Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

Guys, I changed out the points and it has a miss at above 2000 rpm or so, it stutters and starts to misfire out the exhuast and when you rev it, it backfires out the carb. I have checked the wire order, and it is on #1 when it is supposed to be. It is timed at 5o and the dwell is 25. I did notice however that the points that I put on did not have the two wraparound springs on them only one. I know on some points that second spring is to prevent points bouncing. Has anyone ever seen a set of points without both of those springs? Wires and plugs are new, distributor was removed and cleaned.

Any other suggestions?

Bill

Can't help on the specific question but according to Gus at the Model Garage, a weak spring on the points can cause the car to act up in many ways. Wonder if anyone still makes a point spring tension gauge.

For the younger generation, the Model Garage stories in the old Popular Science magazine was one of my all time favorite series. A new and sometimes strange problem every month solved by master mechanic Gus. Just happened to re-read the yarn about the points last week.http://www.gus-stories.org/may_1946.htm

Dear 55:

Probably the points are sticking open because of that missing spring. Doesn't the old one unhook and go onto the new ones?

Has anyone ever seen a set of points without both of those springs?

Sure, by the thousands and there is no reason to suspect them unless they were damaged during manufacture or installation. Anyway, I kind of doubt point bounce could be the problem, especially at 2000 rpm which is only 1000 distributor rpm. If in fact the problem is erratic ignition and the low voltage side is suspect I'd put worn distributor bushings, a defective breaker plate, or failing insulation on a lead wire at the top of the list.

Also try new condensor.

A recent ignition problem on my 55 Pat was due to weak points spring. It didn't start acting up until the spring was practically non-functional probably due to the MSD-5 I also use which uses the points only as a trigger signal. I replaced the points, set the gap by feeler gauge, retimed it and it runs perfectly again. Without the MSD-5, it probably would have quit a long time ago.

Craig

Thanks Guys,

The points are brand new. The distributor bushings are good and I think the breaker plate is good. The problem is not erratic but only happens when you start revving it up. I took a guess at 2000 rpm but it is somewhere between 2 and 3k. I replaced the lead wire. Is it possible for the condensor to do this? From what I knew before condensors were either good or bad, there was no middle ground with them. In addition when you take the coil wire off and ground it to the motor can crank it, it is a deep blue spark that I can hear hit inside the car when you crank it. The old points were tossed so no help there.

Thanks for the help

ok. so put the OLD points back in to see if the problem stops. Keep putting the OLD parts back on until problem stops.

In the case of condensers I have had 2 occasions over the lasat 10 years where the engine would start and idle just fine. The problem was when any load was placed on the engine above 5 mph it would exhibit the exact symptoms u describe. Replacing condenser fixed it.

Or let me put it another way:

Replacing a condenser is cheap and ez enuf to do, it's not like having to break concrete all day with a 6 pound sledge hammer in the middle of august.

IF the car ran just fine BEFORE u replaced parts then put the OLD parts back on one at a time until problem stops.

Start with the parts that are easiest to replace.

If the points were burned that will be caused by a bad condensor not absorbing the collapsing coil field.

Condensors can be intermittent as well, and rpm sensitive.

ANswer to your original questions:

Q "I know on some points that second spring is to prevent points bouncing."

A Not necessarily. In some cases the "second spring" is copper and iss stricly a belt and suspenders kind of conductor for electricity.


Q " Has anyone ever seen a set of points without both of those springs?"

A Yes. MANY!!! They work just fine. However in a perfect world of replacement parts i would prefer additional copper conductor "spring" (it's not really a spring).

How did the car run BEFORE u replaced the points????? IF it ran fine BEFORE u replaced the points then put OLD points back in and try it again. If it runs good with OLD points then most likely something wrong with new points and u will have to try another set of new points FROM A DIFFERENT MANUFACTUERE.

What brand of points are the NEW points u put in??????