Gawd I Hate Points, Won't keep a tune Options

[bbrock]

Quick background. Engine is a rebuilt 2L with Elgin cam and Weber 40IDFs. I bought a Pertronix Ignitor 3 to avoid having to mess with points but I could only get it to work well with a NOS Bosch 050 distributor. It runs rough with a brand new Bosch clone SVDA and the OE dizzy. However, the engine runs best with the OE DVDA distributor so I'm running that with points.

The problem is that I've had to adjust dwell and timing 3 times in only 1,000 miles of driving. Each time the dwell creeps up until the engine starts spitting and farting and is a bit hard to start when warm. Readjusting the dwell and timing gets it running like a top again. So (IMG:style_emoticons/default/WTF.gif) Only thing I can think is that the phenolic block on the points is wearing crazy fast. I lubed the cam and block with high temp slicone grease and I can feel it is still on there. Did I just get a shitty set of points?

[bbrock]

Thanks all. I got to thinking about it, and the points I'm running are what shipped with the SVDA dizzy I bought. This is the same SVDA that Pertronix sells and Aircooled.Net recommends, but like I said, it is a Chinese clone of the old Bosch version that is NLA. The dizzy itself is decent quality but who knows the quality of the points they ship with? I think I'll start by ordering a good set of points.

But to answer your thoughts/questions:

The dizzy is locked down tight and not rotating. The only reason I have to readjust the timing is because the dwell creeps up over time (indicating the points gap is getting smaller). According to the Haynes manual, a 0.1mm change in the points gaps changes the timing by ~3 degrees which is about what I'm seeing. I've been trying to set the dwell as close to the 44 degree spec limit as possible, but it is a fiddly adjustment so usually 46-48 is the closest I can get. The direction I have to turn the dizzy after resetting the dwell depends on where the dwell is reset relative to when I set the timing the last time, but it has always only needed to be adjusted 2-3 degrees.

Checking that the screw on the points was locking down tight was one of the first things I checked and yes, it is locking down the base plate on the points very tightly. In fact, I'm always surprised how much I have to back off the screw before I can move the plate to adjust the dwell. I also checked for wear in the dizzy by revving the engine to see if the dwell angle changes with engine speed. It changes less than 1 deg through the full rpm range which is within spec.

I've also inspected the contacts and they still look pristine. No sign of wear at all. The condensor was purchased new from Pelican.

As I mentioned, I can feel the grease I applied on the cam if I wipe my finger across. I'm not sure how much lube is supposed to be on. I put a little on the block and a smear around the cams but figured if I over did it, it might fling off and foul the points.

As for the Ignitor 3, I've read of others on this forum and the Samba who have had a very similar experience. I haven't even tried to contact Pertronix because all reports I've read indicate they are assholes about admitting there is a problem. I don't need that aggravation. It is a mystery why it works well on the 050 but not the other two dizzies. It actually runs great on all three dizzies when they are cold, but as the two vacuum advance units heat up, the spark becomes erratic. I suspect there is a problem with the hall effect sensor. There is no adjustable air gap on these like on previous models. I've wondered if slotting the mounting hole so the unit could be pivoted closer to the distributor cam would help.