Re: Points service - 58 V4 mag
Nuts, You set the points in one of two ways. Either use a feeler gauge and set them to .020" at the point of the lobe, or use a continuity meter and set them to open as the timing marks align. You need to disconnect the killer wire to use the contunity meter. also the condenser kicks back a bit so read the meter carefully.
There are two timing marks on the dissy housing pully bottom. one is near the right side of the motor(looking at the pully), the other between the dissy and the block. The second timing mark is hard to find, for some reason, it seems to wear away, but it is 90* away from the first one.
Chris,
You stated, "You set the points in one of two ways. Either use a feeler gauge and set them to .020" at the point of the lobe, or use a continuity meter and set them to open as the timing marks align".
Those are two entirely different adjustments. The point gap determines how long (in distributor degrees) the points are closed and are sending 12V to the primary side of the coil. Once the gap is set with the rubbing block on the tip of the cam lobe it remains the same. The actual timing of the breaker points is adjusted by when the leading side of the lobe first "breaks" the points and allows the secondary winding of the coil to discharge and send the pulse to the plug.
One could set the points to open when the timing marks align, but the point gap could be set to any gap at all, which would affect the voltage sent to the plugs. Two different adjustments.
I suppose if nothing is worn and there is no slop in the distributor or the mounting locations of the breaker assemblies, setting .020" gaps on the nose might result in each set opening exactly 90deg from each other. But that was my concern. I'm familiar with ignition systems, but not with the actual mechanics of this 50 year old motor. I was going by the shop manual, which seems to show that access is needed to adjust the mounting location of the breakers to be sure of the 90deg relationship between them.
With the top plate and gear on, I won't be able to check the point of "break" using the marks on the gear because I won't have room to get the VOM probe where it's needed. At least that is what the manual seems to indicate.
Verne
