1 Answer

The following is for doing this to a car engine, however much the same would work for a motor cycle or other engine adjusted for application of course.

Although it has been quite some time (fifteen years or so) since I last set up a beaker point/ distributor type ignition system however, I’ll try to explain the sequence involved.

If I recall correctly, of course you’ll need to first install the 'new points' in their location, but leave the screws snug and not tight to the point that the point body can’t be moved.

Now look for a 'slot' between the points 'body' and the 'distributor base' which would accept a flat blade screw driver and insert a suitable screw driver, in it in order to ‘adjust’ how much the points will be ‘breaking’.

For the next step I remember it worked best for me to loosen the bolt in the engine block slightly first, which holds the distributor ‘body’ in it’s ‘final timing location’ in order to be able turn the whole distributor more easily.

And that because one of the 'lobes' on the 'cam, of the ‘distributor shaft’ must be directly under the points 'rider' which runs on these lobes of it and which will be causing the 'breaker points' to open as each lobe ‘lifts’ it in turn, on rotation of the shaft as the motor runs.

Next insert a 'feeler gauge' of the right thickness in between the ‘tungsten’ shielded points, and adjust the points to where the feeler gauge is held snug between them.

It should not be ‘loose’ but rather present a slight ‘resistance’ to pulling the gauge out from in between them.

Now while keeping the gauge in there, tighten the screw with the ‘slotted’ hole that holds the points down and last of all tighten the other screw in the ‘round’ hole to finally secure the ‘beaker points’ in place.

Don’t forget to make sure that you place a small amount of the ‘grease’ lubricant included on the ‘rider’ to lubricate it. (Usually this is contained in a small ‘cut to open’ plastic tube, or most any grease will work)

Once all is secure, that should have it ‘done’ except for setting up the ‘timing’ of the motor, which, if you do not know how, I think I could help you with also.

A former ‘back yard mechanic’ turned combustion engineer.

(see; http://tinyurl.com/cwnlt26 )

tawnybill@yahoo.ca (e-mail me to tell me how everything turned out)

Cheers,

 Willy E.