Thanks for the advice...that's my project for this afternoon...We'll see where it takes me...Update forthcoming.

OK...another update...I finally figured out the multimeter and the resistance on the primary coil is at .5 and the secondary is at 730. This tells me that the coil doesn't appear to be the problem. Took the following pics of the rotor, cap and points. The points look worn to me, but I don't know if that's normal. Was hoping somebody could tell me if anything looks wrong. If it all looks ok, Am I right to assume that the next step would be to adjust the points? Thanks in advance.

http://i1002.photobucket.com/albums/...rad/Rotor1.jpg
http://i1002.photobucket.com/albums/...derad/Cap1.jpg
http://i1002.photobucket.com/albums/...ad/Points1.jpg
http://i1002.photobucket.com/albums/...ad/Points4.jpg

Hello I had a similar issue recently ended up being the points looks like all the same spots I checked first... closed points looked okay - gap was correct but no continuity when closed. Hate that feeling of being stranded intermittently and I pushed it till I truely was stranded for debug . Went back next day with a meter and tools and determined point failure. Actually filed them and got it home, but wanted to not to need to do that again.
Just installed a "hot spark" IGN pick up. on ebay $ 60 shipped good luck Ken

If you have a meter that beeps when continuity is made. Ground one lead and disconnect the other (points) and connect it meter (the points lead) . Basically trying to assure the points do make a ground. If you put it in gear and bump the car you can make the dist. cam rotate enough to open and close. Like I posted, mine closed but didn't make a ground signal . It haunted me for weeks till I got brave ( and stranded ) and made it break so I could see whatsup \ and determined no more Points4me ... K

It's hard to tell from pictures how worn the rotor or cap is. As a rule of thumb I would replace both if the actual mileage since the last replacement is unknown. The points on a CDI ignition do not wear as much as on a traditional Kettering ignition since the current through them is minimal and there won't be much arcing when they open. But still, if the contact pads oxidize you might want to clean them up with 2000 grit sandpaper.

Also, the points adjustment is critical. As a first test make sure you get continuity on the points when they close. Dwell should be set to 38 degrees. This is the angle the distributor rotates while the points stay closed (make contact).

As others said an optical trigger (Pertronix) seems to be a nice upgrade for these points since there won't be any wear with that so they last forever and no need for dwell adjustments.

Ingo

Thanks! All great advice...I'll check the continuity and dwell tomorrow...hopefully that will solve my problem.

Annoying!!! ok...I replaced the points, the cap and the rotor. I also cleaned the cdi box contacts. Set the points gap to .012 as specified for my year. Put everything back together, and now I can't get it to start. Just keeps turning over, and sounds like it WANTS to start, but won't. I triple checked that I put the wires back into the cap in the right sequence, so I don't think that's the problem. I reconnected all of the contacts. I did remove the distributor completely when I replaced the points, so I don't know if maybe that's the problem?...Thoughts?

I know this can be frustrating. Take a rest and then go at it again:

Next it's either the order of the cables on the cap or you installed the dizzy one tooth over or 180 degrees out. There is a mark (notch) on the body of the distributor where the rotor needs to point to when the engine is at TDC1. Manually rotate the crank until the pully TDC mark lines up with the engine case gap and then check where the rotor points. Taking into account this wasn't an engine rebuilt I think you are off by one tooth rather than 180 degrees. Remember, the engine rotates twice (720 degrees) while the distributor rotates 360 degrees. See here for the notch.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1285763170.jpg

This image is taken from the 911 valve adjustment article

Ingo