Paul writes,
> The higher the dwell the smaller the gap and the longer the
> points are closed. Maybe you are closing it up altogether.
> Set the points by gap and then check the dwell. Once that
> is done you can simply recheck the dwell to see when they
> need to be reset,
This is the only real option with this distributor -- unless you
are talking about trial-and-error setting -- as there is no
direct dwell measurement except perhaps with the distributor
equivalent of a cam degree wheel.
> but IMHO it makes no sense to try and set the points on the
> car using dwell - all that cap off, adjust, cap on, run engine,
> test dwell, switch off, cap off etc etc.
The dwell is more of a measurement than setting procedure.
It is also a higher precision measurement that the gap. I mean,
the dwell is what matters to the engine, not the point gap BUT,
it is stupidly difficult to use as a tuning measurement. As Paul
implies, it is more of an easy test than a setting. You can measure
it while the engine is running and know what the ignition is doing.
That is its value.
> If the gap is right and the dwell is wrong it indicates either
> mechanical wear in the distributor or possibly ignion LT
> problems.
This is, of course, the checks-and-balances step. The dewll
is what matters to the engine, the gap is what you can set and
when those two disagree <widely>, the implication is wear --
or incorrect parts.
FWIW, I bought a rebuilt distributor for my '70 B-GT and
its cam was worn more than the one I just removed! I rebuilt
my old distributor using bits from the "rebuilt" one.
rick
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