NAPA CS30 Points

[Dirtrack49]

Purchased some points from NAPA a few months ago. Installed them in the car since I was having some issues that ended up being the pigtail wire once again.
Just went to set the point gap for the 3rd time in 612 miles and the rubbing block is so far gone that the points arm is arching to the cam.
After reading many a post that the best replacement points can be had at NAPA, I am wondering what went wrong.
My distributor cam is polished like a mirror. I lube the cam regularly with silicone grease. Cam shaft shows little or no play.
Has anyone else run into what I would call defective points from NAPA lately?
Tom L.

[Bill G]

I have been having difficulty finding any supplier that has original style points that fit. I have not had any issues with the rubbing block. In fact, my experience with most stock-style points is that the length of the arm is just a little too long. Some vendors sell a "band-aid" point block that accommodates the points that are too long. I don't show my car so I went with modern Blue Streak points and NuRex upper plate. I kept the original style condenser.

[Dirtrack49]

The NAPA, or should I say, the Echlin CS30 points, are the proper length of 1.210 from center pivot point to the center of the point contact. The material used for the rubbing block, looks like some type of fiber. The points that I had replaced, showed no real wear after 1400 miles and they have what appears to be a different material for the rubbing block. I don't know if they are original points from the era, or something newer.
I put the old set back on and will see how they work out.
Anyone have a picture of an original set of points?
Tom L.

[old ugly]

if you are running modern style points?.

most modern style points that you buy from local suppliers are cheaply make.
these points that have a PLASTIC cam follower that is riveted to the point arm and spring. the rivets are a point of resistance and create too much heat and melt the PLASTIC follower. this closes up your point gap very quickly. this style of points are garbage.
you need to find a supplier that sells points with the bakealite style follower.

edit.
i just looked at the part number you supplied and see you have are using the original style, so this info probably does not apply to your situation but good to keep in mind.


being that good points are so hard to find, i would never install ,or convert to, modern style points in a model A. stay with the original style.

[katy]

Originally Posted by Dirtrack49

I lube the cam regularly with silicone grease.

You may be using the wrong kind of grease. I usually just use chassis grease, your mileage may vary.

[nkaminar]

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The vendors sell a grease made for the distributor cam. If the follower is in fact a plastic that gets soft with heat then you will need to find points that have the fiber follower.

[rotorwrench]

Standard Motor Parts purchased Echlin some time ago. When the purchase went though, I was wondering how that would affect the quality of Echlin Parts over time. Standard Motor Parts points aren't what they used to be.

The reproduction points sets Ford OEM type model A plates used to fit well. I recently purchased a new set and also found them to be too long. Luckily my old points were still good so I cleaned them up and put them back in. They adjusted easily to dead center and a straight & parallel gap.

[Dirtrack49]

The Echlin points that I bought a couple of years ago as back up fit well. The rubbing block looks like a cork material. What it's actually made of I have no idea. The rubbing block was toast in 612 miles.
Like "katy" recommended, I might try another cam lube like lube grease or Vaseline. I had been using SuperLube which is a dielectric silicone grease. I use it on hoses a lot. Makes things slip on easily.
I find it difficult to believe that the rubbing block would wear down that fast.
Can anyone provide a picture of an original set of points? I would like to compare them to what I am running now.
Thanks.
Tom L.

[Patrick L.]

A tube of lube can be purchased from any of the A vendors and local parts houses should also have. In the old days Vaseline was used.

[nkaminar]

Here is what is advertised as an original tune up kit on ebay. https://www.ebay.com/itm/264100554897 You can zoom in on the points in the second photo.

[old ugly]

Originally Posted by nkaminar

Here is what is advertised as an original tune up kit on ebay. https://www.ebay.com/itm/264100554897 You can zoom in on the points in the second photo.

i would say that fibre rubbing block is what is normal. it looks like what i bought from snyders. mine seams ok so far.
i have had original "style" points that have had a black block made from something different (hard not plastic) and they lasted a long time as well.

polish the cam real smooth, like glass and use some good grease and hope for the best, thats about all you can do.

[townsedan29]

try O-Riellys I believe they use bwd points and condenser life time guarantee cured my problems with other venders points and condensers

[BillCNC]

I removed these last week, 300 miles / 2 years time and the cam was lubed twice with Vaseline.

Cam has horizontal score marks, points block is severely worn and with uneven wear. The striation score marks can be felt by dragging a fingernail across them. Point pads were 50% misaligned and the pads were not parallel to each other. Unfortunately, I replaced this pair with a very similar pair. I think I'm going to lube the cam every 100 miles until I can get a properly made set.

Regards
Bill

[chrs1961815]

As someone who has rebuilt distributors for a while, I find it best to use older sets of points that have the correct length arm and better rubbing blocks. They aren't hard to find, many sets are lying around because some genius decided to change the points every year despite the fact they were working.

[katy]

Originally Posted by BillCNC

I removed these last week, 300 miles / 2 years time and the cam was lubed twice with Vaseline.

Cam has horizontal score marks, points block is severely worn and with uneven wear. The striation score marks can be felt by dragging a fingernail across them. Point pads were 50% misaligned and the pads were not parallel to each other. Unfortunately, I replaced this pair with a very similar pair. I think I'm going to lube the cam every 100 miles until I can get a properly made set.

Regards
Bill

W/a rough cam like that the point's dubbing block won't last very long. I would suggest that you remove the cam, mount it on a longish bolt, put it in a drill, spin it and polish it up w/crocus cloth. Once it's polished up, put it back, apply a small amount of the lubricant of your choice and then the rubbing block of the points should last a long time, that is if they're made of a proper material.
Alternately you could buy a new cam and hope that it's as smooth as it should be.

[Y-Blockhead]

Originally Posted by old ugly

polish the cam real smooth, like glass and use some good grease and hope for the best, thats about all you can do.

So you are saying sand blasting is probably not a good idea?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/32504166821...ampid%3APL_CLK

[katy]

Originally Posted by Y-Blockhead

So you are saying sand blasting is probably not a good idea?

Not for the cam.
As Old Ugly said: "polish the cam real smooth, like glass".

[old ugly]

Originally Posted by chrs1961815

As someone who has rebuilt distributors for a while, I find it best to use older sets of points that have the correct length arm and better rubbing blocks. They aren't hard to find, many sets are lying around because some genius decided to change the points every year despite the fact they were working.

good idea.
i too like to use original stuff or sometimes the older jobber supplier parts from pre-offshore parts era. a lot of stuff gets changed that didn't need to be changed.
i keep all the little parts that i remove from the acquired inventory of model A parts. many times I'm into those boxed looking for stuff.

i just don't know why I'm keeping that whole box of worn out tranny gears, Is that a sign of being a hoarder?

[Y-Blockhead]

Originally Posted by katy

Not for the cam.
As Old Ugly said: "polish the cam real smooth, like glass".

Guess that one went over your head?

[katy]

Must be still going.