[lust4speed]

I purchased a Mallory Unilite conversion module in 1985 after the dyno operator sent me down to the speed shop when my Mallory X points were crapping out after about 5,400 RPM. That same Unilite module is still puttering along just fine and my old Sun machine can't go high enough to find out the upper RPM limit.

I wonder if the proponents of points have ever checked them on a distributor machine? Most start taking a dump in the low 4,000 range with very few making it anywhere near 6,000 RPM. Fine for grandma to go to the grocery store back in the day, but the industry has made some progress since the horse and buggy days. We just ran an engine on the Westech dyno and the points distributor was starting to get wonky about 4,400. The interesting thing is the points looked pretty good up to about 5,400 on the machine but on the engine they started giving trouble way below that. Maybe running harmonics that wasn't there on the distributor machine upset the points? I brought along a cast iron distributor with a Fast XRi module and it kept things together for the rest of the day. The first photo is what I usually see when running points at moderately high RPM's on the Sun machine, and the second is with an electronic module installed. Give me Unilite, XRi, MSD, or anything but Pertronix (I wonder if 95% of the bad press about electronic modules doesn't originate from Pertronix failures).

[Formulajones]

You guys running cheap set of points?
I've had the accel points on the distributor machine, when the sun machine worked, lol and never had issues at higher rpms.

[HWYSTR455]

I've run just about everything at one time or another, and prefer MSD/Holley units. Tolerances on the housings is really good, pickups are really good (mag and/or hall effect), and for the most part are easily setup. The mag pickup MSDs (or other) are very reliable, and are less of a concern than HEI units. All are stable to RPMs most here will never see.

The HEIs wide spread terminals are a good thing, helps prevent crossfire/arc. That is especially a good thing once you start using CD boxes with higher spark. They do make the wide setup for MSD dizzies if you want that, but the regular cap design has ridges that help almost as well. I have not noticed any arc witness marks with them (as long as the parts are fresh & clean). Space is a premium, especially with 3x2/2x4 setups.

HEI unit quality is a factor for HEIs, and weights as well as matching weights can get dicey (on OE points setups too). You can skip right past all those drawbacks if you lockout a dizzy (any kind) and use a programmable MSD (or other) unit.

I can see using an OE unit if you are trying to stay original or for a 'look', but makes no sense to be to use one on a performance app. And try finding a good performance cap for an OE points dizzy. The few out there are just as expensive as any other performance cap, if not more. Cheap caps with a CD box are eaten very quickly. Or even just a good coil. Same with rotors.



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[Formulajones]

Originally Posted by HWYSTR455

I've run just about everything at one time or another, and prefer MSD/Holley units. Tolerances on the housings is really good, pickups are really good (mag and/or hall effect), and for the most part are easily setup. The mag pickup MSDs (or other) are very reliable, and are less of a concern than HEI units. All are stable to RPMs most here will never see.

The HEIs wide spread terminals are a good thing, helps prevent crossfire/arc. That is especially a good thing once you start using CD boxes with higher spark. They do make the wide setup for MSD dizzies if you want that, but the regular cap design has ridges that help almost as well. I have not noticed any arc witness marks with them (as long as the parts are fresh & clean). Space is a premium, especially with 3x2/2x4 setups.

HEI unit quality is a factor for HEIs, and weights as well as matching weights can get dicey (on OE points setups too). You can skip right past all those drawbacks if you lockout a dizzy (any kind) and use a programmable MSD (or other) unit.

I can see using an OE unit if you are trying to stay original or for a 'look', but makes no sense to be to use one on a performance app. And try finding a good performance cap for an OE points dizzy. The few out there are just as expensive as any other performance cap, if not more. Cheap caps with a CD box are eaten very quickly. Or even just a good coil. Same with rotors.



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Just an fyi and for others reading, those really nice and heavy msd caps you can readily buy with female terminals fit the points distributors. I can still also purchase the nice accel caps.

[HWYSTR455]

Originally Posted by Formulajones

Just an fyi and for others reading, those really nice and heavy msd caps you can readily buy with female terminals fit the points distributors. I can still also purchase the nice accel caps.

Yes, and are about $55+ without rotor. The 'Streetfire' ones for same money get you the rotor too, but aren't as nice as the regular ones.

I haven't checked on the Accel ones in a long time, but suspect they are about the same price.


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[Formulajones]

Everything is expensive these days so that's pretty much the norm now.

[mgarblik]

The Echlin Heavy Duty cap with brass terminals and a tan, Heavy Phenolic plastic is $28.00 at any NAPA store. The similar high quality rotor is around $13.00 . Echlin heavy duty points are also available at NAPA. Not sure of cost. Echlin used to make all that stuff for Accel. With Holley buying Accel, who knows where the stuff is made now? Have to assume China.

[Dragncar]

Originally Posted by lust4speed

I purchased a Mallory Unilite conversion module in 1985 after the dyno operator sent me down to the speed shop when my Mallory X points were crapping out after about 5,400 RPM. That same Unilite module is still puttering along just fine and my old Sun machine can't go high enough to find out the upper RPM limit.

I wonder if the proponents of points have ever checked them on a distributor machine? Most start taking a dump in the low 4,000 range with very few making it anywhere near 6,000 RPM. Fine for grandma to go to the grocery store back in the day, but the industry has made some progress since the horse and buggy days. We just ran an engine on the Westech dyno and the points distributor was starting to get wonky about 4,400. The interesting thing is the points looked pretty good up to about 5,400 on the machine but on the engine they started giving trouble way below that. Maybe running harmonics that wasn't there on the distributor machine upset the points? I brought along a cast iron distributor with a Fast XRi module and it kept things together for the rest of the day. The first photo is what I usually see when running points at moderately high RPM's on the Sun machine, and the second is with an electronic module installed. Give me Unilite, XRi, MSD, or anything but Pertronix (I wonder if 95% of the bad press about electronic modules doesn't originate from Pertronix failures).

You wonder ? Well YES, that is exactly what I did. Got my distributor fresh from Dan back in the day with those same Nappa/Accel CS7860 points you can still buy today.
Ran that sucker up to the max RPM spinning so fast that I did not entirely feel safe standing next to it. never a blip, not one. Did you have points made in North Korea then stomp on them ?
I tell people to get the medium spring for a reason, they do not bounce !
AND I did my own "dyno" test at the drag strip. Took my Whitmore iron distributor and made a pass. Pulled it and swapped a aluminum dist, changed the springs form the iron one. Both have the advances limited the same. Aluminum had a Petronix.
And ran the same pass.
My buddies Sun machine could not find the point where the medium spring points bounced !
There were a couple of cars at the track yesterday misfire ring with electronic stuff. Mine has not had a miss fire in 30 years.

[67drake]

Originally Posted by Dragncar

You wonder ? Well YES, that is exactly what I did. Got my distributor fresh from Dan back in the day with those same Nappa/Accel CS7860 points you can still buy today.
Ran that sucker up to the max RPM spinning so fast that I did not entirely feel safe standing next to it. never a blip, not one. Did you have points made in North Korea then stomp on them ?
I tell people to get the medium spring for a reason, they do not bounce !
AND I did my own "dyno" test at the drag strip. Took my Whitmore iron distributor and made a pass. Pulled it and swapped a aluminum dist, changed the springs form the iron one. Both have the advances limited the same. Aluminum had a Petronix.
And ran the same pass.
My buddies Sun machine could not find the point where the medium spring points bounced !
There were a couple of cars at the track yesterday misfire ring with electronic stuff. Mine has not had a miss fire in 30 years.

I had the 400 on my GTO up to 6300 with no points bounce. I run the medium oz. rated points. (28?) I’d have to look it up.

[HWYSTR455]

Well, on misfires, when you hear it, it's hard to blame it on any one thing, but I know when you run a box it eats caps, rotors, and plug wires faster than without.

And I have seen people run plug wires for 10-20 years without changing them, saying 'they still look good' as justification. Just like the tire guys.



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