Jeep prestolite distributor problems

Some random comments:

1...Points are easy. Make certain the points are electrically opening and closing, in other words check them with a dwell meter with a "points resistance" scale, or check them with a multimeter

2...Breaker points systems MUST have a good "condenser." (Capacitor). New does not mean good.

3...Check for obvious wear and slop and out of true with the cam and shaft

4...BE CAREFUL. Those old girls had a special dist. setup for the odd-fire V6. If you look at the points cam, you will see the cam is NOT symmetrical. Every other pair is shorter or longer depending on how you want to look at it. If you have the correct cap---and there were several----the towers are also paired---two closer together and two further apart. YOU CAN NOT rotate the plug wires one hole to get it in time. The thing MUST be installed "as per" to get the pairings correct.

5...Of course don't discount it could be a bad coil. You can check it by rigging it up with clip leads so:

"Rig the coil with clip leads so you have power to coil + and at coil - connect the dist. condenser, and clip the ground side of the condenser to battery ground. "Rig" a coil wire and test gap to battery ground---not the coil case. It is wise tho, to ground the coil case to battery.

Now take another clip lead connected to coil - and tap it onto the battery ground post. Each time should produce a "snap" single spark Of course the condenser must be good, as well