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THANKS TO ALL VERY MUCH!!! I am about to go check the backlash and a few other items and will be right back.

When I move the fan even 1/4 inch the rotor moves, when I go to spin it back the fan belt will not move the crank (or rotor ) back any, pretty good compression for an old gal! My points look pretty roached in my NON-expert opinion.

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Steve -

If you remove all eight spark plugs, you should be able to turn the crank by the fan, via the belt, in either direction.

Yup, those points look like crap. Might as well toss in another set AND a new condenser. I'd still like to know how the old condenser tests - to see if it might have contributed to this problem.

I will test it and let you know, what do I do to test it?

While most DIYers don't have a capacitance meter, there's a simple test you can perform with an analog multimeter (VOM, with a needle-type gauge) or digital volt meter (DVM, with an LCD readout). I prefer the former. Set the meter to measure resistance in a high range - scale of kilohms (x1000).

If done in-car, you'll need to make sure the breaker points are open. If done off-car, make sure the condenser is not resting on a conductive surface.

First, just to be sure the condenser is completely discharged, momentarily short the pigtail to the case.

Then, hold one probe from the meter to the terminal at the end of the pigtail, and touch the other probe to the case.

If good, the meter will go to to zero, then slowly go to infinity (overload, if digital). If you reverse the leads, the meter will go off scale, momentarily (as the cap dumps its charge), but should then do the same thing. Resistance builds as the capacitor becomes charged (by the battery in the meter)

No change in the meter reading means the condenser is open. This will cause arcing and premature failure of the points.

A steady resistance reading of anything less than infinity (overload) means the condenser is leaking current to ground. (If completely shorted, you'd would have had no spark at all.)

I tried to test it with my DMM on every setting from 200 Ohms all the way to 200 Kilo-Ohms and it never did nada, I had it setting on a piece of marble tile for an insulator. I did notice a momentary spike in the meter when the leads were switched but that was it. Bad capacitor melted my points? I weld and that is what the points look like up close, welding spatter!

I am going to check this in the morning. I am going to label the plug wires with tape, remove them from the plugs, remove the plugs, and preform this test. I am glad to have found out about this test for slack timing chains! I can't believe that I never thought of it! I could have avoided a few lemons when I was younger IF I had know this. Great tip!

If the points close and are not flat together but instead touch more on one side making a kinda "wedge" shape should I run the points file thru there till it is flat-ish or, (more likely) do I have something screwed up? So close,...yet, so far away. Thanks again all, Steve

If they are new points, then it sounds like something is cockeyed or bent.

NROS should I tweak the arm some so they close flatter? Also, if I do get them anywhere near flat, what should the gap be again? Thanks! Steve