A few questions on points

[Titleist16]

Today driving home from school my car would die every time I stopped. Well I finally got it to stay running but it wasn't running good. I think my Pertronix unit has finally gone out. I am going to put the points back in and see if that fixes it but I have a few questions. Which side of the coil does the wire on the points hook up to? How far do the points need to be gapped? I am not sure if it is the Pertronix or not though. Here are some symptoms of my car. It won't start with the lights on, if I press on the brakes when the lights are on the generator light dimly comes on, when I stop the car justs dies, it sounds like it is misfiring. I am thinking it is either the Pertronix, alternator, or battery. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks

 

[Titleist16]

I just went out and started my car to see if it was still running poorly. I started it up and it ran fine, put it in drive and it still ran good, but as soon as I turned on the headlights it died right away. Any ideas on what could be wrong?

 

[DaGr8Tim]

Alternator?

 

[Jamie Miles]

Something is strange there. I kinda doubt the alternator is your problem. If the battery is up enough to start the car, then it should have enough juice to run the lights and the ignition. My bet is either you got a dirty electrical connection somewhere or possibly the voltage regulator.

 

[Anonymous]

it sounds like it's misfiring? are you sure you have ur wires on the right spots on you dizzy cap?

 

[Anonymous]

I would first check that all your connections are solid....

Make sure they're tight at the battery....on your dizzy (makes sure all the points are clean, rotor, etc...). Also, I would recommend going to a Solid State Voltage Regulator as opposed to the original mechanical one. While you're checking everything I would also look over your fuel supply and ensure that you're not getting bad gas in the carb. Check all of these things and hopefully you'll find the weakest link!

Good Luck and Let us know what you find!

 

[Lazy JW]

Tighten or replace the alternator belt first. If that doesn't help, THEN you can start looking for electrical problems.
Joe

 

[Anonymous]

Also have the battery load tested, they will do weird things sometimes....

 

[pedal2themetal45]

Today driving home from school my car would die every time I stopped. Well I finally got it to stay running but it wasn't running good. I think my Pertronix unit has finally gone out. I am going to put the points back in and see if that fixes it but I have a few questions. Which side of the coil does the wire on the points hook up to? How far do the points need to be gapped? I am not sure if it is the Pertronix or not though. Here are some symptoms of my car.

It won't start with the lights on,Do you mean it won't turn over or it turns over slow or it turns over just won't fire

if I press on the brakes when the lights are on the generator light dimly comes on, when I stop the car justs dies, this sounds like its not idleing fast enough or the generator may need rebuilt. Whats your idle set at.
it sounds like it is misfiring. check the plugs for fouling I am thinking it is either the Pertronix, alternator, or battery. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks

Tim

 

[Titleist16]

Well I took my car to the electrical shop and found out that one of my battery cells was dry so I went and bought a new battery. We put it in and it still wouldn't fire up. Then he checked the voltage to the coil and it was low so we had to bypass the resistor. When I put in the Pertronix a while back I was looking for a resistor wire but my car has a ceramic resistor on the firewall and I never bypassed it. Now my car doesn't die with the lights on and starts right up. Good thing it wasn't anything major.

 

[pedal2themetal45]

Glad to hear you got if fixed.... arty:
tim