ignition trouble

[yeuporsch]

I changed my distributor cap, rotor, and points on a 72T with Bosch distributor. Car won't start to get initial timing setting. The timing was correct prior to change of above items. I think it has to do with the points and the dwell angle? I did adjust the point gap to spec.

John

[HawgRyder]

Check the dizzy closely.....make sure there is not a short from the wire to the case.
It's easy to form a short in there...hard to see...angle of dizzy is wrong for eyeballs.
If in doubt...pull the wire off the dizzy...and measure to ground as you rotate the engine....it should open and close (resistance).
Bob

[Early_S_Man]

John,

It is possible that the ground strap from the distributor body to the moving point plate is broken, as that was a weak point in the '159' series distributors. Check for an interrupted ground at the distributor connector as Bob suggested. If

Did you remove the distributor from the engine to replace the points? If so, you may have gotten the gear one tooth off upon reinstalling it. That can make starting difficult, too!

[Jim Sims]

Did you have the engine (and hence the distributor lobes) turned to the correct place relative to the timing mark when you set the gap? Are you sure you got the spark plug wires on the distributor correctly? Do you have a dwell meter? Jim

[Early_S_Man]

Here are some pics of the point plate ground strap, broken, and my repair circa 1982 ...

Originally posted back in January in this thread:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=56227&highlight=point+plate+repair