new points
Drifting
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,909
Likes: 6
From: Lake Arrowhead - Georgia > 72 Base Coupe & 74 BB Roadster
Originally Posted by Sprzout
Check the points gap; ours was too far open and the thing wouldn't fire.
Correct....bump the engine til the dist cam is on a lobe....be sure the points are open....bump again ...be sure they close - off the lobe. Put the cap on...start the car and adjust to about 30 degrees using a dwell meter and an allen wrench....through the little "door" on the cap.
Then set the timing....then adjust carb if needed.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,167
Likes: 2
From: Ft.Worth Texas
Originally Posted by fotyfobravo
Correct....bump the engine til the dist cam is on a lobe....be sure the points are open....bump again ...be sure they close - off the lobe. Put the cap on...start the car and adjust to about 30 degrees using a dwell meter and an allen wrench....through the little "door" on the cap.
Then set the timing....then adjust carb if needed.
Last edited by David Ey; Nov 11, 2005 at 06:28 PM.
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 4,652
Likes: 80
From: Lakeland Florida
If the points gap and dwell adjustment does not fix your problem I would start looking at the plug order on your distributor cap. You said you replaced the points, condensor, rotor AND DIST.CAP.
There is the possibility that you got some wires crossed, or are out by 1 position. You need to try to retrace all the wires and look at the cap wiring order. If the order of the plugs are not 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2 then you may have found your problem. If they are in that order, then you may have moved the wire position by 1 post. Try moving them all in the same direction 1 unit CCW. If that does not work, move them -1 unit from the original place you started at.
kdf
There is the possibility that you got some wires crossed, or are out by 1 position. You need to try to retrace all the wires and look at the cap wiring order. If the order of the plugs are not 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2 then you may have found your problem. If they are in that order, then you may have moved the wire position by 1 post. Try moving them all in the same direction 1 unit CCW. If that does not work, move them -1 unit from the original place you started at.
kdf
Drifting
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,909
Likes: 6
From: Lake Arrowhead - Georgia > 72 Base Coupe & 74 BB Roadster
One more suggestion.....I do points pretty well....but check out a PERTRONIX Ignitor II. I put one in my 72 coupe.
Works great....no visible sign it's not stock !
Works great....no visible sign it's not stock !
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 4,652
Likes: 80
From: Lakeland Florida
71redskin,
OK, so if you put the old points back in and it started up you can eliminate the crossed wires, rotor and possibly condensor.
Then it makes sense that the gap for the points may be off so much that it will not start. Do the manual point gap method to get it close, then hook up your dwell meter for a gap setting of 30 and it should be fine.
Glad you found out that it worked with the old points in, and that it is not something major.
kdf
OK, so if you put the old points back in and it started up you can eliminate the crossed wires, rotor and possibly condensor.
Then it makes sense that the gap for the points may be off so much that it will not start. Do the manual point gap method to get it close, then hook up your dwell meter for a gap setting of 30 and it should be fine.
Glad you found out that it worked with the old points in, and that it is not something major.
kdf
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
