396 Camaro Points Issues
 

Hi Guys,
I'm having an issue with the points in my 1969 Camaro 396. Full disclosure the motor is not stock. It's a Day 2 street car. Unfortunately i don't know all the internal spec's of the motor ( bought the motor used/built). I've had the motor running in my car for 12 years and never had any issues. It's a 1969 Solid Lifter motor with a stock single point distributer. It does have a slight cam. The motor has always been bulletproof, and super reliable.
So my issues started last summer. Dropping a cylinder and then 2 cylinders. This has happened at least 3 times and last night happened again.
First time it happened I inspected the points and distributer cap. Points looked perfect but i noticed the underside of the distributer cap had 3 or 4 contacts chewed up. Bad bushings in the distributer i figured. My buddy happened to have a rebuilt stock one near by. I installed it along with stock GM points/condensor/cap. Car ran great for appox 300 miles. Then the same exact issues popped up again.
Next I replaced points/condensor from Accel. Along with a new coil. Also complete tune up wires spark plugs etc. Same thing ran great for a few hundred miles and same issues came up of dropping cylinders.
Next I installed another set of points/condensor and left the tach wire off the coil to see if it made any difference. It ran great for 3 hundred miles and bang same issues.
I should note, whenever I changed the points they looked brand new, zero physical issues spotted. I tried different spring tension points and still no difference. Of course I set up the points, timing, dwell each time i replaced them.
I am at a loss. Has anyone had this issue?? any suggestions? should i ditch the points and install an MSD or Mallory ??? I must admit I have always kept points in my cars for the last 40 years. I always liked them.
Again, this is not a 100 point restoration. It's a Hot Rod Day 2 car.

Many Thanks, ROB

Did you check the dwell when the issues started, before removing the points ? I found, years ago, the rubbing block does seem to wear in about that 300 mile mark and the points close up enough to cause a weak spark.

I have not tried that. I will check them before i remove them this time around.
Thanks ROB

Install pertronix II Best thing I ever did. I use their black coil. The increase in performance is noticeable.

Pertronix does make a cast aluminum body look alike to the original distributors with their electronic triggers inside. They do require the matching coil, and I don't recall if the distributor is the series II or III. I have 2 of them in engines. I also have 2 Pertronix III conversions with correct, matching ohm coils, in original distributors. No issues with either set up.

Check them at 200 miles and reset, if necessary. You most likely know, but, more is less, meaning the higher the dwell, the narrower the gap. I always set new points at 28 and they stay within the 4 degree window longer.

Gary I use pertronix in cars I drive, and use their black coil. Cars run and idle much better.

Pertronix
 

I have had a Pertronix in my 67 for many years. It works fine and I’ve never touched it.

Richard

Wow, odd that points are giving you those kinds of issues. I'd sure like to hear what the cause for that is.

My experience with Pertronix has been hit and miss. I ran them in one of the Chevrolets and never had a lick of trouble. My Firebird however hated Pertronix. I had 3 Pertronix units in the car, each time they warranted the replacement so I can't say their customer service wasn't top notch, they stood behind it and told me what the issue was each time. Basically it would run fine as long as I stuck to back roads and slow speeds. But as soon as I hit the highway after about 10 minutes the car would completely shut down like I turned off the key. After a few minutes of what I assume was needed cool down time, the car would refire like nothing was wrong. I'd pull on out and sure enough 10 minutes of 70 mph and boom, car shuts down. At that point I took the nearest exit and took back roads home and the car ran fine at 35-45 mph speeds. Pertronix tested that unit and told me it had a circuit in it that was getting hot and shutting down to protect itself. They gave me a new one. Unfortunately the same scenario. After 3 times I finally said forget it and put points back in the car. Pertronix was great to deal with each time but let me tell you when you're buzzing along in the fast lane and the car shuts down, it's not fun, and extremely difficult to get over to the emergency lane. I had enough of that. I've had points in the bird for the last 20 years with no issues at all. I came to the conclusion that the distributor on the Pontiac is burried in the back behind and under the intake manifold and gets virtually no air flow at all. There's a lot of heat back there and I think the Pertronix just couldn't handle it. Ran fine in my Chevrolet where the distributor is up high and more exposed.

In the end though I've avoided the the little add on points replacement deals and just stick to points in the cars I want them in. Both of our daily drivers are still points ignition with their factory distributors, the Z and the Bird. I trust the points more than any wiz bang zapper setup. That being said, I do like triggering an MSD box with the points ignition. I think it's the best of both worlds, with bug zapper spark and the points simply become an on off switch with no strain on them, so they virtually last forever, Best part is if the box ever fails, I just have to swap a couple wires on the coil and drive away on points. Simple 2 minute road side repair.

For what it's worth though, I've never had to replace points in these cars as frequently as the internet leads you to believe. The set in the Bird is 20 years old, same set I put in when the Pertronix came out, and I've put about 100k miles on them. The points in the Nomad have been in there since 1985 when I last changed them, and the Z has the same set I put in 5 years ago when I put that car back on the road again and now 50k miles later still fine. So I rarely buy points. I just check them with the dwell meter once a year.

Only one car I use a complete billet MSD setup on with a fancy distributor and box, and that's been fine for 25 years but I also don't daily drive it.

I just thought of something. Are you using the resistor wire in the harness, this lowers the voltage to the points after you start the engine ?