Cheap Ignition Points??

denglish

Member
So I had a set of points break while in use. I heard them start to whir and then the engine just stopped. It was immediately obvious it was an ignition problem.

Upon inspection I found that the contact tab that follows the distributor shaft lobes had broke. Odd. So I put in a brand new set of points that I had in an unopened box. Set the gap, put the cap back on and no spark.

I then did the standard test-light examination and found the new points were not conducting at all when closed. I could even hold them closed tightly with my fingers and no conductivity at all! I had to take them out, polish them and put them back in. Then all was fine.

My question: is it common to have to polish brand new points?
 
I find the same thing so i just polish them on a motorized brush even sometimes when a tractor has set
for a time same problem blame it on climate change or something
 

I can remember the occasional need to drag a dollar bill through a brand new set of points to remove a film of oil as far back as 40 some years ago, but it didn't happen very often. The ignition parts we get today just simply are not of the same quality. We don't like it, but we deal with it. What choice do we have?
 
That happens from time to time. Oil,corosion,ect can get/collect on points,even new ones. You just have to deal with it.
 
Thanks for your replies.

I haven't installed a lot of points in the last 30 years. I don't recall ever having trouble like this with a brand new set in the past. I ended up polishing these on some fine sand paper and it was very clear that I was removing some sort of film, maybe oxidation.
 
Common problem due to a protective coating put on them so they do not corroded sitting in the store. I install them and then take the flap off the box and run it between the points a few times to clean them
 
Most new points (even from quality makers like Bluepoint and Delco) have a protective sprayed on layer of preservative and
corrosion inhibitor that keeps the contacts from becoming corroded. Common practice is to remove the film with a Qtip in
solvent, or lacquer thinner. Sanding them can damage the coatings made to limit wear. Polishing with a folded dollar bill
is a last step to assure function. Jim
 
(quoted from post at 19:53:11 12/05/16) Most new points (even from quality makers like Bluepoint and Delco) have a protective sprayed on layer of preservative and
corrosion inhibitor that keeps the contacts from becoming corroded. Common practice is to remove the film with a Qtip in
solvent, or lacquer thinner. Sanding them can damage the coatings made to limit wear. Polishing with a folded dollar bill
is a last step to assure function. Jim

That is good to know. It would be useful if they would state that on the packaging. I probably screwed mine up with the sandpaper. They are operating fine at this point but I probably shortened their lifespan. Next time, I will try solvent first. It was obvious that they were making non-conductive contact out of the package and I could see the coating being removed when I rubbed them on sandpaper.
 
Just drag a $100.00 bill through them ,after they are installed. cleans them right up, don't forget to put a little grease on the part that rides on the cam lobes.
Had a case one time that when they made the points they left out the insulator betwen the hot side and the ground, fixed them with a piece of plastic milk jug.
 
Electrical contact cleaner ain't a bad choice either.

I burnish them with clean white cardstock.

Can't see a reason to use a dollar bill loaded with oily human hand debris (or worse) and ink to "clean" something.
 
(quoted from post at 16:33:13 12/06/16) Just drag a $100.00 bill through them ,after they are installed. cleans them right up, don't forget to put a little grease on the part that rides on the cam lobes.
Had a case one time that when they made the points they left out the insulator betwen the hot side and the ground, fixed them with a piece of plastic milk jug.

Who has a $100 bill THIS time of the year ??? Oh, yeah, my bank does, it was mine not to long ago!!

CHEERS!!
 

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