[Joe's Garage]

I'm thinking just like 'flat-bill' : What is the point gap set at?

And is it set correctly? If the points are set so that they either never open or never close, that would do it, too.

Is there a lot of play in the distributor shaft (wobble)? That also could cause this problem.

You said that it sparked when you 'opened the points'. The lobes on the distributor cam need to do that, too. Did you do that by just turning the key on and then using a small screwdriver to push the point arm so the contact breaks?

If the points are set too loosely, they might not always open - if opening at all.

Have someone else crank the engine over with the distributor cap and rotor off and the coil power disconnected. Attached your ohm-meter to the wire connection on the points and a ground - even the distributor housing. When you crank it, the meter should go back and forth and back and forth, as the points make a ground and then open. If it's a digital meter it will go from 1.0 to ZERO and back.

Good luck!

[Goatracer1]

Do you have a dwell meter? If so check the dwell while cranking the engine. It should be close to 28 - 32 degrees. If not turn the adjuster screw until it is. If it doesn't make any difference file the points lightly and try again. I've had new Delco points that have very light deposits that won't let them work.

[64speed]

This is why I hate points. Get a Summit RTR or HEI

[Goatracer1]

Points you can fix enough on the road to get you home. Try that with your electronic ignition.

[64speed]

Originally Posted by Goatracer1

Points you can fix enough on the road to get you home. Try that with your electronic ignition.

Not if you aren’t good enough with them to even get it to start LOL. And with an HEI worst case scenario one wire straight to the fuse box or even battery and you are back in business till you can make a proper fix

[dataway]

If you can't get points to work you shouldn't own a car

["QUICK-SILVER"]

Originally Posted by dataway

If you can't get points to work you shouldn't own a car

Went and put a set of points in a truck for our local dodge dealer a while back. None of the mechanics had ever seen a set of points and were clueless to what it was and how it worked. They thought it was some kind of aftermarket conversion like pertronix.

Just a bunch of ASE certified parts swappers.

Young folks just don't know how simple 'on-off-on-off' is.

Clay

[steve25]

I can't believe your Dodge dealer had points on the parts shelf, where they on display in the waiting room,lol!
Todays machanics have been trained to not think. Just react and follow a trouble shooting flow chart!

Having no mechanical foundation to not know what a set of points are and there function is a crime!

[PunchT37]

Originally Posted by steve25

I can't believe your Dodge dealer had points on the parts shelf, where they on display in the waiting room,lol!
Todays machanics have been trained to not think. Just react and follow a trouble shooting flow chart!

Having no mechanical foundation to not know what a set of points are and there function is a crime!

Yep. A scanner and youtube is all you need. So, I`ve been told.

[Schurkey]

Originally Posted by Goatracer1

Points you can fix enough on the road to get you home. Try that with your electronic ignition.

Easy enough. I remember when Ford owners always kept a spare fender-mounted ignition module in the car, so that WHEN the one under the hood failed, they could slap a fresh one in, on the side of the road.

[STEELCITYFIREBIRD]

DO you still have power to + side of coil when cranking?


Anything else connected to ground side of coil...IE tachometer?

A diagnosis before a repair would save on frustration and wasted time.

This is a really simple deal I'm sure we can diagnose easily with good communication.

HTH

[Sirrotica]

And Chrysler owners kept a spare ballast resistor in their glovebox too, they even continued using ballast resistors after they switched to electronic ignition...….

[Goatracer1]

You can carry a spare HEI module but try changing the pickup on the side of the road when the wire breaks off.

[Slider]

Well I finally got the old girl running yesterday. I’m not 10% sure what it was that finally fixed it but I pulled the distributor, cleaned all the grease off it and hold down clamp, removed and reinstalled the points, cleaned up ground wire and something did the trick. Many thanks to everyone who offered up advice along the way.

Of course once it started then the fuel pump started leaking. It was the original pump so was probably long overdue but dad had s brand new one in the trunk so I suspect he knew it was leaking. I’ll hold on to original and buy rebuild kit and keep it for a spare.

Hopefully now the fun begins......

[LATECH]

Probably the holddown clamp. It is the easiest path for the ground. From the dizzy -to the block