Re: [FWDLK] ignition points on old hemi engines
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Re: [FWDLK] ignition points on old hemi engines



 Ted,

My experience has been completely different. My Dodge has dual points too. I cleaned up and lubricated the distributor when I installed the rebuilt engine 20 years ago. I used an NOS AutoLite dual point set I got at a swap meet (got 4 sets for $1 each, all he had).
The points were set to spec at .017 gap (about a 30 deg dwell individually) and a combined dwell of 38 deg. There are now 16,000 miles on these points and they still work perfect. They have been filed lightly twice and gap checked every 5000 miles. I use a high voltage output coil with a low resistance ballast resistor. At startup, the engine rarely goes more than one revolution before firing.

Chinese metalurgy is always to be considered highly suspect and this is critical to long lasting contacts. They could get pitted quickly from use or just oxidize from sitting. I would suspect anything from any 3rd world foreign country, and maybe even modern US made parts if not manufactured by a well known company. The fact that they fail quickly and the contact even broke off the arm  shouild tell use all we need to know about their quality.  My recommendation is to find some NOS points and condensor, or consider a PerTronix conversion.

Dave Homstad
56 Dodge D500



On Wed, Sep 14, 2011 at 3:27 PM, Mike & Sharon Higgins wrote:

 I'm sure that you know that dual point distributors  are designed to overlap the dwell period to achieve a longer dwell without  setting the points too closely ( decrease the gap, increase the dwell).  If  the dual points are set too closely, the primary (closing) set may allow some  arcing while the secondary (opening) set closes. I have always had better luck  by setting the dwell about 25-28° for each set individually, for a combined  dwell of 35-40°.  The points seem to last a little longer and deliver  plenty of dwell time.
 
I suppose that maybe the condensor is maybe too  small, and allowing too much crossover spark.
 
Good Luck.
 
Mike Higgins
1955 Belvedere Sport Coupe
----- Original Message -----
From: Ted Blackington
To: L-FORWARDLOOK@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Wednesday, September 14, 2011 10:57    AM
Subject: [FWDLK] ignition points on old    hemi engines

Hello  Web-
 
I have two mid-fifties Mopars with hemi engines, a 56 and a 55. If    allowed to rest for several weeks or months the points will not fire, and have    to be carefully filed to obtain spark. The points (dual) are almost new,    having replaced them several times.  The cars go nowhere, just rest in    the carport. I have replaced them several times-
 
My later Chrysler products with single points had no problems-am I    getting a bad batch of points from NAPA or the on line sellers (Chinese    maybe??) My last attempt to file them resulted in the contact completely    breaking free from the arm-
 
Is anyone else having a similar problem? Any solutions??? I'm getting too    old and inflexible to crawl way back there under the hood each time it    happens-
Your help appreciated    !!!!                                                 (Yeeow! got zapped    again!)                 Ted    Blackington                                                      
                                                                                                           

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