Hi,

I have a 74 f350 with a 360fe and I am doing a tune up to help the way the truck runs. I have gotten around to doing the points and wondered if anyone had a writeup or walkthrough of how to change them. I opened the distrubutor cap and they look pretty dirty to me so I definately think its time to change. Any guides would be appreciated.

thanks,

 

I posted this yesterday in another thread:
Points, condenser, rotor, distributor cap, spark plugs. Depending on condition, spark plug wires. Unless there is something wrong with it, replacing the coil generally isn't considered part of a tune up.
This was the standard distributor. 1974 was the first year Ford offered electronic ignition and it was optional. All Ford V8 distributor parts are the same (exc. dual point version and vacuum advance unit) from 1957-74.
When you replace the points, clean the contacts before you install them. Now days points can sit on the shelf for months, even years, before they are used. They develop an oxide coating that insulates the contacts.
Take a point file (no one has these anymore) or some fine sandpaper and run between the contact surfaces. After that run a piece of paper between the contacts, this will get rid of any grit left from the sandpaper, a dollar bill works well.
The points should include a small capsule of dist cam grease. Put a thin coating on the distributor cam and put a little on the points rubbing block. If you don't use the grease, the rubbing block will wear quickly and the point gap will close up. Install the points. Turn the engine so the points rubbing block is on the high point of the distributor cam. Gap the points .017"
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I have a 1975 Ford F-150 with an inline 6 cyl 300 ci engine. I'm not much of a mechanic, plus it is very hot here so I took it to a local mechanic shop and asked him to do a basic tune up. It was running pretty well before I took it; but, it hadn't been tuned up in awhile. He changed the distributer cap, put new plug and new plug wires as well as a new coil. Got in the truck and started home and before I got 5 miles, it started missing badly, the coil got so hot that it would burn my hand and finally it back fired and died. Someone have a guess what is going on. I bought a new distributer cap to see if it was the wrong one; but, seems to be the exact same.

 

Take it back to the mechanic? You said yourself that's not your thing. Don't buy parts unless you're sure they are needed! The sputtering indicates coil or points/condensor, mostly. Coils can get pretty toasty - but shouldn't get burning hot. It is important to have the proper dropping resistor (in Fords in the form of a "pink wire") to lower the voltage the primary winding of the coil sees, and the points, when running.

This arrangement is bypassed only during the start sequence, to help light off the engine in cold weather. Guess it's possible the mechanic bypassed the resistor, or installed a "hot" coil and fried the points, or maybe the coil is defective. Or maybe the points are junk. Look for maybe loose connections or arcing or shorting somewhere it shouldn't. All WAG, that's why you should take it back to the mechanic. He apparently $&&@%ed up, or the parts are defective.

If you're going to run points, buy NOS from "back in the day" - 50s and 60s - there isn't much call for them anymore and consequently the ones being made, they are mostly junk. They will work but they won't last hardly at all.

Same holds true with condensors made today. They are virtually all junk, and that may be your problem right there?

 

While Tedster suggests "The sputtering indicates coil or points/condensor, mostly.", I'm pretty sure your '75 would have electronic ignition and not points, as this was the year EI started to become standard. However, Tedster is right in suggesting the voltage to the coil as the possible cause. Check the wiring on the coil, and make sure the green wire from the distributor is on the negative pole and the red/green from the ignition/firewall is on the positive. I don't know for certain as I've never experienced it, I have heard of coils running for a time, heating up and frying because of reversed polarity.

 

Actually that's incorrect. 1976 was the first year that Duraspark was standard.
1975 was the last year for points & condenser distributor.
Ford first brought out the electronic ignition in 1974. It was optional in '74 and '75, made standard in 1976.

 

Thanks Mike. I note Bigfoot doesn't mention points as part of his tune-up, so it may be he has the EI option.

 

Well, there are two different posters with different issues - was trying to respond to both - it's best for a new thread for this exact reason.

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Hi all,
For my two cents, I have to recommend a "points eliminator" kit, the likes of those sold by Accel and others.

It replaces the points and condenser inside the dizzy with a more reliable "optical" setup that never needs regapped to maintain reliability.

Cost is about $65, but to only have to do it once and not have to worry about burned-out points and gap adjustment, for me is well worth the extra.

Full instructions are provided with the kit, my only recommendation is to make the swap without removing the distributor (contrary to the instructions). In doing that, my truck fired up instantly after the install and I only needed to check the timing was still good.

 

I agree, up to a.. Point. hm..

Ran points for quite a while. Probably still would, except - on Y blocks the dizzy is at the back of the engine compartment and ya hafta be a dang contortionist to get there.

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