Dwell Issues/ Rough Idle
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5th Wheeling
Joined: Apr 2022
Posts: 49
Likes: 4
With today's parts and more so with remanf. parts more and more are bad out of the box.
Where you got the dist. from is there an older person, 60 or older, behind the counter?
If so they should know how a points dist. works and dwell and know the issue you are having is from the dist. and nothing else.
At that point they should replace it for another and hope it is better than the one you have.
If you can go for new and not remanf.
I dont know if HEI is an option on a 360 room wise but that is how I think I would go.
Or "ready to run" electronic and ditch the points dist.
Dave ----
Where you got the dist. from is there an older person, 60 or older, behind the counter?
If so they should know how a points dist. works and dwell and know the issue you are having is from the dist. and nothing else.
At that point they should replace it for another and hope it is better than the one you have.
If you can go for new and not remanf.
I dont know if HEI is an option on a 360 room wise but that is how I think I would go.
Or "ready to run" electronic and ditch the points dist.
Dave ----
FTE Legend
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 30,876
Likes: 4,115
From: Angier, NC
If he dose not know what could cause the dwell to change then maybe ask if the dist. could be bad and the cause?
Dave ----
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5th Wheeling
Joined: Apr 2022
Posts: 49
Likes: 4
So I learned that I have two issues at once, one being the resistor wire and the other being the distributor. I have solved the wire issue by just going with a Pertronix kit. For the dizzy, I went and got a new one today which was also defective because the magnet that goes around the shaft of the dizzy didn't fit. After comparing it to the other "new" one it's obvious it just wasn't made correctly and even the Napa guy confirmed/realized that. And Yes I made sure it was the right Pretonix kit and they pulled another one at Napa and double-checked it. So I am awaiting a third new distributor that should come in Friday. I would just try and buy one from a different place but the warranty lies with Napa and they haven't asked any questions nor given me any problems with it. Plus I have never had issues like this with them for anything else I have bought there before.
1st Gear
Joined: Feb 2024
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Eratic Dwell
My engine has started running rough at idle after it has warmed up completely. It runs fine until it reaches top operating temperatures. I have a 1972 f100 bumpside with a 360-fe engine. I hooked up a dwell meter to it and it runs at the correct dwell until the engine gets hot. After it is hot, the dwell starts to drop slowly and then fluctuate at a range (I don't remember exact numbers because it was like 2 weeks ago). I am still running points and condenser setup. I have tried 2 different sets of points, 2 condensers, and 2 different coils to see if those were the issue. I also double-checked that nothing was arcing or touching in the distributor. The only thought or idea I have is the external resistor for the coil. Both the coils I tried to use say to use with an external resistor but I do not have an obvious one on the firewall so I am wondering if I have something like a fusible link somewhere in the wiring harness.
If memory serves me correctly, Dwell is a measure of the time the Ignition Points are closed. Dwell is controlled by the Point gap and the cam lobes on the distributor shaft. If Dwell isn't steady that would indicate that something is causing the Points gap to change. (Sloppy Distributor Shaft bearings, Plate that the Points mount to is moving around, Mechanical or Vacuum Advance has something lose causing the mounting plate to move around more than it should.) I'm sure I probably missed a few other items to look at. I'd try and relate each possibility to temperature to narrow things down a bit if you truely think the problem changes with temerature.
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