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Having Trouble with Points

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Old Jan 16, 2012 | 04:59 PM
  #1  
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Cool Having Trouble with Points

Ok well the other day I put in a new distributer on my 360fe and a couple days later while we were tuning it the key was left on for a couple hours and ran the battery dead so it fried the points. So I did what the average american would do and bought new ones. Then we took it her for a test drive (after installing the new ones) and it ran great but then comin up my driveway it started spittin and sputterin and back firing. so we opened up the distirbuter and the points werent lined up (they weren't making full contact) so we figured they were defective. so we went and bought another set and it ran great but of corse today i go out to start it up and it ran for about 10 seconds then it started doin the same thing and yesterday it ran fine. Would the temperature being between 20 and 30 degrees have anything to do with it or would the time the key was left on ruin anything? Why does it keep F'in up?
 
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Old Jan 16, 2012 | 05:42 PM
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Ditch the points and go with Pertronix (Original, II, or III). Super easy to install and pretty darn near bulletproof. I run 'em in all my pre-73 vehicles and have never had a problem. Do it.

Prices start at $70 through Yogi's. ELECTRIC IGNITION, IGNITOR, FORD
 
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Old Jan 16, 2012 | 07:07 PM
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Second the pertronix, reliable & easy
 
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Old Jan 16, 2012 | 07:25 PM
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Cooking the points is usually fixed with a new set. The fact that the new sets are being pushed out of alignment suggests your distributor is worn and the shaft is wandering about due to worn bushings, or the mounting plate isn't tight, or a bit of both.

x3 on ditching points btw.
 
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Old Jan 16, 2012 | 07:37 PM
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Originally Posted by 85e150six4mtod
Cooking the points is usually fixed with a new set.

The fact that the new sets are being pushed out of alignment suggest your distributor is worn and the shaft is wandering about due to worn bushings, or the mounting plate isn't tight, or a bit of both.
Hmm, mounting (breaker) plate. The OP has a 1972, and this was the first year that Ford went with the lovely one piece breaker plate (D2PZ-12151-A / Motorcraft DB-187-A).

Even though Ford called it a one piece, it still has two plates, upper and lower. There are nylon support bushings between the upper/lower plates that crack apart, causing the plate to do "the hula."

Prior to 1972, there were two plates...but available individually: B9AF-12151-A (lower) & B9AF-12151-B (upper). The 'one piece' plate replaced both these two plates.
 
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Old Jan 16, 2012 | 10:27 PM
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Go with Pertronix Electronic ignition...night and day difference. Be sure you
have a strong coil, either MSD or Pertron. Flamethrower...along with good plug wires.
 
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Old Jan 18, 2012 | 04:05 AM
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Just put petronix on my 70 360 a couple weeks ago, runs better, starts better. Another vote for petronix. Have not got the flame thrower II yet but plan on it soon. Ditch the points.
 
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Old Jan 18, 2012 | 06:41 AM
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Did you replace the condenser? I too would go to a Pertronix unit.
 
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Old Jan 18, 2012 | 06:55 AM
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No, put in a new dist from advance auto about 6 months.
 
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Old Jan 18, 2012 | 07:03 AM
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Hope I'm not highjacking the thread but I was wondering about the flame thrower II compare to the msd II coil. Only reveiw on advance's site is from one person that went thur 2 of them and just went back to stock. They are about same price but I can pick up the msd today and the flame thrower II I have to order off line and wait, thanks.
 
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Old Jan 18, 2012 | 08:28 AM
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Nothing wrong with Pertronix. However, if you have a worn distributor to start with, it's not going to fix that.
70-360fe: Nothing wrong with the coils either. You just have to get the right one compatable with the Ford resistor wire, or rewire. They sell them with different primary winding resistance for intended application.
 
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Old Jan 18, 2012 | 09:52 AM
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Thanks, the coil is designed for elctronic ignition ignition and not points at 4500 volts.

You said the dist. was new, could you return it and try another one. Maybe the problem will disappear, if it doesn't you've at aleast elimitated one item.
 
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Old Jan 18, 2012 | 10:06 AM
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Do not if this is possible maybe the coil is at fault. You replaced the dist. were you having issue's with it? Maybe you could check a spark plug or 2 and see what condition they are in.
 
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Old Jan 18, 2012 | 12:55 PM
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Originally Posted by 70-360fe
Hope I'm not highjacking the thread but I was wondering about the flame thrower II compare to the msd II coil. Only reveiw on advance's site is from one person that went thur 2 of them and just went back to stock. They are about same price but I can pick up the msd today and the flame thrower II I have to order off line and wait, thanks.
I just put in Petronix II and the Flamethrower II coil on my '69 390......runs very solid....fires up strong
 
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Old Jan 18, 2012 | 01:00 PM
  #15  
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Originally Posted by oldbumpinford
Ok well the other day I put in a new distributer on my 360fe and a couple days later while we were tuning it the key was left on for a couple hours and ran the battery dead so it fried the points. So I did what the average american would do and bought new ones. Then we took it her for a test drive (after installing the new ones) and it ran great but then comin up my driveway it started spittin and sputterin and back firing. so we opened up the distirbuter and the points werent lined up (they weren't making full contact) so we figured they were defective. so we went and bought another set and it ran great but of corse today i go out to start it up and it ran for about 10 seconds then it started doin the same thing and yesterday it ran fine. Would the temperature being between 20 and 30 degrees have anything to do with it or would the time the key was left on ruin anything? Why does it keep F'in up?

I have lots of people help me on this site.....I am no pro....and I just went through a ton of electrical and starting issues......is the bracket holding the dizzy tight? is it moving in and out of time?
jsut a thought.....
 
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