Points problem

MrMcD wrote: Heck, I want to know how many hours are involved in the 28 years. It may be 28 years and a total of 30 minutes run time! Sorry Pete, the photo had me ready to jump in. Mark

You could go to the link a few posts back and read thru it or you could click on this link below. It's in there on the second page   

link

Heck, I want to know how many hours are involved in the 28 years.
It may be 28 years and a total of 30 minutes run time!
Sorry Pete, the photo had me ready to jump in.
Mark

gun-driver wrote: PETE I'M TELLING YOU, IF YOU HAVE POINTS YOU HAVE TO CHECK UNDER THE CAP!!!!!

Paul

You're all screwed up, that's Pete flogging me with a 28 year old dead fish

That's how long he really went without looking at his points according to this old thread

link

Here's a quote from the thread in the link, fairly entertaining thread if you read the whole thing

8122pbrainard wrote: Don't forget I got 28 years out of a point set without ANY filing/sanding the contact faces!!! Unbelievable? No. it'e true!! It started EVERY year and the contact faces weren't that worn. There's a thread on when I put the new point set in the X55. I'l see if I can find it. This guy has been smoking something!!

You guys are pretty funny.
Points problem history, when I installed my first set back in 1974 I failed to lubricate the lobes. All points used to come with a little container with point lobe lube.
I failed to lubricate and the car left me stranded a couple days later.
On tear down the points were closed, lack of lube on the new points allowed them to wear until the points closed. A little lube on the lobes is mandatory if you want them to live.

I also installed a set of points because my old points had fried. When I bought new points I failed to buy a new condensor. Guess what, a couple days later I was stranded again, points were glazed over and not working. A little file work and a new condensor and they were happy again.

Check your voltage to the distributor while cranking and while running.
Cranking you should have 12V, after it starts that will drop down, I think 7.8 to 8.5 V.
The lower voltage as mentioned above in a post increases the life of your points.
Full battery voltage on start up helps you fire up faster.

It would help diagnose to know what you see when you take out the old set of points. Is the gap closed? Are the points frosted over? You have a problem that needs to be fixed.
The engine will run well with points once fixed.
For simplicity I switched a couple engines over to the GM HEI distributor, they make a conversion for the Ford engine. These work very well, start quickly and eliminate points.
If you ever have an issue the HEI parts are available at all auto parts stores.
I liked the improvement in cold start with the HEI installed.
The distributor and plug wires need to be changed if you go with HEI. You need later model high energy plug wires. Edit: the HEI may not meet coast guard requirements for spark control, you don't want to blow up your boat.
Hope you get it fixed.
Mark

   I'm with you Paul !!    This is just too perfect

Let's try just plain old English here Pete

It's not a question of whether point quality has gotten worse over the years, it a question of
what kind of fool goes 20 years without even looking at the points.

With a little attention maybe they would have lasted you a while longer

Well, getting back to our regularly scheduled programming again

For norrisdam, when's the last time the condenser was changed. If it's not working correctly you can have a weak spark and the points will also get pitted quickly and need cleaning at best and replacing if bad enough.

If the condenser fails completely, you will have no spark at all no matter what you do with the points.

They're cheap, easy to replace and often get ignored when somebody has a points issue.

You could test it and think it's good till some current actually goes through it.

It may cure your issue, it may not but if you're gonna stick with points you should change it if you haven't lately

They are in a very safe place Ken ha.

Look under the cap every year. Dizzy maintinance includes lube on the center pivot and advance mechanism every year or 100 hours. Graphite lube on the points cam too.

KENO wrote: 8122pbrainard wrote: KENO wrote: Pete i think you need to share with the rest of the world your secrets about point systems that let you go 20 plus years without looking under the cap    Your quote is from norrisdam's thread about his ignition problems in 2013 Ken, 8122pbrainard wrote: It's rumored with the manufacturing done in China that the plating isn't what it used to be! Now that's one pretty lame answer Pete. I guess your "maintenance practices" leave something to be desired

I am holding onto my NOS points set in my 85 for dear life. It came in a std rotation screw down Prestolite I bought on ebay in 2007. (I think the guy still has some). Put my reverse rotation gear on and the rest is history. It's got somewhere north of 1200 hours on the points now.

My brothers boat presumably has factory points (they are very very thin). It runs like a top so I have no intention of replacing them until failure.

8122pbrainard wrote: KENO wrote: Pete i think you need to share with the rest of the world your secrets about point systems that let you go 20 plus years without looking under the cap    Your quote is from norrisdam's thread about his ignition problems in 2013 Ken, 8122pbrainard wrote: It's rumored with the manufacturing done in China that the plating isn't what it used to be!

Now that's one pretty lame answer Pete.

I guess your "maintenance practices" leave something to be desired

8122pbrainard wrote: Greg, I need to ask why? There are problems with them especially with certain brands to the point where some even carry a spare in their boat. If it goes, you are dead in the water. If a point set goes, you can clean them up to get you back home or to the ramp. I went over 20 years on my point set in my 312 Y block without even looking at them. Also, there are no performance gains.

Pete

i think you need to share with the rest of the world your secrets about point systems that let you go 20 plus years without looking under the cap   

Your quote is from norrisdam's thread about his ignition problems in 2013

An emery board nail file is excellent for cleaning points. Just the right size and grit, with the right stiffness to apply a bit of pressure.

norrisdam wrote: I stayed with the points because there seems to be a lot of negative vibe on the site about going with electronic ignition.

Only from some people

You should be able to get it running good with either points or electronic, but that's your choice

norrisdam wrote: To get it running good we usually replace plugs, points, cap, rotor and condenser,

That's a lot to replace every 3 or 4 days of use

What shape are the plugs, points. cap and rotor in when you decide to replace them?

Do you have a brand and part number for the new coil you put in a number of years ago?

You'll probably get all the same opinions you did back in 2013 when you asked about electronic ignition,

What made you decide to stay with points?

Also, new ballast resistor in 2013