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Re: points - true or false

To: datsun-roadsters@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: points - true or false
From: SPL311RDST@aol.com
Date: Mon, 24 Jul 2000 18:14:50 EDT
My .02 to some of these.....

In a message dated 7/23/00 9:12:22 PM US Mountain Standard Time, 
vlaury@earthlink.net writes:

>  
>  2) Point sets sold at pep boys et al are equal to original Nissan or what
>  the suppliers carry?

*** One of the biggest problems w/ "bargain brand" points is the *springy 
arm*- many of these are just slapped together and don't open/close "squarely" 
ie: the points won't line up just right, and some tend to "drift", leaving 
you with a varying point gap. Some are so bad that they are impossible to set.

>  2a) What would you recommend and from what source?

***** Someone else said it already - NAPA Echlin. They are one of the few 
sources where you can get the GOOD dist caps w/the brass contact in the 
import applications. Brass is a better contact than aluminun & lasts MUCH 
longer.
The points are available in a higher quality too.

>  
>  4) Rotors, caps and plug wires rarely need replacing.?
>  4a) what are the time limits of use or what indicates replacement?

**** Typically on a daily driver the mfg's recommend once a year - hard to 
judge on a "non-daily driver" tho. 

One point about wires - IF the car has been sitting a while, the cores of the 
wires tend to get brittle. Even if they are low mileage, and appear ok on the 
outside, they can still be a problem spot. Typical scenario:
Car has been sitting a long time, but ran fine when last drove and first 
started up again. Owner decides to poke around under the cap or do a point 
adjust/tune-up "just because". Car NOW has a nasty miss that wasn't there 
before & nuthin' has been adjusted. Probable cause: brittle internals on the 
wires, the insides have separated because they have been disturbed. ( Kinda 
like when you straighten out that bent over lamp cord that was squooshed 
behind the couch for 10 years-- never seems to work right after that!)
>  
>  5) Victor drives like a nut and often operates a shift point above 6,000 
rpm
>  should he abandon points for a pertonics set up?

***I guess the "nut" part it a given from what I've heard <wink>
Why fix something if it ain't broken?? If you have good luck w/ plain ol' 
points FINE - but OTOH - Mark has a Pertronics in his Cortina - It cured some 
ignition problems due to the shaft starting to wear. Runs awesome ever since. 
If/when my dist ever starts acting up, instead of replacing or rebuilding it, 
I'll go to the Pertronics first.

>  6) (extra credit) Victor is very strange and sends weird posts to the 
Datsun
>  Roadster List
>  

*** I guess that depends on your personal definition of "strange & weird* !!! 
- 
Remember Rule #1 - keep everbody guessing, it makes life more interesting!!!

Laurie :-)
70 SPL311
69 SRL311
Chandler, AZ

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