Just Bad Points?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 248
Likes: 10
From: Schererville IN
Just Bad Points?
1965 327/365 w/ original drivetrain.
Last Sunday the car started slogging and stuttering on accelration. It ran fine the day before. I had no time to get into it until yesterday. I hooked up my dwell meter and dwell was at 35 vs. 30. I adjusted dwell, and checked timing which was right on. Went for a ride and it ran great for a few miles, then after being stopped at a light started stuttering again on acceleration - same symptoms. Took it home and dwell had slipped again to 35. This time I replaced the points and it seems to be running well again, though i didn't have much time to drive it after that.
Is this just points going bad? Or did something else cause them to slip out of adjustment twice? I only had about 300 miles on this set of points.
Thanks
Last Sunday the car started slogging and stuttering on accelration. It ran fine the day before. I had no time to get into it until yesterday. I hooked up my dwell meter and dwell was at 35 vs. 30. I adjusted dwell, and checked timing which was right on. Went for a ride and it ran great for a few miles, then after being stopped at a light started stuttering again on acceleration - same symptoms. Took it home and dwell had slipped again to 35. This time I replaced the points and it seems to be running well again, though i didn't have much time to drive it after that.
Is this just points going bad? Or did something else cause them to slip out of adjustment twice? I only had about 300 miles on this set of points.
Thanks
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 10,344
Likes: 669
From: Beverly Hills (Pine Ridge) Florida
Most of the above can be the fault, but it can also be the dist. shaft bushings have worn, allowing the points cam on the dist. shaft to change position. If the dwell keeps changing, then check for wear of the shaft / bushings. Try moving the shaft laterally in several directions (the bushing will probably wear egg shaped, and the wear may be more apparent in only one direction).
Plasticman
Plasticman
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 17,702
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From: Central Arkansas
Anything is possible but I've had experience with a coouple Chryslerr cars with worn distributor bushings and typically the dwell will constantly fluctuate when watching the dwell meter. Worn GM distributors may act differently at idle but I doubt it. I recently had a FE ford motor broken in on the dyno and it had a similiar problem. Dwell slipped every time it was started. Points had plenty of lube. All we could figure was out was cheap points.
Racer
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 299
Likes: 6
From: Troy New York
I've been running my 327 at 35 for a lifetime... I have never noticed any significant performance differnce as you describe between 30 and 35...
However, my recent similar acceleration problem turned out to be a spark plug wire that slipped loose and burnt thru on the exhaust manifold... it was sporadic but easily recognizable and solved...similar performance on a wire that has "slipped loose" from the plug
However, my recent similar acceleration problem turned out to be a spark plug wire that slipped loose and burnt thru on the exhaust manifold... it was sporadic but easily recognizable and solved...similar performance on a wire that has "slipped loose" from the plug
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Le Mans Master
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From: Granbury Texas
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2003
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From: Greenville, Indiana
In my opinion, the BW points are the only ones which will RELIABLY run to 7000rpm consistently! However, I don't believe NCRS checks points (or lack thereof) SOOooo I can't understand why people would NOT upgrade to Pertronics or some other MODERN and RELIABLE ignition
I don't have to worry about getting excited some day and revving my engine to the moon, or missing a shift and doing same and risk breaking something.
My standard points shut the engine off at about 6100 rpm and that is fine with me. You can rev your stone age 327 to whatever you like and some ricer will still take you down like the Titanic so what's the porint?
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One reason is the one I like. I use standard points that will NOT rev to 7000.
I don't have to worry about getting excited some day and revving my engine to the moon, or missing a shift and doing same and risk breaking something.
My standard points shut the engine off at about 6100 rpm and that is fine with me. You can rev your stone age 327 to whatever you like and some ricer will still take you down like the Titanic so what's the porint?
I don't have to worry about getting excited some day and revving my engine to the moon, or missing a shift and doing same and risk breaking something.
My standard points shut the engine off at about 6100 rpm and that is fine with me. You can rev your stone age 327 to whatever you like and some ricer will still take you down like the Titanic so what's the porint?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 9,556
Likes: 288
From: Granbury Texas
One reason is the one I like. I use standard points that will NOT rev to 7000.
I don't have to worry about getting excited some day and revving my engine to the moon, or missing a shift and doing same and risk breaking something.
My standard points shut the engine off at about 6100 rpm and that is fine with me. You can rev your stone age 327 to whatever you like and some ricer will still take you down like the Titanic so what's the porint?
I don't have to worry about getting excited some day and revving my engine to the moon, or missing a shift and doing same and risk breaking something.
My standard points shut the engine off at about 6100 rpm and that is fine with me. You can rev your stone age 327 to whatever you like and some ricer will still take you down like the Titanic so what's the porint?
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2007
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Army
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 26,118
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From: Greenville, Indiana
That is fine with me if Pertronix has a built in rev limiter but you won't be seeing a Pertronix or any electronic triggered ignition on any of my old cars as long as I own them. Nothing like being miles from nowhere, the engine shuts down and WTF?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 248
Likes: 10
From: Schererville IN
Good info here - thanks. I will re-lube the plate and check continuity of ground wire. My dwell does not fluctuate, it just "jumped" suddenly, so i'm inclined to think it's not a worn distributor bushing, but i'll check that out. Still haven't had time to run the car around after last points change, but hopefully tonite.
Thanks for the input.
Thanks for the input.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 26,118
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From: Greenville, Indiana
I've driven a million miles or so on ignition points. I had one set of points close up one time and the engine quit. I had a warning, just didn't heed it. I knew what to do and how to do it and was back on the road in a flash.
Didn't I read the other day that plug of yours laid down on you some time back and you had to have it flatbedded in because you couldn't get it running?
PS. I've NEVER walked because my points let me down but over the years, I've walked quite a few times when a car with electronically controlled ignition would not run and couldn't be properly diagnosed in the driveway or alongside the road. And so have many others.
Last edited by MikeM; Oct 18, 2011 at 11:32 AM.