can't rev over 2300 rpms

backfoot100 wrote: DrCC wrote: WTH brand of points comes with the spring not attached or installed ??? phatsat67 wrote: Pcm baby. Thank You....I was trying to make some sense of that one too. Never heard of such a piece of crap. No wonder guys want to change to EI modules.

And if I'm remembering correctly, the loose spring I encountered was on a set of Echlin's!!

Hmmmmmm....Good thought Gary. That 'splains why Ford isn't in the marine business anymore....

phatsat67 wrote: . Just slap,lube and call it a day.

Quinners motto

Pcm baby.

Haha thanks. I had a few boats come in customers tried to do points swaps on. Generally, if the thing runs good I don't even touch the points. Just cap and rotor slap and lube the weights and the the points cam and call it a day.

if only i had posted on here sunday when i was trying to figure it out!

So you fella's with points can't get it going without the strap on.........

i assume it will logically install in a notch in the points and bolt down where the condensor and brass strap bolt down. easy enough, now that i know. i'll let you guys know when i start it, i'm hoping that's all it was!

I stopped at the garage this morning and took some pictures, and phatsat67 may win this one. Sure enough there is a strap that the kit came with that was packaged separately and is not installed, so I'm hoping that cures the problem.

Here is a picture of the new points (with old condenser installed which I did while tshooting this):


And here's the strap I believe you're referring to?


Too bad the kit didn't come with instructions, I could have avoided hours of troubleshooting. Of course looking back on skidim's site, when you buy the points alone they have a note that says "The new points include an extra reinforcement strap shown in the photo. Make sure to use it or your points will float above 2500 rpm." The full tune-up kit doesn't have this note. I guess they assume that people still using points all know how to work with them

Lol Pete. I've forgot to install it once or twice but never actually started the motor without it in ha.

Gary S wrote: What? you mean that one time you changed your points? You'll probably forget and do it again when you change them next time in 20 years

Notice I did say once!!

phatsat67 wrote: Money on you didn't put the new points spring and you're only putting pressure on the point via the brass connection ribbon. .

I did that once!!

IIRC there is only one spring on the new point, the hard silver spring. but since you said that, i seem to remember another one being in the package separately. i will take a look at the package to see if it's still in there.

it was running somewhat properly before, i just had hot start issues and problems idling after the engine had been running for a while. that's why i got the carb rebuilt this spring because it was long overdue, as well as the points which i'm sure you can tell by looking at the above picture.

here's the old points:

of course the garage is in a different town than my condo, but i'll try to get there after work or tomorrow morning to take pics of the new points for comparison.

one thing to mention is that there was a small "pad" which came with the points kit, which installs on the side of the points closest to the distributor shaft. here's a pic for reference:
http://www.skidim.com/POINTS-PRESTOLITE-ALL/productinfo/R114002/ (sorry they wouldn't let me copy just the pic)

i left that pad off because the old set didn't have that on there and i didn't know what it was for. would that cause problems? by "pad" i'm talking about the rectangular-looking item by the copper strap.

i have a picture of my old points before i took them out, and they had a plastic piece installed over them which isn't on the new points. could the spring be a part of that?

yes i'm hooking the timing light to cyl #1 (starboard front), and i have a LH 351W. at 2300 rpms it stumbles, hesitates, stutters, all of the above. no backfiring, but sounds more like a misfire.