[AMC-list] What I learned today (points ignition)

[Joe Fulton <piper_pa20@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I've never worked with points ignition very much.  I was able to get the 65 
Rambler running with points but the points burned quickly costing me a new 
muffler due to a backfire.
I installed a Pertronix ignitor in that car.

So today I tried to solve the no-spark problem on my 62 Classic.  This has an 
old style Delco distributor with the cast iron (or steel) housing.   I had 
managed to get an intermittent
weak orange spark out of the coil wire a few days ago but I couldn't get 
anything today.  I did some reading on the internet, used my multimeter to take 
some readings and changed
the points and condenser.   Still no joy.  I was not able to get a good 
difference in resistance reading across the points between open and closed.  I 
called my brother (retired airline 

mechanic and all around good wrench) and he said make sure the distributor is 
grounded well, describing a couple of different systems he had worked on.   The 
1962 TSM discussed the
Autolite distributor but ignores the Delco, so no special tips were forthcoming 
there.   


After fiddling with it for a long while I pulled the distributor and cleaned up 
the base plate and the boss on the block with lacquer thinner.   Tested that the 
position of the points made a difference
in resistance between open and closed while on the bench and set the point gap 
very carefully.  I reinstalled it and got a consistent rather weak orange 
spark.  


Next I went to the internet and checked the Mallory ignition site which was the 
first one that popped up on Google.   The tip there was the make sure the 
condenser case is well grounded to
the distributor.  The site said that the retainer sleeve has little nubs to 
puncture the antirust coating on the condenser shell.  HMMMMM.  So I removed the 
condenser and the sleeve and very lightly ground 

external and internal surfaces (condenser shell and sleeve respectively) with 
Mr. Dremel and reinstalled it.   


Fat blue spark.   Installed the new cap and rotor and got to hear that powerful 
195.6 roar to life for the first time since I've owned it.   No knocks or 
unusual noises.  I'll warm it up again tomorrow 

and do a compression test.  I don't think the engine has ever been rebuilt and 
it has 118,000 miles so I'm not really holding much hope for long term service 
from that engine.  Still it sounds good.

Next step, rebuild the carburetor.  Then the brakes.  

Joe Fulton
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