How to set points??

[cruzman8]

How do you set points without a dwell meter???

[walker]

Use a feeler guage. Bring the cam follower to the top of a lobe, insert guage and adjust as needed with the front screw. The other method is to run the engine, adjust the points to open more until the engine begins to sputter, then adjust back in 1/2 turn or so.

[cruzman8]

Thanks walker,would you know what the gap would be???

[JimKshortstep4x4]

On the (8) cylinder engines, I use a 1/8" allen wrench and adjust
the points with the engine running. I turn the allen wrench clockwise until the engine stumbles and then counter clockwise 1/2 turn. The allen wrench is inserted through the window of the distributor into the allen adjustment screw on the points.

If there is no window on the distributor, then I would use a feeler gauge .016 thick to adjust the points with the block on one of the lobes. (8 cyl. .016, 6 cyl. .019).

Jim

[john]

.016 will get you in the ballpark. Also if you do it running I think you turn the screw in until it misfires and back out 1/2 turn

[cruzman8]

Thanks guys

[Huck]

SECRETS OF AN OLD MECHANIC----WHEN IT DOUBT---
SET THE PLUG GAP EQUAL TO THE THICKNESS OF A MATCH FROM A BOOK OF MATCHES----
AND SET THE POINTS TO THE THICKNESS OF THE MATCH BOOK COVER!!

[Blue Beard]

Have to agree with Huck on initial setting....

Once running, I set a glass of water on the air breather and set the points and timing until I get a smooth glass with little or no ripples.....works for me, even though I have the right equipment.

[Randy70C-10]

I was going to recommend the matchbook cover also. It always worked for me. People still run points? The "B" mechanic at my shop didn't know how to adjust points until I told him. He had never even seen them before.

[ChevLoRay]

Yeah, wasn't it nice when GM put the little window in the distributor cap?? Sure beat having to take the cap off, make an adjustment, put the cap back on, read the results, take the cap off, yada, yada, yada.

I've got an early SB distributor without the window...distributor cap even says, "Patent Pending"....and, it has the oil filler tube to lube it.

I always set mine (with a dwell meter) to about 29 degrees...knowing that the wear block will gradually open up the gap. Make sure you put the distributor cam lube on the lobes of the distributor to slow down the wear on the contact block.

Otherwise, setting the points to a "tight" .016 gap is good. Is there a reason why you don't want an HEI? If so, you might give some consideration to Pertronix. They have a product that will let you have the benefits of electronic ignition, but maintain a stock look...if that is what you want.

As for me, long live the HEI! Crawling into the engine compartment of a hot truck to change/set the points, never did set well with me.

[cruzman8]

Is it complicated to switch over to HEI??

[walker]

About less complicated than setting up a points distributor. You bring the engine up on the #1 cylinder TDC, pull the old, stab in the new. Put your tach wire on the "TACH" terminal, 12V hot wire on the "BATT" terminal. Then, pay attention here as this is a crucial step, fire it up! need to reset the timing with a light, and also change the plug wires too, oh and reset the plug gap. Thats about it.

[roadking]

go with HEI, im a F.B.N. mechanic an even i was able to install hei.

[Goat Farmer]

I heard that you can pull an HEI at the junkyard and install it for very little $ - Is this true and if so, any recommendations on what to pull it from? How to recognize it?

Thanks,

BB

[trukman1]

Goat Farmer, All the HEI units are pretty much the same for small blocks and big blocks. The inlines are different. I know guys that race that just get the cleanest unit they can find and rebuild it and go. If you get one from the scrapyard you should be fine, just make sure the inside is clean. BTW, the guys I know (myself included) have found the factory module is better than the aftermarket so called hi-performance units so just leave it in and by a cheap spare at the parts house. It takes a 5.5mm socket to install but rarely will ever go bad. If you don't know what I'm referring to, it's the unit that sits where the points used to in the old distributors. No need to complicate by going into more, just suffice to say you never need to deal with points again...period!

[Goat Farmer]

Originally posted by trukman1
Goat Farmer, All the HEI units are pretty much the same for small blocks and big blocks. The inlines are different. I know guys that race that just get the cleanest unit they can find and rebuild it and go. If you get one from the scrapyard you should be fine, just make sure the inside is clean. BTW, the guys I know (myself included) have found the factory module is better than the aftermarket so called hi-performance units so just leave it in and by a cheap spare at the parts house. It takes a 5.5mm socket to install but rarely will ever go bad. If you don't know what I'm referring to, it's the unit that sits where the points used to in the old distributors. No need to complicate by going into more, just suffice to say you never need to deal with points again...period!

Thanks for the advice. With gas at 2.20 here, any improvement in mileage would be appreciated. Should pay for itself in record time

So, any year then should work? Then I have to reset the timing?

Thanks again

Again, sorry for hijacking the thread.