How to set breaker points?

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DemonDave

DemonDave

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Could someone with intimate knowledge of setting points on a (360) small block (in my 1972 Demon without electronic ignition) please provide me with a really basic step-by-step set of instructions starting at installing the distributor and ending with loud vroom-vroom sounds?

Feel free to talk to me like a two year old... that's about how I feel after 2 days in the driveway making the car run worse and worse with every adjustment.

I want to start from zero again but can't find any "Points Setting for Dummies" books at my local bookstore...

Help!
 
As far as installing the distributor you need to be at TDC on the #1 cylinder. You can pull the plug on #1 and bump or rotate the engine until #1 cylinder is all the way up in the cylinder and your timing marks on the balancer are at TDC then, drop in the distributor so the rotor is pointing towards the drivers side cylinder head. It will only go in two ways......at TDC or 180* out. If it's 180* out the rotor should be pointing to the #6 on the distributor cap.(it would put the rotor pointing towards the back passenger side of the engine.) just read an article I will post at the bottom. It sounds fairly simple. Rotate the crank until your at TDC on the timing and gap the points to the spec.

Just remember that you can be on #1 or #6 with the timing marks lined up at TDC that's why you have to check it. I would just line up the marks and feel inside the spark plug hole with a short piece of wire or something. You can almost see it if your at the right angle. If you don't feel the piston then rotate the crank one full turn and look for it again.

http://www.allpar.com/fix/points.html


hope this helps.
 
I would also invest in an inexpensive dwell meter to verify proper feeler gauge setting on the points.
 
ramcharger said:
First a question. Got a dwell meter?
Click to expand...

I'm going to say 'no' since I don't know what that is... this is my first Mopar without Electronic Ignition so I'm in a little over my head at the moment.

Thanks for the link 63dartman!

History: I initially set the points using a Richard Ehrenberg write-up in an old Mopar Action mag. The car fired right up and was able to do the break-in with no issues. I was able to drive the car a few of days after that and it ran great but last Sunday morning it started detonating bad, even at light throttle applications so I brought it home and retarded the timing. In order to get rid of the pinging, I had to retard the distributor so much that the car refused to idle anymore forcing me to raise the idle rpm on the carb. This caused a massive rpm drop when shifting into drive or reverse and the car just stalled when asked to move by my right foot. I have no idea what changed between a nice evening cruise Saturday night and the next morning when it wouldn't move without detonating. I've been screwing with it for 2 days now and I can't seem to find the 'magic' combination of timing and carb to make it run normally again. Anyone have any ideas what might have happened while the car was parked overnight in my garage by itself???
 
Where are you at? I'm coming to Ottawa from Perth on saturday. I'll be going to the west end to drop off some things at my parents house. Setting up a distributor and points brings back a lot of memories as I spent 20 years working in a chrysler dealership in ottawa. All my stuff is big block now but I can't even try to remember how many 340's and 360's I've had or worked on. maybe we can meet up.

kenny b
 
Step one: remove distributor

Step two: install electronic distributor.

Step three: set pick up coil gap once and forget it.

The car will start and run much better with the electronic ignition. I'm not trying to be a wise guy. In the end, you will be much happier and less frustrated.
 
kenny b said:
Where are you at? I'm coming to Ottawa from Perth on saturday. I'll be going to the west end to drop off some things at my parents house. Setting up a distributor and points brings back a lot of memories as I spent 20 years working in a chrysler dealership in ottawa. All my stuff is big block now but I can't even try to remember how many 340's and 360's I've had or worked on. maybe we can meet up.

kenny b
Click to expand...

I'm in the west end, Merivale and Meadowlands. By Saturday afternoon, I may have the front of the engine apart though... I have a suspicion that I may have jumped a tooth on the timing chain and want to make 100% sure the engine got a new chain and gearset during the rebuild.

69swinger340391 said:
Step one: remove distributor

Step two: install electronic distributor.

Step three: set pick up coil gap once and forget it.

The car will start and run much better with the electronic ignition. I'm not trying to be a wise guy. In the end, you will be much happier and less frustrated.
Click to expand...

Ah the perfect repair! And I'd do it in a heartbeat if I had the funds to buy a conversion kit from Mopar. ;)
 
Sounds to me like you did not use the little capsule of grease for the rubbing block on the points. Get a new set of points, replace the old ones, set to .014-.016 clearance and grease the point cam lobes with the capsule of grease that comes with the points. If you put the new points in dry the rubbing block will wear out in no time flat and you will have issues like you are describing. 360s like 3-5 degrees if initial timing. If there is no capsule with the new points white lithium works just as well. Don't get in a lather about a dwell meter. Chrysler points are not adjustable with the engine running, they are gap and go. Hope this helps.
 
I'll have to take a closer look at the points as they came installed in the rebuilt distributor so I never thought to grease them. Thanks. :)
 
OK, points did have grease on them and the timing chain is a new double true roller as I'd been told. I had the distributor out tonight and it appears perfect, points aren't burnt and the gap is at 0.013" which is a little tight but still within tolerance.

So, I've eliminated the timing chain and distributor leaving only the carb (which is new) left... one of my friends asked if it could just be a case of bad gas and up until now I'd just blown off the idea. As of now, it might be the case. I did put gas in the car the night before it crapped out and only drove a few miles after the fill-up before parking it for the night... at the price of gas these days, the stuff better not be 'bad'!!!
 
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