys that have them.They look kind of chintzy,but if set up right they seem to stay working.That L shaped piece that you have on wrong fits very close to other parts that are grounds.You really need to get a good look at it and understand how it works.You have to get juice to that point arm without grounding it anywhere.I had one apart last spring,the owner had put a set of points in it and it wouldn't start.All I really had to do was rotate that L shaped arm about 1/16 of a turn and it was OK.He had it touching something when he tightened the nut on the points.After all the years and miles on it I figured it had arced out and finally given up,but when I took it apart it still looked like new.

[biggieou]

Yep, once I knew it had to touch, I rotated it down and got it bolted without touching the top plate. Car fired right up then!

[tbirdtbird]

I second #17.
The dizzy points cam is very dry, and will wear the rubbing block of the moveable points arm very quickly. You need dizzy cam lubricant, or a small packet of silicone brake lube you can get from your FLAPS (friendly local auto parts store). wipe a thin film on the cam, and paste a little dab on the side of the rubbing block on the counterclockwise side

[Hook]

Glad you got the problem fixed and the car running. Others are correct in that you need to get some lube on the points rubbing block. I recently converted from the original points set up to the modern points set up because I couldn't find any "new" points that last. The rubbing block, with lube and a Stipe distributor cam, would wear so fast that the points would need adjusting every 80 to 100 miles. I tried our vendors and the parts houses, and couldn't find any that would last or align properly.
So I changed to the "modern" points, and went with the wireless "new and improved" version. The "L" shaped piece you had trouble with has been improved to help eliminate the problem with "grounding" that the old piece like you have. I guess I'll see if that was the problem folks had, but it has to be better than setting the points every 80 miles.
I'd get the lube and see what happens, making sure the L shaped piece doesn't contact any ground.

[tbirdtbird]

the plastic rubbing blocks do not last.
better to find points with a fiber rubbing block like the old days. still need the lube tho

[Keith True]

Another thing about the wireless setup is that the spacing between the foot,or the L on the contact strap and the wireless plate is critical.If you line up a half dozen sets of points on a table,and look at them from the side,the height of the terminal stud from the table up is different with different brands.If it has too much pressure down on the wireless ring,it kind of massages a bend in it.If the foot is riding too light on the ring,it will arc and soon burn it out.

[Quigley1930]

I don't use the L shaped doodad but use a brass acorn nut on the bottom of the points block, This is supplied with Brattons wireless bottom plate. Have had not one problem with this set up. Anyone else doing this?

Sewall

[Kevin in NJ]

FWIW, points are not changed because of mileage. Points need to be changed when the points are physically bad or the wear block is down too far.

A used set of quality original style points will last for decades in most guys cars. A properly rebuilt dist with original style plates and points will likely be trouble free for the whole time you own the car. Short of the occasional points adjustment and proper lubrication.

You need to have a smooth cam that is properly lubricated, if in doubt get a Bill Stipe cam.

[biggieou]

Originally Posted by Kevin in NJ

FWIW, points are not changed because of mileage. Points need to be changed when the points are physically bad or the wear block is down too far.

A used set of quality original style points will last for decades in most guys cars. A properly rebuilt dist with original style plates and points will likely be trouble free for the whole time you own the car. Short of the occasional points adjustment and proper lubrication.

You need to have a smooth cam that is properly lubricated, if in doubt get a Bill Stipe cam.

Good point. Points were showing wear, and I had no clue how long they had been in there, so I wanted to replace them. I also wasn't running quite right either. So I figured swap em out.

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[Sunnybrook Farm]

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