Ignition points
Why:
Changing points on you car may be the best $10 tune-up your car or truck could have.
Do I have points?
Generally cars and trucks prior to 1973 had a breaker point ignition system. Many small engines also have points.
If you don’t know if your car or truck has points reference a shop manual or call a parts store to find out.
Many models of cars or trucks offered both electronic (solid state) and point ignition systems. GM vehicles called their electronic ignitions HEI or high energy ignition systems.
Some have rare dual point distributors which obviously have two points.
Check your points:
To check your points, open your distributor cap and locate the points. Open them up and look for pitting on them and carbon build up. They may be out of adjustment of just needing a clean up.
If they’re not too bad you can use sandpaper or an emery board if you don’t have a point file. Just make sure to blow out the distributor with compressed air after you sand the points down.
You want the points to meet squarely when they contact. After sanding I like to polish the point contacts with a business card, or really fine grit sandpaper.
Changing points:
Anyway to change points go to the parts store and buy a set. I usually opt for the nicer set if they have two part numbers. You can ask for tungsten steel points or vented, or high performance points. The extra $2 in my experience is worth the dough.
I almost always replace the condenser as well. It is cheap and easy to install. Some points come as a set with a condenser.
Remove and replace the old points.
Set point gap:
Set the gap with a feeler gauge. The points are usually set on a fulcrum where you lightly tighten one screw and the other allows it to pivot to the right spot and then tighten.
Make sure the cam lobe of the distributor is on a high point when you set the gap.
A remote starter is handy here, but a friend in the driver’s seat works just as well.
Tap the motor over with the key, or use a wrench on the crankshaft to get the lobe on the high point and set the gap to the recommended setting, generally it’s 17 to 19 thousands of an inch (.017-.019).
If you don’t have a feeler gauge you can get it close by eye or using a matchbook cover. Then using a dwell meter when the motor is running set it to the right dwell.
Setting the gap with a feeler gauge is a learned skill, but you want light tension, or if a .019 won’t fit try a .017. You want light drag if you pull the feeler out of the points.
It’s like setting a spark plug gap really, but a tighter gap.
Once you’ve done that, connect the wires back to the coil, ground and condenser, if you haven’t already.
Now put the cap back on and secure it with the screws, or the snapping spring clips. Make sure to put the rotor back on the distributor shaft, I always forget that.
Now, if you’ve done the gap right you’re done in there.
Set timing:
Now set your timing.
Start the motor, in park. Or in neutral with the parking break set (manual trans.)
If it won’t start you can loosen the distributor hold-down and turn it slightly, like a couple degrees either way while cranking until the motor starts.
After it starts, warm up the motor and get it to idle, at the manufacturer’s recommended speed.
If you have friend have him or her hold the break and put the vehicle in gear (auto trand) while you set the timing. Using a timing gun, set the timing at the suggested setting. Most cars like a 6 to 8 degree before Top Dead Center (TDC.)
If you don’t see a mark on the harmonic balancer, make sure the light is firing and if it is, make sure the inductive lead is on the number one cylinder. Still no light kill the motor and mark the timing line with chalk or whiteout. Start and time the vehicle.
Tighten the distributor hold-down, put the car in park and go for a drive. The vehicle should run better.
NOTE:
Note the timing is always done after the points are cleaned, adjusted or replaced. The point gap will change the timing.
GM vehicles’ points can be adjusted while running, fords cannot. Motorcycles’ procedures are the same basic idea, just refer to the correct timing mark in the manual. (F or F1 and so on.)
Why:
Changing points on you car may be the best $10 tune-up your car or truck could have.
Do I have points?
Generally cars and trucks prior to 1973 had a breaker point ignition system. Many small engines also have points.
If you don’t know if your car or truck has points reference a shop manual or call a parts store to find out.
Many models of cars or trucks offered both electronic (solid state) and point ignition systems. GM vehicles called their electronic ignitions HEI or high energy ignition systems.
Some have rare dual point distributors which obviously have two points.
Check your points:
To check your points, open your distributor cap and locate the points. Open them up and look for pitting on them and carbon build up. They may be out of adjustment of just needing a clean up.
If they’re not too bad you can use sandpaper or an emery board if you don’t have a point file. Just make sure to blow out the distributor with compressed air after you sand the points down.
You want the points to meet squarely when they contact. After sanding I like to polish the point contacts with a business card, or really fine grit sandpaper.
Changing points:
Anyway to change points go to the parts store and buy a set. I usually opt for the nicer set if they have two part numbers. You can ask for tungsten steel points or vented, or high performance points. The extra $2 in my experience is worth the dough.
I almost always replace the condenser as well. It is cheap and easy to install. Some points come as a set with a condenser.
Remove and replace the old points.
Set point gap:
Set the gap with a feeler gauge. The points are usually set on a fulcrum where you lightly tighten one screw and the other allows it to pivot to the right spot and then tighten.
Make sure the cam lobe of the distributor is on a high point when you set the gap.
A remote starter is handy here, but a friend in the driver’s seat works just as well.
Tap the motor over with the key, or use a wrench on the crankshaft to get the lobe on the high point and set the gap to the recommended setting, generally it’s 17 to 19 thousands of an inch (.017-.019).
If you don’t have a feeler gauge you can get it close by eye or using a matchbook cover. Then using a dwell meter when the motor is running set it to the right dwell.
Setting the gap with a feeler gauge is a learned skill, but you want light tension, or if a .019 won’t fit try a .017. You want light drag if you pull the feeler out of the points.
It’s like setting a spark plug gap really, but a tighter gap.
Once you’ve done that, connect the wires back to the coil, ground and condenser, if you haven’t already.
Now put the cap back on and secure it with the screws, or the snapping spring clips. Make sure to put the rotor back on the distributor shaft, I always forget that.
Now, if you’ve done the gap right you’re done in there.
Set timing:
Now set your timing.
Start the motor, in park. Or in neutral with the parking break set (manual trans.)
If it won’t start you can loosen the distributor hold-down and turn it slightly, like a couple degrees either way while cranking until the motor starts.
After it starts, warm up the motor and get it to idle, at the manufacturer’s recommended speed.
If you have friend have him or her hold the break and put the vehicle in gear (auto trand) while you set the timing. Using a timing gun, set the timing at the suggested setting. Most cars like a 6 to 8 degree before Top Dead Center (TDC.)
If you don’t see a mark on the harmonic balancer, make sure the light is firing and if it is, make sure the inductive lead is on the number one cylinder. Still no light kill the motor and mark the timing line with chalk or whiteout. Start and time the vehicle.
Tighten the distributor hold-down, put the car in park and go for a drive. The vehicle should run better.
NOTE:
Note the timing is always done after the points are cleaned, adjusted or replaced. The point gap will change the timing.
GM vehicles’ points can be adjusted while running, fords cannot. Motorcycles’ procedures are the same basic idea, just refer to the correct timing mark in the manual. (F or F1 and so on.)