Setting points

[Stephen Newell]

Ever get tired of looking up what the point gap is every time you install points. I took apart an extra feeler gauge set and removed the right one and made a handle for it like a pocket knife.

 

[David G]

How often do you use it?

 

[Steve@Advance]

Remember these?

I let mine slip away somehow. Wish I had it back.
Tach Dwell Meter

 

[old]

Back in the day the common thing was to take the box the points came in remove the box flat and use it to set the points. BTDT so many times it is not funny

 

[D beatty]

I still have one put and haven't used it in years.

 

[Two Dogs]

Go Pertronix and you won't even need that. No I don't get a commission.

 

[John T]

I have several dwell meters laying around but I was always more of a feeler gauge kinda guy. I have bought points before that had a little metal gauge included in the box. On the old two cylinder Deeres with Wico Mags a thickness gauge was ONLY an approximation second to the "Edge Gap Method" which perfectionist like my late friend Duane Larson used.

John T

 

[Chuckles46]

The old timers would say use a dime for the points and a nickel for the plugs. They werent far off with that.

 

[Russ from MN]

I still have mine, hasn't been out of the box in 30 years!

 

[DoubleR]

I have a spiral pad in my shop or should I say a couple of them which I write important facts in. Something like that would be in that book. It works for me

 

[Stephen Newell]

Not for me. I despise everything electronic.

 

[MSD]

Why not mark the inside of the distributor with a paint pen and then you don't have to try to keep track of the special feeler gauge that you can't find back.

 

[Stephen Newell]

There isn't space in this distributor for that. Anyway any time I mark anything anywhere on an engine it comes off. I maybe only change the points every five years so it's difficult to keep up with things like that. Yesterday I had to dig through the repair manual only to give up and search the internet to find what feeler gauge I should use. This tool I made is something I can keep up with.

 

[whereswaldo]

When I got married 46 years ago, Our 'honeymoon' car had a 'Thermotronic' electronic point set-from Thermoking-early 70's. Almost like Pertronix as it was all in the distributor. Going to see my Aunt and introduce her to my lady, we were on US 666 on the Navajo Reservation when that system 'died'. Had to old point set with me and put them back in, eyeballed the gap and it started right up. Drove almost 1000 miles with that set-up. Now I have Pertronix and no trouble (still have the points in the trunk)

 

[Two Dogs]

I kept my points too. They're hanging on the wall of my shed in a plastic bag with a label. (For the next generation who won't have a clue.)

 

[ditchwitch]

Great Job but i have a question. Why is the Jeep burning up so many sets of points you have to make that which you did a awesome job. Im thinking you have to many Volts going to the points from the coil. Reason i think this is because i burned up a set on my massey ferguson for that same reason. But again super job and not a bad idea.

 

[ditchwitch]

They dont have a clue now

 

[Stephen Newell]

It's mainly frustration trying to find information in a Chilton manual. I searched through the book for quite a while, gave up and got on the internet to find the point gap. It's been about 5 years or more since I've changed the points. The tool I made will go into a tool drawer and will be easy to find. The feeler gauges are difficult to read anyway.

 

[ditchwitch]

I totally understand and like i said great job and a great idea

 

[Stephen Newell]

Looks like I'm going to have to make another. The jeep is .017 but the tractor I have is .020.