Points Problems

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Satellite of Love

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Idaho
1970 225 Slant 6.

I installed brand new points, went to adjust the gap, and I can't get them to open at all. Even when they're as close to the cam as I can get them.
Is it possible the cam is worn out, or am I missing something? The lobes are super shiny, but I don't know if they should be sharper without a "normal" reference.

Is it common for the distrubutor cam to wear out?
 
Satellite of Love said:
1970 225 Slant 6.

I installed brand new points, went to adjust the gap, and I can't get them to open at all. Even when they're as close to the cam as I can get them.
Is it possible the cam is worn out, or am I missing something? The lobes are super shiny, but I don't know if they should be sharper without a "normal" reference.

Is it common for the distrubutor cam to wear out?
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A sharp close up photo would really help. Sounds like the wrong points to me. Like the rubbing block is wrong.
 
It is EXTREMELY RARE for the distributor cam to wear like that. So much so that in all my years of working on cars (since 1974) I've never seen it. Now that doesn't mean it's never happened, but I'd have to see it myself. As Mike mentioned some good closeup pictures wouldn't hurt.
 
Seems more logical that I got the wrong part, or screwed something up than the cam being too worn. What do you guys think?

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Distributor cam looks ok, IMO. Those points don't have much of a rubbing block.
 
RustyRatRod said:
It is EXTREMELY RARE for the distributor cam to wear like that. So much so that in all my years of working on cars (since 1974) I've never seen it. Now that doesn't mean it's never happened, but I'd have to see it myself. As Mike mentioned some good closeup pictures wouldn't hurt.
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I know you're right. That's why I'm here. trying to get this car running
 
Story on this car is I bought it from a thrift store, one of those local "charity" stores that advertises donating your car for a tax write off.
The car was donated, and I bought it.
 
The car is clean and straight (even has original AM radio) but someone has been in there changing parts in an effort to get it running for sale. The points that were in there seem brand new also.
 
Don't discount that they could be correct part, or part number, and just plain DEFECTIVE. In another life, my father's parts store, the warehouse he mostly dealt with got rid of Standard/ Blue Streak for get this---Bendix had merged with something called P&D. I soon learned it was called "Piddle and Diddle" and was some of the worst crap I'd seen.

Back in those days of course, we sold gobs on GM V8 points, and we began to get complaints, and had to pay a toe bill for a local small mech who had installed a set that failed. We ordered a few boxes of 10, and I would open them up, lay them flat, and push down on the arm around the pivot. If they slid down the pivot material, I would put them back in the box and send them back. Dad started ordering some Blue Streak again from another warehouse

As dry as your cam appears, I'd clean it with some solvent, and put a TINY film around with your finger, then lube the points rubbing block on the APPROACH side of the rubbing block. Just a tiny bit on there. Some points do/ used to come with a small capsule of the stuff
 
inertia said:
Did you turn the cam till the rubbing block is on a high point ?
That rubbing block does look short.
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Yes I turned it over several times using a remote starter switch while watching the distributor the whole time. Yes I stopped it on the high point.
Good news is I checked compression on all cylinders, and I'm happy with that. I very well may change to electronic ignition, but kinda want to solve the mystery first.
Will keep you guys posted.
 
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