Front distributor points quality

Bruce (VA)

Well-known Member
This is an addendum to my post of Jan 4th ( http://forums.yesterdaystractors.com/viewtopic.php?t=1339956&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=30 ) regarding the problems many folks have reported with frontmount points. I plan on following up on that post later w/ some more specific information, but I thought it would be helpful to provide a separate post regarding my findings regarding points quality.

CONCLUSIONS: Yes, even Echlin (NAPA) makes both junk & decent points. One set opened to .032, but the other set only opened to .006. Bluestreak points ordered off of Amazon ( https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000CPO3EW/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) ($11.99) had a maximum air gap of .049 on my in-spec distributor. Airtex opened also .049. The Airtex points came w/ a brass washer, cotter key & had a pivot arm bushing, the Bluestreaks did not. The point contact area was larger on the Bluestreaks (.185) compared to the Airtex at .155.

RECOMMENDATION: (as of January, 2018!) Use either Airtex or Bluestreak points.

BACKGROUND:

I looked at 5 sets of points:

NAPA CS35, bought OTC here in VA last week (NAPA #1)

NAPA CS35, loaned to me by John Ruddel (NAPA #2)

NOS FoMoCo points, loaned to me by John Ruddel (FoMoCo)

Airtex points, source unknown (Airtex)

Bluestreak points, purchased from Amazon.com last week (Bluestreak)

The critical test was the max air gap the points opened.

NAPA 1: .032

NAPA 2: .006

NOS FoMoCo: .062

Airtex: .049

Bluestreak: .049

Contact point thickness
(sum of the 2 sides)

NAPA 1: .145

NAPA 2: .194

NOS FoMoCo: .130

Airtex: .148

Bluestreak: .129

Contact diameter, vented or not vented:

NAPA 1: .185 not vented

NAPA 2: .155 vented

NOS FoMoCo: .185 vented

Airtex: .155 not vented

Bluestreak: .185 not vented
75 Tips
 
I probably got the Airtex points from nnalert's. I got my most recent set of Bluestreaks from Amazon; they also have Airtex. This site carries Bluestreaks in a kit, Tune Kit, Basic Part Number APN12000ABSR.

Some, but not all NAPA's carry Bluestreaks.
75 Tips
 
Called a HS buddy retired from NAPA. He made a few phone calls & got me connected w/ NAPA Tech support.

They sell 8k sets of Echlin CS35 points a year. So he was concerned. He said he would follow-up.

Meanwhile.........before you take that set of CS35 Echlin's out of the store, look at the lot number on the end of the box. Lot number M13134 is defective. Lot number M17249 is good.
75 Tips
 
I'll toss in a set of Standard brand points purchased last year. Contacts did not align. Off by half the width of the contact. They gapped fine.....just didn't align.

I know a lot of you guys don't like EI but it's getting to the point (no pun intended) with the quality control issues where it may be the better option.

Rick
 
Yea, I get it re EI.

But it just pisses me off that these points have been in production and worked fine (as far as points go) since 1939! These things have been made for 70 years, so why now has it become a problem?

I'm glad the NAPA guy recognized the problem right away. Hopefully he can get it fixed.

Meanwhile, based on my research, and assuming an in-spec distributor, we have three options: Bluestreak, Airtex or CS35 Echlin's w/ a M17xxx lot number.
75 Tips
 
The last couple of sets of ECHLIN/NAPA points I bought, CS35, were good but it has been a few years since then. Standard Ignition makes the Blue Streak brand. FWIW, the front mount STD IG/BLUESTREAK part number for the condenser is: FD71. their side mount points p/n is: FD8081. Grease: ML1. Thanks for eth info, lot numbers will certainly help when purchasing from NAPA. Hope teir tech support gets to the root cause, bad supplier liely, and corrects it.

Tim Daley(MI)
 
Ecklin points I bought from NAPA this summer were problematic. I had to bend them to get enough point gap. I went to NAPA expecting to get decent points and paid plenty for them.
 
Bruce-
It is my understanding that Standard Ignition makes both the ECHLIN and the BLUESTREAK brand points. When you go to NAPA and ask for a Ford N-SERIES Tractor front mount distributor set of points, they will give you the ECHLIN ones, p/n CS35. Now, I also recall some other Ford vehicles used the same points, 40-42 Trucks? If you ask for points for a Ford Truck, you will get the BLUESTREAK brand. Same animal. Now, the last time when I bought my ECHLIN points at my local NAPA dealer, I asked for a condenser and rotor for same. The clerk looked in his book, said he had no condenser listed, and brought me a rotor for the angle mount unit, stating that was all he had showing in their parts book. I did not have the NAPA part numbers for those items with me at the time. I know the NAPA cross reference part numbers have been posted before, but could you kindly re-post here just to keep this thread coherent for the archives? Thanks...

Tim Daley(MI)
 
Part numbers below.

According to the Standard Parts guy I spoke w/, NAPA now only carries the Echlin CS35's for our front distributor tractors. NAPA does not carry Bluestreaks. The fact that some of us have been able to find them there is old stock. I tried to trick the computer into showing Bluestreaks for the 1941 Ford pick up; didn't work. Put that in the search and you don't even get points; you get Balkamp EI conversions!

Anyway, Bluestreaks are available on Amazon. And are still made. Hopefully the problems w/ the Echlin CS35's was a bad lot. Although I just heard from another board member that he had trouble getting CS35's from lot number 17240 to open.
75 Tips
 
NAPA Ford Tractor Part Numbers:

Front Mount distributor...
Points:
NAPA #CS35
Standard Ignition Blue Streak #FD-6769X (Premium)



Condensor:
NAPA #FA200
Standard Ignition #FD-71



Rotor:
NAPA #FA300
Standard Ignition #FD-104



Distributor Cap:
NAPA #FA350
Standard Ignition #FD-126



Coil IC670 (supposedly 6v, but check resistance or ask)



OEM style ballast resistor ICR40



Solenoid ECH ST540
75 Tips
 
Where can we get the AIRTEX points? I never heard of them until now. I had to buy a set of TISCO Points a while ago because I needed a rotor and it was only available in a points kit. They have the plastic rubbing block and I never used them. The TISCO kit does come with a handy little .015" gage for setting the gap with. It is now in my box of distributor tools and parts. I figure I'll keep the TISCO set for an extreme emergency so may never even get to use them. I figure to go thru the motions of removing and rebuilding the distributor, best to do it right the first time so go with quality parts. I could send the TISCO set to you just to have another brand in the mix.

Tim Daley(MI)
 
(quoted from post at 05:56:45 01/21/18) Where can we get the AIRTEX points? I never heard of them until now. I had to buy a set of TISCO Points a while ago because I needed a rotor and it was only available in a points kit. They have the plastic rubbing block and I never used them. The TISCO kit does come with a handy little .015" gage for setting the gap with. It is now in my box of distributor tools and parts. I figure I'll keep the TISCO set for an extreme emergency so may never even get to use them. I figure to go thru the motions of removing and rebuilding the distributor, best to do it right the first time so go with quality parts. I could send the TISCO set to you just to have another brand in the mix.

Tim Daley(MI)

I probably got the Airtex points from nnalert's. But Amazon has them, as does eBay: Airtex contact set 4P 1046. Interesting that on eBay, they come back to a 1948 Ford V-8, with 2 sets in the box. (the Ford V-8's, 1936-48, had dual points in a front distributor, same as our front distributor points) . If you want to pass on those TISCO points, PM me for my address.
 
Thanks, Bruce for putting this all together! If you haven't already done so, I'd encourage you to send it to Rob for the N News.

Colin
 
(quoted from post at 10:23:23 01/24/18) Thanks, Bruce for putting this all together! If you haven't already done so, I'd encourage you to send it to Rob for the N News.

Colin

Tnx Colin. That's a good idea. Supposed to get cold here next week, so if I finish the king pin job on the Model A, I'll give it a shot.
 
Hello folks been a while. I get all my parts off of Rock Auto Parts
For all my cars trucks and even the 8N tractor. When you needing to search for any of the ignition parts just do a search for a 1942 1/2 ton pick up with an L4 engine.
What I like about rock auto is that you can order the same component from different vendors. As far as points I order the AC Delco or airtex brands And have had good luck with both.

Below is a link to rock auto and the various components they sell for a front mount ignition system. If you do some searching I’m sure you’ll find a side mount components also.

https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/ford,1942,1/2+ton+pickup,2.0l+120cid+l4,1486247,ignition
 
(quoted from post at 22:17:27 01/29/18) Hello folks been a while. I get all my parts off of Rock Auto Parts
For all my cars trucks and even the 8N tractor. When you needing to search for any of the ignition parts just do a search for a 1942 1/2 ton pick up with an L4 engine.
What I like about rock auto is that you can order the same component from different vendors. As far as points I order the AC Delco or airtex brands And have had good luck with both.

Below is a link to rock auto and the various components they sell for a front mount ignition system. If you do some searching I’m sure you’ll find a side mount components also.

https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/ford,1942,1/2+ton+pickup,2.0l+120cid+l4,1486247,ignition

Great info! Tnx for posting.
 
Just bought my first set of points. After much research I decided to go with a local NAPA Echlin CS35.

They are better than whatever was in there, but were misaligned still and wouldn't open past .005 until I squared them up properly and even added a tiny shim under the rubbing block to get them to make full contact.

Non-vented.

Lot # M18299
 

Napa points were giving me a fit I ordered a BWD set from advance auto... They look OK tell ya truth I hope I never need a set of points again I am pushing EI to end the misery... So far so good everyone has been very happy...
 
(quoted from post at 20:50:38 08/15/19)
Napa points were giving me a fit I ordered a BWD set from advance auto... They look OK tell ya truth I hope I never need a set of points again I am pushing EI to end the misery... So far so good everyone has been very happy...

That makes one go "hmmmm" because of the fact that "SMP" aka "Standard Motor Parts", "Blue Streak", "BWD", "NAPA/Echlin", "Niehoff", and "Sorenson" (did I forget any) are all brands "made" and sold by "Standard"/SMP.
 
I had an alignment problem with my latest standard motor products points. Is this typical?
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