Are points so bad?

[Turboomni]

I remember as a kid that I bought and assembled a Heathkit Capacitive Discharge ignition kit. Anyone remember those??

 

[Zymurgy]

I heads up the current condensers available are junk. I put 2 new ones in my 66 last spring, both failed. I put the old one back in, at least 35 years old. No problems since and about 2,000 miles

 

[70bigblockdodge]

Why anyone hasn't mentioned a Pertronix is beyond me? As easy to install as it is to change a set of points. Plus, you'll never have to dick with them again.

Carry a spare, waiting in a hotel room with a broken car hundreds of miles from home waiting for Buster Brown to show up with your replacement parts sucks.

 

[commando1]

Carry a spare, waiting in a hotel room with a broken car hundreds of miles from home waiting for Buster Brown to show up with your replacement parts sucks.

I can only guess what the storage compartments on your truck look like...

 

[70bigblockdodge]

Mostly lights, wiring stuff, extra belts/hoses, and all important zip ties, lots of zip ties. My truck is not full of one off parts from a catalog, you just have to know where it came from and the last 6 VIN digits of the truck it came off of

 

[bluefury361]

I still run points in all my old Mopars. I just completed a 2200 mile trip, pulling a 3200 LB camper, with my 318 69 Fury wagon. No issues.

I like to remove the distributor when changing the points, (which isn't very often). It's much easier to clean up and get an accurate setting that way. Condensers will vary in capacity. If your old point set is worn evenly, (no metal build up or heavy pitting), then leave that condenser in place, it's matched to your ignition system. I've never had a condenser fail.

 

[tallhair]

I like to remove the distributor when changing the points, (which isn't very often). It's much easier to clean up and get an accurate setting that way.

When I did run points that the way I did it also even though they were big blocks

 

[Big_John]

One other thing about points... If your charging system is dying, they will still get you home. Once everything gets below 10 volts with the ECU, it starts getting a little questionable if you are going to be able to stay running

 

[commando1]

When I did run points that the way I did it also even though they were big blocks

I did that on a small block. Removed the distributor to change the points.
Unfortunately, I somehow allowed the tiny screw that holds the points to fall down into the hole...

 

[Big_John]

I remember as a kid that I bought and assembled a Heathkit Capacitive Discharge ignition kit. Anyone remember those??

I had one!!

My Dad bought it for his 68 300 and assembled it. When he sold the car, he took it off and gave it to me. I had it on a couple different cars.

We had all sorts of Heathkit stuff that he had built. It all gone now (long story).

In the sixties, my brother actually bought a Heathkit console color TV kit and assembled it. I even have an unassembled signal generator that I forgot I had.

 

[commando1]

What? You didn't have a Heathkit Weather Station???

 

[Big_John]

What? You didn't have a Heathkit Weather Station???

Never had one of those!

 

[Turboomni]

Great memories! Where I grew up there was a local Heathkit store. Anyone who put a Heathkit color TV together was cutting edge!

 

[Big_John]

Great memories! Where I grew up there was a local Heathkit store. Anyone who put a Heathkit color TV together was cutting edge!

My brother was a hell of a smart guy. He put himself though night school at RIT while working full time and finished first in class. Then he went to work for Rockwell as an electrical engineer. He was one of those guys that could do anything... mechanical or electrical. Had a couple patents etc. Unfortunately he passed away last October.

 

[Turboomni]

Geeze man I am sorry. sounds like he was a brilliant fellow

 

[tallhair]

I did that on a small block. Removed the distributor to change the points.
Unfortunately, I somehow allowed the tiny screw that holds the points to fall down into the hole...

Me too ... was able to get it quite easily with a magnet on a extending rod ... my favorite tool.

Normally except that time I immediately sick a rag in the dizzy hole until I'm ready to reinstall.

 

[jct]

I did that on a small block. Removed the distributor to change the points.

i've done that too when i had my fury. p.i.t.a. until i got my newport my dad told just just loosen up the hold down clamp and just twist it... wish he told me that 15 years ago *_*

 

[commando1]

You guys made me feel better.

 

[BIGBARNEYCARS]

Mostly lights, wiring stuff, extra belts/hoses, and all important zip ties, lots of zip ties. My truck is not full of one off parts from a catalog, you just have to know where it came from and the last 6 VIN digits of the truck it came off of

You forgot a 1/2" Impact, ah good set of socketz, and enough air hose with ah glad hand on one end to go from your Pogo stick to the back axle on your wagon. I swapped a brake canister one time and a exhaust elbow, both in less then ah 1/2 hour each plus ah few other small jobz in various Kenworth dealershipz scattered around the country and after I bought the partz and got after it. They'd just stand there lookin' at me doin' it in their parkin' lot and shack their headz, lol. Jer

 

[commando1]

You forgot a 1/2" Impact, ah good set of socketz, and enough air hose with ah glad hand on one end to go from your Pogo stick to the back axle on your wagon. I swapped a brake canister one time and a exhaust elbow, both in less then ah 1/2 hour each plus ah few other small jobz in various Kenworth dealershipz scattered around the country and after I bought the partz and got after it. They'd just stand there lookin' at me doin' it in their parkin' lot and shack their headz, lol. Jer

Jerry, my friend, my compadre...
You just made my night, No, my week with that.
Thank you so much.

I'll tell you why, some day...