Hi all, I was looking through my new northern auto parts catalog and found 3 different types of point replacement options.

First was the Ignitor I and II.

Then I found one from Crane Cams the XR-i, that has a built in revlimitor.

And I found one (in the gasket section?) from Mallory called the E-Spark.

I have seen/heard about the Ignitor from Pertronix but I didn't know Mallory or Crane Cams had a point conversions out (and cheaper)

Thanks all
RCMC

 

I installed a Mallory kit years ago and it was the best thing i ever did to that engine.
I think it was called the Hyfire. Dont remember what it cost.

 

Anything you do to replace the points is an improvement. Other than that if you can get some Ford or GM OEM boxes to work so you can have off the shelf replacements and free testing at parts stores is an improvement.

 

I know this isn't answering your question, but why do people frown on points so much???? I never broke down in a points car, plus i did some major rubber burning in points type cars from my school years...What's wrong with points??? Heck, they are childplay just to adjust them....Janet

 

You want the best system money can buy, go get yourself the new MSD distributor for a Y-block and a MSD 6 ignition box. The quaility and reliablity is second to none.

 

I ran a mallory for a few years and was very happy with it. But the old ford dissy wouldn't give me a good advance curve for what I am trying to do and you need to disamble the thing to change the springs. So I decided to go with a msd dissy they are easy to adjust the curve with the springs up on top. You can also change the were the curve stops. I have only put about 800 miles on it but so far I am happy with it. Mallory makes one as well and I really like their stuff but theirs didn't have the vaccume advance for gas milege.
Prostocktom, What como of springs did you end up useing in your msd dissy?
Janet, I have ran points for many years and I think it is a little more than childs play. Well at least for me. True you can always make them work enough to get home. I have spent many hours with a dwell meter to get them rite and still needed to gap the plugs at 30 to get it to burn the gas. Also I think todays gas just doesn't burn as easly as the old leaded gas did. With electronic I can gap the plugs to 40 and when I stomp on the gas it goes and when it is idling I and not smelling unburnt gas witch I can't stand. It is like swaping out a generator for a alternator I have never broken down with a generator but I have with points. So I still run the generator and I bring the old points dissy with me just in case. Hope that makes sense.

 

I've been thinking about changeing over to electronic ignition for a different (but simple) reason ... I'm getting older and fatter and it's hard for me to reach all the way across to the back of that Y block to set the points. I have climbed in and stood with one foot on the axle and that helps some ... but then I can never seem to get everything focused in my bifocals!

 

For one thing points are getting expensive. I also have an older sun machine and when you look at the spark signature from points verses the electronics it is no contest. The electronics produce cleaner stronger more precise spark. And I have been left afoot by both points and electronics. So I do not consider this an issue. I convert everthing thing I get from points to electronics including my 1963 John Deere 3010 tractor.

 

I gotta say, I like the points. I run my f600 probably 8000 miles a year pulling a car trailer and hauling gravel. I have no complaints about power. I am just over 14000 lbs. truck trailer and car, and keep up with traffic. I lose out on hills but that is ok. I had the petronix in, but they went south on me. I put the old set of points in and left them in. I'm with Janet on this one.

 

I'll take points anyday with a great big giant smile!! Back in the late 60's and early 70's i had lots of point type cars, ...One particular one i had, i bought from my Father in 1973, it was a 1967 Cougar with a 289 V-8 and automatic C4...I used to drive that car to visit my Mother in Cisco Texas from Houston Texas, and it was a 348 mile drive one way and did that once a month for 5 years in that little Cougar, and i would adjust my points maybe every 2 months and got to where i could adjust them just by the way they looked, and that little car drove smooth as GLASS!!...The chances of getting stranded were much much less with a points and coil type car, now a days, you never know when your electric fuel pump of some part decides to say "oh thats all folks", and there you are with tow cost, plus diagnosis, and you're talking about hundreds instead of a good old mechanical fuel pump you could carry as a spare in a points type car, that ran aboput 18 bucks in the 70's, and easy to change...I lived it, i know it was better and easier and more practical in your good old points and mechanical fuel pump days....Janet

EDIT: I just wanted to add, yes i love my 89 Lincoln with the fuel injected electric fuel pump and the 302 V-8, oh yes i do!!! But i guarantee you, i would pay 1000 dollars if i could legally make it a carburetor and points and mechanical fuel pump type car, reason why is because i know my fuel mileage would be the same or probably even better, and i could carry my tool set in the trunnk with extra rubber fuel line and clamps and an extra rotor and points and mechanical fuel pump with me, and ya know what?? I wouldn't be scared to go on a 2000 mile trip this way. The newer cars remind me of the horse and buggy days where the horse would have blinders on the sides of its head so it would only see straight ahead, on newer cars your welfare on a long dark lonely highway, rides on a chance of that electric fuel pump giving out or any relay giving out and more and more chances are there to break down on a new one, like i said, i lived it and i know which was better...That darned 67 cougar had about 230,000 miles on it when i traded it ( and the cougar still ran perfect too!!)for a new pontiac lemans and sure the pontiac was a good car, but i should have kept that cougar, why not???

 

RCMC, I was more than pleased to put my points and condensor on the shelf in exchange for a Pertronix and Flamethrower. I am not saying Pertronix is the best, but it fit the budget. Performance improvement of the hotter ignition is hard to dispute when comparing it to points. If a person is concerned enough about failure they could always carry a backup distributor just in case. But then you could also carry an extra coil, fuel
pump, fan belt, starter, water pump, alternator, and on and on. Maybe it would just be better to join the AAA auto club and rely on their tow insurance.

 

Oh yes, i belong to AAA, it covers me up to 100 miles from my residence and cost about 78 dollars a year...I live in Houston, and wow oh wow, you better have a cell phone and AAA if you live in this terrible place. But speaking of water pumps, yes i used to carry an extra two gallons of water in case i developed a leak from the shaft hile where they would start leaking when they were going out, but you could be pretty certain it would cover you for 200 miles. I also always carried extra fan belts and a ball peen hammer in case a thermostat locked up, you can remove the hose, and take a large screwdriver and punch a hole in that sucker, and get yourself home. Sounds like a lot, but it wasn't all that much stuff. As far as points, i guess i've always been Mrs. lucky, because i never had trouble with adjusting or having a points car, i never did, and i swear i've had more cars than anyone you've ever known....Janet

 

Sorry bout that 57_Ford, but i get busy sometimes and forget to answer people. I hear what you're saying, but i think sometimes some people are just lucky, because for me, as far as points, it's always been just a five minute ordeal to adjust them, and on my stuff, i have never in my life used a dwell meter, i just use a paper business card to where they let the card slide in out and easily and barely touch, which is about 012, and once you run them awhile you will end up with that required 015 anyway, i never ever had no problem, reminds me of an old old guy that worked at Bass and Mieneke auto parts back in 1974, he told me in his life he thought a lot of people just have luck when it comes to cars, on my cars it's almost as if i can feel what's going on in my drivetrain, like i grow on it or something....Janet

 

Janet, I guess some people do have all the luck. I did drive my old truck 200,000 miles with very little trouble. And most of that was with points I guess I was kinda lucky. For me I want my truck to burn clean and that is hard to with points. Their is another way to have the best of both worlds. A msd box can be put on it and have it trigered by the points and if some thing happened to the box a quick wire change and back up and running on points.

 

Your setup makes good sense 57 Ford, i'm just a lover of living in the past i guess. Only bad memories i have of the past, is generator s and voltage regualtors getting stuck and burning up batteries and slow starts, thats why i use a dagummed delco remy alternator on both and my holley electric pump, because in the old dys we had slow starts and vapor lock all the time and batteries that never kept full charges, im glad im away from that now. Only thing i miss real bad is that good Amalie motor oil", that was the best darned oil in the world!!! I dont mean todays amamlie junk, i mean the old metal can brand Janet