Seconding the comment for the drop light. And even a small light on the cam would help a ton for vids like this. But I was still able to get the point of what you are teaching. See what I did there?
If you are working on a slant six in an early a body you can't see anything light or not lol. Back in the day I just pulled the distributor and stuck it in a vice. Then either use a feeler gauge or spin it with a drill motor and set dwell.
@@richardcranium5839 ok, but some of us still have have points. You known, Echlin, Bosch, standard high grade, blue streak, Delco Remy, accell, Mallory. Nylon rubbing blocks are evil. And sand is the mortal enemy of breaker points.
@@strokermaverick I used to do the same. Then I went diesel and realized there was something with more torque, and hp. That got twice the mpg. That had heat. And could actually last for 100k. And needed no tune ups.
@@fastinradfordable I’ve had VW diesels also. I just love air cooled.👍 As far as, heat is concerned, I know how to maintain the air cooled heating system. The hottest heat, I’ve ever had in a vehicle, is from an air cooled VW.🙂
Back in the 80s here in the UK, there was a common knowledge rule of thumb for setting points and plug gaps, for the diy man with no tech manual, 15 thou for points, 25 to 30 thou for plugs, they ran.
In the mid nineties was attempting to restore a 69 442, I did not know shit, my neighbor showed me how to set points with a dwell meter, I'll be damned if I remember how to do it now!, but this rang my bell a little!
The GM distributors had a little "window" which could be opened and an Allen key of the right size was used to adjust the points with a dwell/tach meter. If you ball parked the gap right, the dwell could be dialed in with the engine running. There was a lot less crap in an engine compartment in those days...
@@lordphullautosear I have a 92 Dodge w250(4x4) With a 360LA, I was showing a friends 16 yr old son how to do a minor tune up, when I opened the hood he asked me "where's the rest of the engine?, all the plastic stuff?" LOL, 🤣
Watch you,because i respect you.Been working cars since i was 7 yrs old.Got my legal papers in 1984,when cars and trucks were still carbed.HEI--Points in some of the older cars i worked on.Chrysler dual points were a little trickie.They were the days.If i could go only go back 40-50 yrs,when they actually made cars.Mechanics like you and me are in a little glass case,that says---BREAK IN CASE OF EMERGENCY.
If you dont have a dwell meter, tape a protractor to the top of the rotor, and fashion a pointer from something solid. Hook a test light across the points. Turning the engine over by hand, take note of how many degrees the light is on, that is your dwell.
I was on the electronic ignition bandwagon for a long time I was at the local cycle shop buying parts to bring my '72 Honda cb 750k back to life and I wanted a electronic ignition for it and the guy at the counter was ADAMANT that I didn't need one he said "points are good and simple when electronic goes out it's a pain to figure out" I'm glad I listened to him! Tony just reinforces the point!
The only caution would be that most British bikes had Lucas advance units. The points gave good service but the advance unit would get notches in the weight slots and severe wear on the pins. When worn enough the weights would hang on the pins holding the ignition a full advance. This made the engine difficult to start when cold. At this point an electronic ignition conversion wasn't much more money than a new advance unit. That's the reason it's unusual to see a Norton for instance still running points.
That is the way I have always done it. But, at 65 yrs old, I am used to the "OLD WAY" of doing things. Great Video for the younger folks who want to learn. STAY REAL!
Thanks Tony, I'm changing the points in my 70 vette right now. I have a dwell meter because I was actually a mechanic at a Chevy dealership back in the 70's right out of high school, working on nothing but muscle cars, it was a dream job. I never knew about this trick buy hey you learn something new every day! I'm going to have to go buy a timing light because for some reason mine is gone? Oh well no problem, thank's again for teaching this old dog some new tricks!
A friend said to watch your videos because they would remove my fear of setting the dwell on points, and he was right, you present it in a very easy to understand and straightforward manner, thank you!! Now I have to go find your video on setting the timing, he says I have to use a timing light to set the timing after points installation. I'm not a mechanic, obviously, but I do work on my own cars, and I need to learn how to do this right. Thanks again!
Point dwell affects timing but timing does not affect point dwell. So when you refresh your point dwell to specs it is wise to check your timing. Always remember this (1) set point dwell (2) check and adjust ignition timing with your timing light. Yes it would be wise to view the ignition timing video.
From a full MSD ignition guy in my muscle car but a guy that installs tons of point sets in antique tractors all the time this is a great video. Thanks for all you do.
Thanks man! Was going to do two steps first with feeler gauge, then meter after car got started.... right to meter on a non-starting engine. Now dwell is off the list... and I can address no fuel issue individually.
Thanks Tony! I have a 55 chev 6 cylinder and pulled the distributor EVERY time - always risking not getting the dist blade back into the oil pump every time - because - I never knew I could just use the ole dwell meter! What a time saver!
Most of the time you can install ignition points in distributors in the car but there are applications where the distributor should be removed for better access to the points.
I have acquired a few old single and dual points Mallory distributors and just to throw people off, I think I'll run one in my '76 Chevy big block truck! Thanks for the tips. I didn't know how to use my old diagnostic tester until your show. I hope you realize how valuable the information is you're giving us!
When the video started, UT rocking in a rocking chair really put some perspective on the video. Lol 😆. At any rate, loved this video showing the “How To” of replacing ignition points. 👍
I miss the good old set of points that would come with a oil sponge or sweep that would help keep the lube on the dist cam for every rotation. But that is the number one reason for points to fail because people don’t lube their distributors. Don’t mean you Tony I understand the getting flustered when trying to show others and forgetting a step or ten. Awesome 😎 job Tony keep points alive. 👍
Love your videos UT, Also a dwell meter can tell if you have worn distributor bearings, my life of cars and bikes was the same as yours, I get a good feeling watching old adam12 and dragnet or anything from the 70`s that shows the streets scenes , i watch the cars along the streets, reminds me of the normal environment I grew up in, seems like heaven now.
Thanks Tony. I’m going to try understanding my points system and master it. Friends tell me to swap to the pertronix, and I may eventually, but I think I need to understand this part first. Just bought a 64 Galaxie with a 428 FE this summer. Your videos on points & Holley carb’s have been great. I share them at car shows to other wannabe gear heads like me.
I'd rather change points than sit inside and watch the TV or something like that. Not that I own a TV, but I do like being in the shop. That kind of stuff is just kinda fun!
Big smile when you mentioned using a matchbook cover. The first time I helped set points on a car, I was just a kid helping a guy with an early fifties Hudson. And yep, he pulled out a match book to set them. Those days are over. Hardily anyone smokes and bars don't give out match books anymore.
My TAFE teacher used to tell us that feeler gauges - like a torque wrench - only give us an approximation. Measuring bolt clamping force.bolt stretch and dwell gets us closer to what we're actually trying to set.
I've tuned tons of points cars using the dwell meter. I was always taught that the feeler gap was just as a starting reference so you can get the engine to run for a proper dwell check. And why is that important? It's because the dwell determines how long the coil charges- the longer the charge time, the hotter the spark. A properly balanced dwell will minimize plug fouling and improves cold start, and that all adds up to improved fuel economy and maximum power. But I've only been working on these cars for 40 years, so what do I know anyway...
Now if only ya had a Big block sitting around, it might have made it easier. I'd always set the gap with the feeler gage and left it at that. I've never seen the dwell done like that, love it! Now I just need to find some old muscle car!
Thank You Why didn't I know this!!! for 50 years (Starting with my 65 Dart 170 (Model) with a 170 slant I been gapping points then putting the distributor cap on starting engine and checking dwell... stop remove distributor cap, re-gap repeat process, etc. BUT no more Uncle Tony to the rescue
Had 2 Pertronix electronic ignitions go out and so went back to points and condenser on my ‘73 TR6. Now running a lot better, but had set the points with a feeler gauge. Want to do better with the dwell meter so it will run even better. Thanks for the demonstration Tony!
I bought a dwell meter many years ago and used it to check the point gap a few times before realising that it's far quicker to just use a feeler gauge,. I set the gap to whatever is specified in the handbook and it saves all that faffing around.
My Lincoln came with electronic ignition. Works brilliantly. I was warned that the box could go out at any time so I had a spare from AutoZone in the trunk. One morning, it didn’t start. Immediately, I plugged in the new box and sure enough that was the problem. Made it on time to work. 45 years of flawless service and it took 5 minutes to swap. I’ll take that on such a car any day. I wouldn’t have somebody throwing tools or leaning on my Lincoln every couple of thousand miles and worry that every time the points are swapped it’s going to run differently. I set the vacuum advance, base advance, full advance and curve when I first got the car. In seven years, I haven’t had to adjust a single thing. The car, even when cold, starts faster than I can release the key. Engineering.
@@rcnelson The dwell effects the timing by a small amount because the points opened a little sooner or later based on their gap "dwell". Moving the timing doesn't effect the points gap "dwell". Thanks Uncle Tony for old school lesson.
I also have some of those old craftsman ignition wrenches tony. also used the dwell meter religiously when doing tuneup's on my pontiacs and it worked well! thanks for the video!
I've had a full set of them wrenches sine I got my first set of tools when I was 12, I never knew that they were call ignition wrenches. So then I have been using them for the wrong things almost 40 years.😲🤣🤣🤣
Thanks for the video Uncle Tony. I acquired my father's big block 1967 cougar after he passed April of 2021, it's sat for about 10 years and at this point I just want to get it running and driveable so I can hang his ashes from the rear view and cruise with the old man. The car has more sentimental worth to me than monetary...even taking into consideration that there's only about 2,000 of these cars left. My father taught me auto repair on this cougar and the FE 390 big block he and I swapped out of a 1970 LTD almost 40 years ago.
Agree totally with setting points up with dwell, versus feeler gauges. After realising that setting point gap with feeler gauges does not take into consideration any wear on the original cam lobe profile (our cars are around 50 years old, so there is obviously wear there), I decided to set them using dwell, and my cars have never run better since. The difference was amazing.
Who used to work as a tow truck driver at a service station. He had a fairly good towing business and he also did tune-ups and repairs on automobiles. Every time he had a Chrysler product in there to do a tune-up he would have me do the tune-up. I had done so many of them on Chrysler products I could tell by looking at the point where they were 17018 thousands of 19,000. And that's with ended well range, and usually you would use the differential on a set of points that somebody just needed to have cleaned up real quick so that they could still use them for a while so you would run some 500 grit sandpaper on it and reset it to about 17, will you put a new set. And run at about 19,000 you get a little bit more dwell time a little bit hotter spark. The pain in the ass came when you had to face a distributor because it was so jumpy when you check the timing you couldn't get any kind of decent fuel mileage out of it. So you grab the distributor with the hole in the side of it so you can adjust the phasing until the jumpy timing tightens up and that's where you leave it. Teflon lubricant was a godsend for the rubbing block because it will not wear once you load the cam with Teflon Lube period or spray some wet Teflon Lube on that felt pad it rubs on the cam. You are correct on those Accel points however. I once did a tuneup on a 1965 Chrysler Imperial with Accel points and wires and a carburetor rebuild. I did the upgrade to the car at 177000 miles. I talked that same lady oh, several years later, because I was traveling around in the Air Force. I asked her how her car was doing. She said it still starts and runs before she can take her hand off the key. I asked her how many miles it had on it she said 350,000 miles no. She had done nothing to the car as far as the ignition and the carburetor for 173,000 miles.
Tony - Long time subscriber. Your videos are gold and we are so thankful you're taking the time to share your knowledge. Keep up the good work! I grew up on Chevy motors (327, points, Quadrajet, 4-speed Muncie) and that's what I learned on from dad. Have had my mopar since 2010 (68 satellite). I carry a spare chrysler ECU in the trunk as they sometimes fail due to heat. Yes, the electronic ignition lasts longer, but it doesn't last indefintely. I remember big smiles for miles the day I swapped in a new set of points once a year and set the dwell. The motor runs so crisp when the points are fresh. One day I swapped in an early Pertronix under cap electronic ignition. It never ran as crisp as the points. My mopar already had the ECU conversion when I got it, so it's staying, but I for one like points just as well as electronic ignition for a daily driver. People just need to be in the habit of routine annual or semi-annual preventive maintenance regardless of what setup they have.
I always checked the points contacts to make sure they lined up perfectly when closed. Sometimes a little gentle bending is needed to get really good alignment. If not aligned they burn out a lot faster!
The period of time when the contact points are closed, thus allowing for the coil to build it's electromagnetic charge that will be collapsed and send the built up discharged high volt spark out to the cap and down the line to the appropriate cylinder when the points are opened.
@@THRASHMETALFUNRIFFS I always thought dwell was was when the contacts were open and when they are closed it is coil saturation. I guess they are the same thing when closed.
@@davidleonard8369 Yes, the coil is "saturating" during the time the points are closed, which is in fact the dwell time or "wait" time. THe points only bump open for a split second!
@@THRASHMETALFUNRIFFS don't know about that. But when they just break contact is certainly when the coil discharges. Great for setting static ignition timing.
One little trick or step Uncle Tony missed and that is drag a strip of “bond” paper or a clean pocket flap of a cotton shit between the contacts to remove any oil or other smutzs that are on them and more times than not there always is and the light coating of oil is intentionally to keep them from corroding in the box. Myself I dip a one strip of bond paper in (cotton paper) in ether or acetone (and not the stuff people use to remove fingernail polish but the unadulterated stuff) and drag them through the contacts and then a clean dry piece. That said I use a screw starter when installing new points because I have paws not hands and when I remove the screw I have a magnet ready and waiting after all the idea is to work smarter not harder and use a bumper-button to crank the engine when setting the dwell. Lastly don’t forget to put a drop or two of oil on the felt pad in the distributor shaft and on the distributor weights and I do mean only a drop or maybe two no more. Have a nice day and a better tomorrow.
Sure wish some rich auto enthusiasts would fire up some old manufacturing plants in the USA again and make some decent parts for old cars. Suppose it doesn’t fit the the planned obsolescence agenda though.
In jr HS I had an agriculture class, and one of the requirements for a passing grade was we all had to set the points gap on an old distributor, this was 1983! I passed the class , however still to this day prefer HEI, BABABY!!
I remember the old points used to come with that little capsule of Grease and they had this little piece of fiber material that went on the rubbing block and you were supposed to put the grease behind that so every time they snap shut it would give a little bit of lubricant
Where were you 50 years ago? Like I said before. I spent countless hours starting my brother's Satellite. (I was the key guy) Setting the dwell was hit or miss with that style of points. That's why I preferred GM's spring loaded version that allowed you to adjust it while it was running. BTW- I have dropped the screw before. Not on a car but in a boat with a Volvo-Penta. In the middle of the river. Talk about an oh-**** moment.
That's what I like about this business or hobby. If you keep an open mind, you can always learn something new. i didn't realize you could spin the engine over like that to set points. I have always reassembled the distributor together to run the engine. And Ford's were always a pain to get right.
Loved it!! Didn’t know the meter trick. I drove a 67 bug for a while, loved it!! I kept a extra distributor under the hood with set points. I just swapped distributors, static timed with a light, good to go 😅
That was awesome. I was wondering if you gonna lube the cam lobe on the dist. for the points block to roll on. but you remembered. Thanks for the tutorial on the dwell meter. Been to long since i used one. And of course , since i work on jet aircraft i will never use one on there.
When I was "on the bench" during the '70s & '80s, I used this method, but while the plugs were out (to make it easier to turn the engine over by hand to set the timing "in direction of rotation" to take up any slack in the ignition system mechanical components when running
That’s a couple great tips, thanks. I’m a (dual) points kinda guy myself, and the argument that an electronic ignition is mandatory for reliability just makes me bristle.
Nice job uncle T. I seem to remember soda can pull tabs being about .017 also😁. The good old days. I remember the first time I set mine on my super we. I still had the feeler gauge in and my Pop turned on the ignition. Quite a jolt😁
That does it! I'm getting ride of all those extra wires and going back to points. It'll give me something to tinker with and use my old dwell meter and push button starter.
Thanks for a trip down memory lane. I used to tweek my 72 350 olds cutlass every few months but I set the timing as well. which I had to change temporarily being assigned to lowery AFB in Denver co. (5000 ft above sea level). Unfortunately, I am not a motorhead and prefer E tonics for the lack of maintenence. I subsribed. great video.
My first car was a 71 Demon, I kept a set of points and a ballast resistor in the glove box, I used the matchbook until I got home to use a feeler gauge to fine tune it
As I set in new points & condensers the first thing I do is check the side by side movement of the distributor shaft..(this will tell you a lot) second item I check is the contacts in the distributor cap, where the wear is leading or following per contack, the third thing I check is the dwell on the old points, plus the point contacks, since a good tune up consist of changing the plugs, it's saves on the battery if the plugs are removed first (No compression) period to installing the new points I apply a dab of high melting grease to the cam lobes (match stick head is all that is needed) while you there you can see if you can aquire a less tension springs for the vacum advance plate..this will increase you mileage up wards to 15% but it will lowered you acceleration by a small margin.takeing your engine starter ade, as you turn it over and when you take your engin Anilizer to setting the dwell you'll have to check it several times because the securing screw (when tighten) will also change the dwell as its tighten.. if you dwell is suppose to be 31° to 34° go for the higher medium of 34 ° as the nylon rubing heal on the points start to set from wear the dwell will change.. a small degree..this in return will after a couple of years will decrease your mpg by 2 to 3 miles per gal. On older cars and trucks I always install a vacuumed gage as driving down the road I can see the dial at a glance, to see the HG reading is at.. best milage obtain is at 19 to 21 HG of vacume on straight 6 cyl about 19 mpg.
For the little screws. I take a piece of 14 ga. Wire and wrap about 5 or 6 times around the screwdriver and touch the wire end to battery posts for a second or 2. Magnetize it a bit.
We had a new (still have)1976 Corolla. After some break in miles, I took it out and at 80mph it started missing. I looked in my books and found that points set too wide could cause that. Adjusted them and it ran perfect at 80. I still have some ignition wrenches that belonged to my grandfather. And a Dial-A-Gap tool for GM.
I never thought of cranking it with the cap off. I prefer to set my points with a dwell meter too, but I've been starting it, checking the dwell, stopping it and adjusting. I'll be doing this from now on for sure!
I used the same method as you. I didn't trust the cranking method as I believe the lower rpm would not accurately reflect the dwell of a running engine.
Is it normal to get a different dwell reading when the engine is running compared to your method of setting the points? Seems to me that they should be the same, but mine is not. I set my points to the recommended 31 degrees using your method, which is very close to the .017" the points are supposed to be set at. But when I measure the dwell with the engine running, it's 21 degrees. 🤷♂️ 53 Packard, 327 straight 8, 6 volt positive ground.
great tutorial. I think it'll be a big help when I get the chance to use a meter on my 55 pontiac 287. I put new points and condenser in it the other day. I think I got it close, but not quite spot on. it runs, but has a slight sputter in r.p.m. range in second gear under medium throttle and at hwy speed when I floor it for passing gear . other than that, he cruises nicely, for a nearly 70 yr. old car.
A correct condenser (capacitor) will not cause metal transfer on the points. I had one I used for years because of this. Points lasted much longer this way. Great Video Tony!
I bought in. I stuck with the dual point ignition in my 1976 Moto Guzzi civvy version of the police bike they sold at that time. I am doing a mild restoration and i included an ignition amplifier in one of the online parts orders i submitted. It uses one set of points for each cylinder. It is a good system that always had the engine running after about one revolution of the engine by the starter which is how any well tuned Moto Guzzi runs.
Hey Tony, I would like to give you a bit of feedback about your videos. First, I enjoy watching them, however, please try to never assume that your audience is fully knowledgable about the things that you were doing. For example, in this video, you talk about the points block and the rubbing board, but you quickly brought the points past the camera and put them on the bench without showing an example. Take your time to let the camera focus on these parts that you were replacing, and perhaps some better lighting, would also improve your videos. Thank you for taking the time to do these videos, and hopefully they progress better each and every time you do them.
Points had their place but I'm sticking with HEI. Don't forget the magnetic screwdriver. If you've never dropped a screw in the distributor you haven't set points my friend. Pull it get the screw out and grab the match book (if you can still find one) and put her back in. Set it and go get it.
As I recall, Ford had a small allen screw on the side of the distributor that you could actually gets the points close and then start the car and adjust the dwell (point gap) by using the allen screw. Oh and I still have my dwell meter and all my Craftsman ignition wrenches from my dad - and I am 72 years old
First video I have watched after I’m back to TH-cam. Been on a Netflix trip. Love the new shop. Love the great videos. Thank you to uncle Kathy too. Great close ups.
You are correct; it is not the Manhattan project. But with any version of electronic ignition you don’t need to do this at all. Yes, you will need to replace parts on all systems, but the frequency is different.
What happens when Echlin gets bought out and the only points left are chinesium short timers just like the condensers already are? The HEI is still common enough to source quality American parts for it from most parts stores these days.
CUDA519 Yeah, you just crank it till is gets to 30 and call it done, when it was clearly still climbing past 30. Tony wanted to show how easy it is, but it seems pretty obvious that he couldn't "easily" get it dialed in.
ROLL UP YOUR CIGARETTE!!! LOL GREAT CAMERA WORK ULTRA KATHY!!👍👍 WOW, that looked so difficult to change them points.😉😉😂😂😂 Some people just don't care to take the time to tinker on their vehicles. I've had people think they needed a complete tune up (plugs, rotor button, cap, etc.) and all it needed was the points to be cleaned & adjusted or just a fresh set. 5 minutes and they were back on the road for a few dollars, well they're about $10 now.
Nice, thank you. Have used my dwell meter many times on a Chevy, but on Mopars I used brass (nonmagnetic, don't add drag) feeler guages. Gonna start doing it this way.
Napa Echlin points are...okay.....sort of. You want some kickass points that last damn near forever? Get your hands on Accel point sets. I swear by them. Been running them in my 69 F100 for the past 20 years. I've NEVER had to adjust them (checked often, always on 30*) and only been through 2 sets......in 20 years. Only reason i changed the one set is I had changed engines and figured, why not? probably could have ran the 1st set longer. Truck was my daily for at least the 1st 10 years, family got bigger so it became the 'hauler' or backup rig. I can go out side right now, hit the key and it will fire off on 1-3 cranks. Accel points are extremely impressive.
@@bdi11000 hard to say if they'd be as good as they might have been before, as everything has shifted overseas. Quality isn't what it once was. I can certainly vouch for the Accel points, IF you can get your hand on some.
UT: Please consider hanging a drop light in your engine bay for better visuals in some of your videos.. Thanks..
Its rough to see what you're doing at times. I think it might help stabilize the focus some on your camera as well.
This is an analog points vid.
@@bobroberts2371 lol
a drop light :L.E.D. or flourescent would be great for filming an engine bay...tbs
@@bobroberts2371
Then out in the sun at least
Seconding the comment for the drop light. And even a small light on the cam would help a ton for vids like this. But I was still able to get the point of what you are teaching. See what I did there?
If you are working on a slant six in an early a body you can't see anything light or not lol. Back in the day I just pulled the distributor and stuck it in a vice. Then either use a feeler gauge or spin it with a drill motor and set dwell.
I didn't see what you did there. You'll have to condense your comment for clarity or dwell longer on your explanation.
@@rcnelson i'm not sure i have the capacitance to see what you've condensed in your statement
@@richardcranium5839 ok, but some of us still have have points. You known, Echlin, Bosch, standard high grade, blue streak, Delco Remy, accell, Mallory. Nylon rubbing blocks are evil. And sand is the mortal enemy of breaker points.
I do. Nice😁
I've changed 100's of sets of points - no exaggeration - why am I watching this? UT is just entertaining.
Back in the 60s I always carried a set of points in the clove box. I remember setting the gap with the flap off my cigarette pack.
I drive an air cooled VW beetle. I keep a set of points and a fuel pump.😀
@@strokermaverick
I used to do the same.
Then I went diesel and realized there was something with more torque, and hp.
That got twice the mpg.
That had heat.
And could actually last for 100k.
And needed no tune ups.
@@Jupitermustangmike He's just showing you another way
@@fastinradfordable I’ve had VW diesels also. I just love air cooled.👍 As far as, heat is concerned, I know how to maintain the air cooled heating system. The hottest heat, I’ve ever had in a vehicle, is from an air cooled VW.🙂
@@strokermaverick Match book cover was perfect for .019 gap on old Beetles!
Back in the 80s here in the UK, there was a common knowledge rule of thumb for setting points and plug gaps, for the diy man with no tech manual, 15 thou for points, 25 to 30 thou for plugs, they ran.
I first started doing this in 1971, never used a dwell meter. I guess an old dog can learn new tricks, thanks Uncle Tony!
Love it ! Stay tuned for part 2.....Dual Points. LOL. The test pattern at the end is great !! Cheers !!!
In the mid nineties was attempting to restore a 69 442, I did not know shit, my neighbor showed me how to set points with a dwell meter, I'll be damned if I remember how to do it now!, but this rang my bell a little!
The GM distributors had a little "window" which could be opened and an Allen key of the right size was used to adjust the points with a dwell/tach meter. If you ball parked the gap right, the dwell could be dialed in with the engine running.
There was a lot less crap in an engine compartment in those days...
@@lordphullautosear
I have a 92 Dodge w250(4x4)
With a 360LA,
I was showing a friends 16 yr old son how to do a minor tune up, when I opened the hood he asked me "where's the rest of the engine?, all the plastic stuff?"
LOL, 🤣
@@lordphullautosear Yes that was the way, get it running then 28-30 on the dwell.
Watch you,because i respect you.Been working cars since i was 7 yrs old.Got my legal papers in 1984,when cars and trucks were still carbed.HEI--Points in some of the older cars i worked on.Chrysler dual points were a little trickie.They were the days.If i could go only go back 40-50 yrs,when they actually made cars.Mechanics like you and me are in a little glass case,that says---BREAK IN CASE OF EMERGENCY.
If you dont have a dwell meter, tape a protractor to the top of the rotor, and fashion a pointer from something solid. Hook a test light across the points. Turning the engine over by hand, take note of how many degrees the light is on, that is your dwell.
I was on the electronic ignition bandwagon for a long time I was at the local cycle shop buying parts to bring my '72 Honda cb 750k back to life and I wanted a electronic ignition for it and the guy at the counter was ADAMANT that I didn't need one he said "points are good and simple when electronic goes out it's a pain to figure out" I'm glad I listened to him! Tony just reinforces the point!
The only caution would be that most British bikes had Lucas advance units. The points gave good service but the advance unit would get notches in the weight slots and severe wear on the pins. When worn enough the weights would hang on the pins holding the ignition a full advance. This made the engine difficult to start when cold.
At this point an electronic ignition conversion wasn't much more money than a new advance unit. That's the reason it's unusual to see a Norton for instance still running points.
Ah! Lucas! "The prince of darkness"!
That is the way I have always done it. But, at 65 yrs old, I am used to the "OLD WAY" of doing things. Great Video for the younger folks who want to learn.
STAY REAL!
You make me miss the 70’s.
Thanks Tony, I'm changing the points in my 70 vette right now. I have a dwell meter because I was actually a mechanic at a Chevy dealership back in the 70's right out of high school, working on nothing but muscle cars, it was a dream job. I never knew about this trick buy hey you learn something new every day! I'm going to have to go buy a timing light because for some reason mine is gone? Oh well no problem, thank's again for teaching this old dog some new tricks!
Thanks for showing us the finer Points of the ignition system. You have filled a Gap in my knowledge, but I won't Dwell on my ignorance.
Salute to the Captain for the quad pun in a single sentence award!
You must have had quite the spark of imagination to come up with that electrifying comment lol
@@JimsRustyOldNuts I wanted to Crank that out Before The Dumb Commenters could Fire off a Retarded reply because their Timing is Missing the Mark.
@@captainjohnh9405 🤣🤣🤣
@@captainjohnh9405 */w\UnWHOLY-METAL/w\*
A friend said to watch your videos because they would remove my fear of setting the dwell on points, and he was right, you present it in a very easy to understand and straightforward manner, thank you!!
Now I have to go find your video on setting the timing, he says I have to use a timing light to set the timing after points installation. I'm not a mechanic, obviously, but I do work on my own cars, and I need to learn how to do this right. Thanks again!
Point dwell affects timing but timing does not affect point dwell. So when you refresh your point dwell to specs it is wise to check your timing. Always remember this (1) set point dwell (2) check and adjust ignition timing with your timing light. Yes it would be wise to view the ignition timing video.
From a full MSD ignition guy in my muscle car but a guy that installs tons of point sets in antique tractors all the time this is a great video. Thanks for all you do.
Thanks man! Was going to do two steps first with feeler gauge, then meter after car got started.... right to meter on a non-starting engine. Now dwell is off the list... and I can address no fuel issue individually.
Thanks Tony! I have a 55 chev 6 cylinder and pulled the distributor EVERY time - always risking not getting the dist blade back into the oil pump every time - because - I never knew I could just use the ole dwell meter! What a time saver!
Most of the time you can install ignition points in distributors in the car but there are applications where the distributor should be removed for better access to the points.
I have acquired a few old single and dual points Mallory distributors and just to throw people off, I think I'll run one in my '76 Chevy big block truck! Thanks for the tips. I didn't know how to use my old diagnostic tester until your show. I hope you realize how valuable the information is you're giving us!
When the video started, UT rocking in a rocking chair really put some perspective on the video. Lol 😆. At any rate, loved this video showing the “How To” of replacing ignition points. 👍
Here's another video he did on points, th-cam.com/video/dZWX2iYbbNw/w-d-xo.html
I miss the good old set of points that would come with a oil sponge or sweep that would help keep the lube on the dist cam for every rotation. But that is the number one reason for points to fail because people don’t lube their distributors. Don’t mean you Tony I understand the getting flustered when trying to show others and forgetting a step or ten. Awesome 😎 job Tony keep points alive. 👍
Points were never an issue with me. A lot of times did them on the fly. Always ran just fine. I'm with you uncle Tony old school is the best school.
Love your videos UT, Also a dwell meter can tell if you have worn distributor bearings, my life of cars and bikes was the same as yours, I get a good feeling watching old adam12 and dragnet or anything from the 70`s that shows the streets scenes , i watch the cars along the streets, reminds me of the normal environment I grew up in, seems like heaven now.
Thanks Tony. I’m going to try understanding my points system and master it. Friends tell me to swap to the pertronix, and I may eventually, but I think I need to understand this part first.
Just bought a 64 Galaxie with a 428 FE this summer. Your videos on points & Holley carb’s have been great. I share them at car shows to other wannabe gear heads like me.
I'd rather change points than sit inside and watch the TV or something like that. Not that I own a TV, but I do like being in the shop. That kind of stuff is just kinda fun!
Big smile when you mentioned using a matchbook cover. The first time I helped set points on a car, I was just a kid helping a guy with an early fifties Hudson. And yep, he pulled out a match book to set them. Those days are over. Hardily anyone smokes and bars don't give out match books anymore.
thanks for doing this video for the young guns! cars were running 8's back in the day with points!
Love how you started off in grandpa's chair
My TAFE teacher used to tell us that feeler gauges - like a torque wrench - only give us an approximation. Measuring bolt clamping force.bolt stretch and dwell gets us closer to what we're actually trying to set.
thank you uncle Tony.this is the first time in my life watching this and am a tech.never attended the contact point era .....old school is amazing .
I love how you don't edit out that last 2-4 seconds after Tony says I'll see you tomorrow.
His facial expression is priceless
I've tuned tons of points cars using the dwell meter. I was always taught that the feeler gap was just as a starting reference so you can get the engine to run for a proper dwell check. And why is that important? It's because the dwell determines how long the coil charges- the longer the charge time, the hotter the spark. A properly balanced dwell will minimize plug fouling and improves cold start, and that all adds up to improved fuel economy and maximum power.
But I've only been working on these cars for 40 years, so what do I know anyway...
Now if only ya had a Big block sitting around, it might have made it easier. I'd always set the gap with the feeler gage and left it at that. I've never seen the dwell done like that, love it! Now I just need to find some old muscle car!
Thank You Why didn't I know this!!! for 50 years (Starting with my 65 Dart 170 (Model) with a 170 slant I been gapping points then putting the distributor cap on starting engine and checking dwell... stop remove distributor cap, re-gap repeat process, etc. BUT no more Uncle Tony to the rescue
Had 2 Pertronix electronic ignitions go out and so went back to points and condenser on my ‘73 TR6. Now running a lot better, but had set the points with a feeler gauge. Want to do better with the dwell meter so it will run even better. Thanks for the demonstration Tony!
I bought a dwell meter many years ago and used it to check the point gap a few times before realising that it's far quicker to just use a feeler gauge,. I set the gap to whatever is specified in the handbook and it saves all that faffing around.
My Lincoln came with electronic ignition. Works brilliantly. I was warned that the box could go out at any time so I had a spare from AutoZone in the trunk. One morning, it didn’t start. Immediately, I plugged in the new box and sure enough that was the problem. Made it on time to work.
45 years of flawless service and it took 5 minutes to swap.
I’ll take that on such a car any day. I wouldn’t have somebody throwing tools or leaning on my Lincoln every couple of thousand miles and worry that every time the points are swapped it’s going to run differently.
I set the vacuum advance, base advance, full advance and curve when I first got the car. In seven years, I haven’t had to adjust a single thing. The car, even when cold, starts faster than I can release the key.
Engineering.
Thank you for using the dwell, I have one from my Grandpa and I didn't really know what it was used for. Thanks Tony.
Old school...remember the dwell effects the timing but the timing doesn't effect the dwell. Cheers!
Explain. If changing the dwell changes the point gap and thus the timing, why doesn't it work in reverse?
@@rcnelson The dwell effects the timing by a small amount because the points opened a little sooner or later based on their gap "dwell". Moving the timing doesn't effect the points gap "dwell". Thanks Uncle Tony for old school lesson.
I also have some of those old craftsman ignition wrenches tony. also used the dwell meter religiously when doing tuneup's on my pontiacs and it worked well! thanks for the video!
Does Pontiac have the same window and hex key adjuster while it's running, I guess so, it's GM?
@@THRASHMETALFUNRIFFS yes it does! when I saw tony adjusting while it was off, I was confused.
@@kurtzimmerman1637 Aha, right! So you just hook to the coil and ground and fire it up and adjust the nut in real time through the window, EZPZ!
@@THRASHMETALFUNRIFFS it worked quite well using that strategy. never had problems using that method.
I've had a full set of them wrenches sine I got my first set of tools when I was 12, I never knew that they were call ignition wrenches. So then I have been using them for the wrong things almost 40 years.😲🤣🤣🤣
Another great vid. Pro tip for Uncle Cathy.....refer to AvE videos on how to coerce the camera into focusing.👍
"Focus you Faaaaack!"
This is an analog vid.
Thanks for the video Uncle Tony. I acquired my father's big block 1967 cougar after he passed April of 2021, it's sat for about 10 years and at this point I just want to get it running and driveable so I can hang his ashes from the rear view and cruise with the old man. The car has more sentimental worth to me than monetary...even taking into consideration that there's only about 2,000 of these cars left. My father taught me auto repair on this cougar and the FE 390 big block he and I swapped out of a 1970 LTD almost 40 years ago.
Agree totally with setting points up with dwell, versus feeler gauges.
After realising that setting point gap with feeler gauges does not take into consideration any wear on the original cam lobe profile (our cars are around 50 years old, so there is obviously wear there), I decided to set them using dwell, and my cars have never run better since. The difference was amazing.
Who used to work as a tow truck driver at a service station. He had a fairly good towing business and he also did tune-ups and repairs on automobiles. Every time he had a Chrysler product in there to do a tune-up he would have me do the tune-up. I had done so many of them on Chrysler products I could tell by looking at the point where they were 17018 thousands of 19,000. And that's with ended well range, and usually you would use the differential on a set of points that somebody just needed to have cleaned up real quick so that they could still use them for a while so you would run some 500 grit sandpaper on it and reset it to about 17, will you put a new set. And run at about 19,000 you get a little bit more dwell time a little bit hotter spark. The pain in the ass came when you had to face a distributor because it was so jumpy when you check the timing you couldn't get any kind of decent fuel mileage out of it. So you grab the distributor with the hole in the side of it so you can adjust the phasing until the jumpy timing tightens up and that's where you leave it.
Teflon lubricant was a godsend for the rubbing block because it will not wear once you load the cam with Teflon Lube period or spray some wet Teflon Lube on that felt pad it rubs on the cam.
You are correct on those Accel points however. I once did a tuneup on a 1965 Chrysler Imperial with Accel points and wires and a carburetor rebuild. I did the upgrade to the car at 177000 miles. I talked that same lady oh, several years later, because I was traveling around in the Air Force. I asked her how her car was doing. She said it still starts and runs before she can take her hand off the key. I asked her how many miles it had on it she said 350,000 miles no. She had done nothing to the car as far as the ignition and the carburetor for 173,000 miles.
Never thought of using Dwell Meter BEFORE ignition points where set and gaped. THANKS for your video it opened my eyes....
Tony - Long time subscriber. Your videos are gold and we are so thankful you're taking the time to share your knowledge. Keep up the good work! I grew up on Chevy motors (327, points, Quadrajet, 4-speed Muncie) and that's what I learned on from dad. Have had my mopar since 2010 (68 satellite). I carry a spare chrysler ECU in the trunk as they sometimes fail due to heat. Yes, the electronic ignition lasts longer, but it doesn't last indefintely. I remember big smiles for miles the day I swapped in a new set of points once a year and set the dwell. The motor runs so crisp when the points are fresh. One day I swapped in an early Pertronix under cap electronic ignition. It never ran as crisp as the points. My mopar already had the ECU conversion when I got it, so it's staying, but I for one like points just as well as electronic ignition for a daily driver. People just need to be in the habit of routine annual or semi-annual preventive maintenance regardless of what setup they have.
I always checked the points contacts to make sure they lined up perfectly when closed. Sometimes a little gentle bending is needed to get really good alignment. If not aligned they burn out a lot faster!
The rubbing block doesn't allow that anymore...
@@kramnull8962 Standard/ Blue Streak still make them the old way.
Another quality lesson from Uncle Tony! It might be good for the super-noobs watching this to explain exactly what dwell is though
The period of time when the contact points are closed, thus allowing for the coil to build it's electromagnetic charge that will be collapsed and send the built up discharged high volt spark out to the cap and down the line to the appropriate cylinder when the points are opened.
@@THRASHMETALFUNRIFFS I always thought dwell was was when the contacts were open and when they are closed it is coil saturation. I guess they are the same thing when closed.
@@davidleonard8369 Yes, the coil is "saturating" during the time the points are closed, which is in fact the dwell time or "wait" time. THe points only bump open for a split second!
@@davidleonard8369 I guess the "open" time would be called something like: The Moment of Ultimate Discharge?
@@THRASHMETALFUNRIFFS don't know about that. But when they just break contact is certainly when the coil discharges. Great for setting static ignition timing.
One little trick or step Uncle Tony missed and that is drag a strip of “bond” paper or a clean pocket flap of a cotton shit between the contacts to remove any oil or other smutzs that are on them and more times than not there always is and the light coating of oil is intentionally to keep them from corroding in the box. Myself I dip a one strip of bond paper in (cotton paper) in ether or acetone (and not the stuff people use to remove fingernail polish but the unadulterated stuff) and drag them through the contacts and then a clean dry piece. That said I use a screw starter when installing new points because I have paws not hands and when I remove the screw I have a magnet ready and waiting after all the idea is to work smarter not harder and use a bumper-button to crank the engine when setting the dwell. Lastly don’t forget to put a drop or two of oil on the felt pad in the distributor shaft and on the distributor weights and I do mean only a drop or maybe two no more. Have a nice day and a better tomorrow.
Sure wish some rich auto enthusiasts would fire up some old manufacturing plants in the USA again and make some decent parts for old cars. Suppose it doesn’t fit the the planned obsolescence agenda though.
I've owned a sears dwell meter for 20 years now I know how to use it! Thanks Uncle Tony your the best!
Of course I know how to do that I made your dwell meter at Actron. 😃👌
This channel is a gem 💎
In jr HS I had an agriculture class, and one of the requirements for a passing grade was we all had to set the points gap on an old distributor, this was 1983!
I passed the class , however still to this day prefer HEI, BABABY!!
I learn something new every time I watch your channel. Much appreciated Tony 🕺
Good stuff as always. I've also seen using a dial gauge to gap the points.
I remember the old points used to come with that little capsule of Grease and they had this little piece of fiber material that went on the rubbing block and you were supposed to put the grease behind that so every time they snap shut it would give a little bit of lubricant
Where were you 50 years ago? Like I said before. I spent countless hours starting my brother's Satellite. (I was the key guy) Setting the dwell was hit or miss with that style of points. That's why I preferred GM's spring loaded version that allowed you to adjust it while it was running.
BTW- I have dropped the screw before. Not on a car but in a boat with a Volvo-Penta. In the middle of the river. Talk about an oh-**** moment.
That's what I like about this business or hobby. If you keep an open mind, you can always learn something new. i didn't realize you could spin the engine over like that to set points. I have always reassembled the distributor together to run the engine. And Ford's were always a pain to get right.
The big problem with points/condenser is sourcing good quality replacements.
Unfortunately points are far from the only parts with dicey quality control.
Thanks for posting! I have not done this since the 70s. Great refresher. Appreciate your time.
Loved it!! Didn’t know the meter trick. I drove a 67 bug for a while, loved it!! I kept a extra distributor under the hood with set points. I just swapped distributors, static timed with a light, good to go 😅
That was awesome. I was wondering if you gonna lube the cam lobe on the dist. for the points block to roll on. but you remembered. Thanks for the tutorial on the dwell meter. Been to long since i used one. And of course , since i work on jet aircraft i will never use one on there.
When I was "on the bench" during the '70s & '80s, I used this method, but while the plugs were out (to make it easier to turn the engine over by hand to set the timing "in direction of rotation" to take up any slack in the ignition system mechanical components when running
Thanks for showing us the ways. A lot of us are new to older cars and don't have anyone to show us these things.
That’s a couple great tips, thanks. I’m a (dual) points kinda guy myself, and the argument that an electronic ignition is mandatory for reliability just makes me bristle.
Nice job uncle T. I seem to remember soda can pull tabs being about .017 also😁. The good old days. I remember the first time I set mine on my super we. I still had the feeler gauge in and my Pop turned on the ignition. Quite a jolt😁
Superbee
wow I didn't think anybody still had a meter left but me. good man God bless my friend
I just saw that dwell meter Uncle Tony is using, my dad had one just like that back in the day.
That does it! I'm getting ride of all those extra wires and going back to points. It'll give me something to tinker with and use my old dwell meter and push button starter.
Thanks for a trip down memory lane. I used to tweek my 72 350 olds cutlass every few months but I set the timing as well. which I had to change temporarily being assigned to lowery AFB in Denver co. (5000 ft above sea level). Unfortunately, I am not a motorhead and prefer E tonics for the lack of maintenence. I subsribed. great video.
My first car was a 71 Demon, I kept a set of points and a ballast resistor in the glove box, I used the matchbook until I got home to use a feeler gauge to fine tune it
As I set in new points & condensers the first thing I do is check the side by side movement of the distributor shaft..(this will tell you a lot) second item I check is the contacts in the distributor cap, where the wear is leading or following per contack, the third thing I check is the dwell on the old points, plus the point contacks, since a good tune up consist of changing the plugs, it's saves on the battery if the plugs are removed first (No compression) period to installing the new points I apply a dab of high melting grease to the cam lobes (match stick head is all that is needed) while you there you can see if you can aquire a less tension springs for the vacum advance plate..this will increase you mileage up wards to 15% but it will lowered you acceleration by a small margin.takeing your engine starter ade, as you turn it over and when you take your engin Anilizer to setting the dwell you'll have to check it several times because the securing screw (when tighten) will also change the dwell as its tighten.. if you dwell is suppose to be 31° to 34° go for the higher medium of 34 ° as the nylon rubing heal on the points start to set from wear the dwell will change.. a small degree..this in return will after a couple of years will decrease your mpg by 2 to 3 miles per gal. On older cars and trucks I always install a vacuumed gage as driving down the road I can see the dial at a glance, to see the HG reading is at.. best milage obtain is at 19 to 21 HG of vacume on straight 6 cyl about 19 mpg.
Just got a dwell meter. This is a good place to start! Thanks for the info.
For the little screws. I take a piece of 14 ga. Wire and wrap about 5 or 6 times around the screwdriver and touch the wire end to battery posts for a second or 2. Magnetize it a bit.
"So we've already established that I am a porn star" ......... this is what I heard when I clicked this video, I had to rewind that!
Lol everybody had a former life i guess.
@@spacecat7247 Unfortunately, for some of us it was too short.
He's a "Poin Star"
We had a new (still have)1976 Corolla. After some break in miles, I took it out and at 80mph it started missing. I looked in my books and found that points set too wide could cause that. Adjusted them and it ran perfect at 80. I still have some ignition wrenches that belonged to my grandfather. And a Dial-A-Gap tool for GM.
I never thought of cranking it with the cap off. I prefer to set my points with a dwell meter too, but I've been starting it, checking the dwell, stopping it and adjusting. I'll be doing this from now on for sure!
Just make sure to disconnect the primary side of the dist. though....OR you may have a shocking experience.
I used the same method as you. I didn't trust the cranking method as I believe the lower rpm would not accurately reflect the dwell of a running engine.
Is it normal to get a different dwell reading when the engine is running compared to your method of setting the points? Seems to me that they should be the same, but mine is not. I set my points to the recommended 31 degrees using your method, which is very close to the .017" the points are supposed to be set at. But when I measure the dwell with the engine running, it's 21 degrees. 🤷♂️ 53 Packard, 327 straight 8, 6 volt positive ground.
Thanks dude fantastic video. I just spent days figuring this out and you explained it perfectly in 5 minutes.
I've always used the feeler gauge and always wanted to see the dwell in action. thank you sir.
great tutorial. I think it'll be a big help when I get the chance to use a meter on my 55 pontiac 287. I put new points and condenser in it the other day. I think I got it close, but not quite spot on. it runs, but has a slight sputter in r.p.m. range in second gear under medium throttle and at hwy speed when I floor it for passing gear . other than that, he cruises nicely, for a nearly 70 yr. old car.
A correct condenser (capacitor) will not cause metal transfer on the points. I had one I used for years because of this. Points lasted much longer this way. Great Video Tony!
I bought in. I stuck with the dual point ignition in my 1976 Moto Guzzi civvy version of the police bike they sold at that time. I am doing a mild restoration and i included an ignition amplifier in one of the online parts orders i submitted. It uses one set of points for each cylinder. It is a good system that always had the engine running after about one revolution of the engine by the starter which is how any well tuned Moto Guzzi runs.
Way back when, I always tossed old points and condenser back in the tool box. Around that time a friend's car
Hey Tony, I would like to give you a bit of feedback about your videos. First, I enjoy watching them, however, please try to never assume that your audience is fully knowledgable about the things that you were doing.
For example, in this video, you talk about the points block and the rubbing board, but you quickly brought the points past the camera and put them on the bench without showing an example.
Take your time to let the camera focus on these parts that you were replacing, and perhaps some better lighting, would also improve your videos.
Thank you for taking the time to do these videos, and hopefully they progress better each and every time you do them.
Points had their place but I'm sticking with HEI. Don't forget the magnetic screwdriver. If you've never dropped a screw in the distributor you haven't set points my friend. Pull it get the screw out and grab the match book (if you can still find one) and put her back in. Set it and go get it.
As I recall, Ford had a small allen screw on the side of the distributor that you could actually gets the points close and then start the car and adjust the dwell (point gap) by using the allen screw. Oh and I still have my dwell meter and all my Craftsman ignition wrenches from my dad - and I am 72 years old
That is GM, not Ford.
First video I have watched after I’m back to TH-cam. Been on a Netflix trip. Love the new shop. Love the great videos. Thank you to uncle Kathy too. Great close ups.
You are correct; it is not the Manhattan project. But with any version of electronic ignition you don’t need to do this at all. Yes, you will need to replace parts on all systems, but the frequency is different.
What happens when Echlin gets bought out and the only points left are chinesium short timers just like the condensers already are? The HEI is still common enough to source quality American parts for it from most parts stores these days.
Wow, what a fantastic video.. you're my kinda instructor..clear, straight to the point(pun indended)
That’s a great video and information. Good job. And thank you for the information I haven’t done a set i many years. So this is a great refresher.
Good to see how it's supposed to be done
CUDA519 Yeah, you just crank it till is gets to 30 and call it done, when it was clearly still climbing past 30. Tony wanted to show how easy it is, but it seems pretty obvious that he couldn't "easily" get it dialed in.
ROLL UP YOUR CIGARETTE!!! LOL GREAT CAMERA WORK ULTRA KATHY!!👍👍
WOW, that looked so difficult to change them points.😉😉😂😂😂
Some people just don't care to take the time to tinker on their vehicles. I've had people think they needed a complete tune up (plugs, rotor button, cap, etc.) and all it needed was the points to be cleaned & adjusted or just a fresh set. 5 minutes and they were back on the road for a few dollars, well they're about $10 now.
Your a friggin genius. I had no idea how to do this on my FJ40. Appreciate the awesome videos !
Nice, thank you. Have used my dwell meter many times on a Chevy, but on Mopars I used brass (nonmagnetic, don't add drag) feeler guages. Gonna start doing it this way.
THANK YOU so much for making a video using a Dwell Indicator .... Thanx
Napa Echlin points are...okay.....sort of. You want some kickass points that last damn near forever? Get your hands on Accel point sets. I swear by them. Been running them in my 69 F100 for the past 20 years. I've NEVER had to adjust them (checked often, always on 30*) and only been through 2 sets......in 20 years. Only reason i changed the one set is I had changed engines and figured, why not? probably could have ran the 1st set longer. Truck was my daily for at least the 1st 10 years, family got bigger so it became the 'hauler' or backup rig. I can go out side right now, hit the key and it will fire off on 1-3 cranks. Accel points are extremely impressive.
Always tried for borg warner points dont know now if can get them.
@@bdi11000 hard to say if they'd be as good as they might have been before, as everything has shifted overseas. Quality isn't what it once was. I can certainly vouch for the Accel points, IF you can get your hand on some.
I'd gamble on an echlin condenser , it's gotta be better then the box store.
They already show that the points set is better quality.