Life Span Of Points?

Random thoughts on points:

The ballast resistors only job is to lengthen the life of the points. The engine will run fine without one, the points simply burn up faster. Most systems have a bypass to apply 12V to the points while cranking for added spark.

As stated above, (NOS) points were designed to wear slowly, being dressed and adjusted about every 3000 miles as part of the scheduled tune up process. You should be able to do this with new ones, but who knows what Chinese junk you may be getting.

Forgetting and leaving the key on with the points closed will do them in.

Dwell meters are good, but realistically, having the gap off a thousand or two isn't going to alter the performance any. I wouldn't hesitate to simply slip a feeler gauge into the contacts and adjust accordingly.

When you replace the points, be sure to clean the contacts, adjust them so they close flat across the faces, and lube the rubbing block. Insure the coil and condenser pigtails are clear throughout the arc of the vacuum advance (If equipped) and there is no degradation of the insulation that could cause a ground. Insure the breaker plate is solid and isn't shifting under vacuum advance (Fords are notorious for this) and check the shaft for excessive lateral play.

Remember, any variance of the gap will alter the timing. Be sure to re-time the engine as a last step in the process.

 

You'll know it okay if the dwell meter reading is steady.

 

Many years ago, I recall adjusting points gap on the side of the road with a matchbook cover. Of course I don't think I've seen a matchbook in about 20 years either.

 

Precisely my own thought.

 

i dont know the quality bit they are the best napa offers.

 

The factory point gap is the manufactures balance between extending the saturation time (hotter spark) at the expense of the point durability. The longer the points stay shut, the stronger the spark but the shorter the point life. The shorter the points stay shut, the weaker the spark but the point life is extended. This means as long as you readjust the timing, you don't necessary need to get the gap perfect, just in the ball park.

The average tune up cycle on earlier cars was 3000 miles. Any auto corporation that couldn't reliably make that number wouldn't sell many cars.

 

Bad dist cap
looks like the dist bearings are bad. It ate the cap.

 

Well, that's yore problem, right thar.

When that happened to me, it busted the rotor, and left me stranded on a very narrow and very high-speed section of interstate... with my infant daughter. I was expecting to get rear-ended by a Semi any second while my head was under the hood.

Diagnosed it, wrapped black electrical tape around the rotor, filed the tip back, and I got the hell out of Dodge. One of those days you feel grateful to a higher power.

 

Looks like i need a distributor now. Hope it lasts till i find one.

 

I took auto tech as my major in college. in 1979-80 and we were told to never file points as once the plating was gone it would just cause the points to transfer metal until it made a little point and they basically quit working. Only thing I have ever had any luck filing points on was to get an old pickup home when I bought it as it had a big point on the points. YMMV

 

Don’t file points unless you have to.......???
Yeah I would say that sounds right nowadays but if you have an old set you can clearly tell if they are made of tungsten.
They will take on a distinct grey color and are not merely chromium plated steel like modern manufacture.
And often times the tungsten points have a hollow core.
And now back to the original question.
Willys always suggested that the points be changed every 12K miles.

 

When I ran my 1950 Jeep pickup all winter, with a six volt system, I changed out the points, cap, and rotor each Fall. Figured it was cheap insurance for cold weather starting.