Setting Ignition Points - 59AB

[glennpm]

Hi,


I got lost on the internet yesterday and this morning looking for a DIY precise way of setting ignition points.


First, I found a great video from Mart, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnNbT8KV9HQ&t=614s


I'm going to make a Bruce Lancaster DIY version and hope to see any pictures out there for a DIY points device following this post on the HAMB from Bruce.


"The actual build, stage one: https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/...3#post-2755137

The C&G adaptor button has a 5/8" shank on the side towards distributor. The hole in the degree wheel is tiny...start with a step drill that fits the existing hole, as maintaining a good degree of concentricity is essential. Keep the step drill perpendicular to the wheel so the cone shaped ramps that feed the work to the next size work properly. Keep turning it by hand as it goes through step after step. If you are that high tech, a drill press can be used to hold bit and wheel, but do the rotating by hand. Keep on going till the 5/8 step drops through. This will be close enough to the ring of writing on the wheel to allow an eyeball check of concentricity...wheel now should be a smooth exact fit on the shank of the adaptor. If you want, you can repeat the drilling with a CD and use the chrome wheel as a backup to make the numbers show better.

Next, two retainers: I first pushed on an o-ring, from a Chinese fleamarket universal kit. This snugs the wheel against the flange in a technically unchallenging manner. Next, I popped on a little wire coil keyring of the sort that garages use to append a tag to the customer's car keys. This closes the ends of the slot so adaptor stays properly centered on distributor tang with no cam or engine to pilot it.
Obviously, each part and process could be done differently by someone with lathe or even drill press, but the aim here is universal buildability.

The mark one dwell wheel is ready now for its test: See that it fits and stays on-center on the upside down distributor.
For easy reading, carefully scribe or "Sharpy" in the dwell arcs described far above in this thread.
Make your pointer...the complete slob can just bend a paperclip and install under condenser bracket screw. Better, make up a bolt to fit the precision hole, the one nearer to the vac brake. Probably a typical 5/16 bolt with a layer of Coke can metal around shoulder to replicate shoulder diameter of the special Ford bolt. Wheel rim overlaps bolt holes, so use bolt that ends right below wheel and make a line on it with chisel or file.


First, get your rotation as seen from rear RIGHT, not always easy...
As seen from front, distributor rotates CCW. Mark the correct direction on the back with the sharpy so you have one thing fewer to screw up.

From the zero, mark off 22.5 degrees in direction of rotation...from the BACK, this is CW.
This arc represents Right Point closed period. Now Back Up 9 degrees, from there mark off another 22.5 forward...this is left point. Check your total...should be 36 degrees of point closedness. When the right point closes, coil starts to charge up...when the left opens, the total circuit is broken and spark fire. Then nothing happens for 9 degrees, then whole thing starts over...got it??

To set up, gap the points; block each in turn by putting a piece of clean paper into the set, measure dwell of each, adjust to your satisfaction. then leave both operational and test overall dwell.
Testing is done by test light, either a commercial continuity tester or a Radio Shack battery box and bulb...one end of circuit clipped to primary terminal, other to case. As the world turns, light will be ON if either or both points are closed, OFF when both are open.
If dwell and gap aren't both pretty close to spec, something is WRONG. If one point has to be significantly off spec to bring combined total to 36 degrees, something else is wrong"


Pictures please!