[my68cat]

My 68 cougar has had the motor changed to a early 70s 302. I need to get some new points. Do I need to know the year of the motor? By the way The trouble I am having is No fire coming past the cap, I have it going in. Is this my trouble I don 't see any spark at the points when it is being turned over.

 

[70_cougar]

More importantly to what year the motor is.......what distributor do you have. Look on the housing of the distributor and see if you can find a date code. Something like C7---- or C8----- which means 1967 and then 1968.

I like to take the old part with me to the auto parts store and compare it to the one the counter guys go and fetch. This simple little exercise has saved me many a mile of travel and lots of time.

There is also a wealth of knowledge at almost any auto parts store that has a online presence. You can go there and do a search for a 1968 cougar with a 302 and look at the part # for the points and then do a search for a 1971 Ford (what ever you think the distributor is from) and look at the suggested points for it. You may be surprised that there are not that many different ones.

Now as far as the spark, you need a good ground to complete the circuit for the points. You should always replace the condenser. Also if the coil primary windings are open than you will not have a completed circuit either. If the coil is mounted on a fender instead of the engine, I have experienced the copper conductors inside the wire jacket breaking. Constant jiggling of the engine VS the fender will fatigue the wires. Usually at the place where the wire is crimped onto a end terminal. This leaves the illusion you have good wires but in fact the circuit is incomplete.

John

 

[Royce Peterson]

You should never "see" spark at the points. If you do it means the condenser is failed. You should see the point gap is correct, and the points should open and close. The points need to be clean, not burned looking. The contact surface should look silver grey, and be smooth.

Any year points from 1957 - 74 are the same for all Ford / Mercury / Lincoln V8 applications that are single point distributor.

 

[FFR428]

Also the points contact areas should be lined up even and dead square. With new points being made all over the globe sometimes the quality is not so hot. And contact areas are often misaligned. You want to slightly bend the stationary breaker bracket to align the contact areas not the point arm itself. Don't forget to lube the points block with non condutctive grease.

 

[xr7g428]

If you are getting spark at the coil wire, but no spark from the plug wires, you need to check the rotor, and the cap. By definition, if you are getting spark at the coil, the points are at least working.

 

[ZMAN]

May be a good time to try the PerTronix ignition, long as you're working on it.

http://www.pertronix.com/default.aspx

 

[mopardon]

Ford V8 points are the same for all single point distributors. Duel points are different.

 

[cougarshaman]

You should never "see" spark at the points. If you do it means the condenser is failed.

Interesting. The things I learn on here...

 

[my68cat]

I have thought about it. You just wire this right to the coil ?? How long will it last??

 

[Bad69cat]

Quality of points has gone down hill over the years.....coupled with 40 yers of wear and tear you will have to check everything closely from coil to spark plug gap. I'd get it running first with points then do the convert to pertronix - no point wasting money on a dizzy that is frazzled possibly. check that the dizzy is good up and down movement on the shaft as well as side to side. When gapping the points be sure that you are on the highest point on the cam (check it twice) and DON'T overtighten the set screw which is easy to do they don't need much.

 

[mopardon]

Try Stadard Ignitions Blue Steek Points. # FD-8183XV.

 

[my68cat]

Thanks for all the replies took me awhile to get around to working on it, having trouble with my back. After putting the points & condenser in she fired right up.

The up grade to the pertronix set up, you just wire the red & black wires right to the coil?? Thinking of changing it latter on.

 

[xr7g428]

The Pertronix requires a 12 volt power supply so you will need to run a new wire to power it. It will sort of work wired to the coil, and some have made it work for quite a while, but it not designed to operate on the 6 or so volts that are supplied to the coil. Do a search of the site as the install has been discussed hundreds of times.

 

[jk69cat]

You should never "see" spark at the points. If you do it means the condenser is failed. You should see the point gap is correct, and the points should open and close. The points need to be clean, not burned looking. The contact surface should look silver grey, and be smooth.

Any year points from 1957 - 74 are the same for all Ford / Mercury / Lincoln V8 applications that are single point distributor.

i agree with royce, with ford , points are points!