[russ6120]

Bought some new points a few months ago cos the oldd ones had gone white....and bugger me, the new ones have done the same. I know that if your points go blue its because the condenser has packed up....but what causes white?

Russ

 

[scooter]

Hi russ6120

Points go white due to corrosion when reacting to moisture in the air, breaking the points down to the constituent atoms or salts of the metal.

 

[russ6120]

In 3 months? How can this be stopped? Or is it just a case of a new seal on the dist cap?

Russ

 

[scooter]

In 3 months? How can this be stopped? Or is it just a case of a new seal on the dist cap?

Russ

I wasn't too sure so I sent your question to 63336 and they agree.

There's no way of stopping it!

There isn't any possible leak nearby is there?

Just a thought...

 

[russ6120]

What do you mean by 'leak'?

 

[scooter]

water from somewhere, maybe a slight water leak?

 

[Plumpcars]

Take a look inside a new MSD distributor after a few months. You would be amazed how rusty the bare steel is.

 

[russ6120]

I'll check for leaks and find an O ring while I'm at it. Can i just clean up the old points or do I have to replace them?

Russ

 

[russ6120]

Just had a look and there is no seal between the dist and cap....just plastic straight onto steel!

 

[satan]

its ozone buildup, ozone is an oxidizer, carefully drill a small hole [around 3/16" to an 1/8" in the cap glue a fitting in the hole making sure it doesn't protrude inside the cap and run a suitable pipe to the carb neck or even a ported vacuum source. :tup: that will stop the buildup.

 

[russ6120]

its ozone buildup, ozone is an oxidizer, carefully drill a small hole [around 3/16" to an 1/8" in the cap glue a fitting in the hole making sure it doesn't protrude inside the cap and run a suitable pipe to the carb neck or even a ported vacuum source. :tup: that will stop the buildup.

I read all the words.....but that's as far as it got.....nothing sank in.
So....in dipstick terms (thats me), I need to get any moisture out of the cap to keep it perfectly dry? And connect it to somewhere that sucks? I've got an old pipe where the vacuum wipers used to go (I think its that..no idea if it was originally fitted with vacuum wipers)
can i fit i to there. can post pics if that helps

Russ

 

[satan]

I read all the words.....but that's as far as it got.....nothing sank in.
So....in dipstick terms (thats me), I need to get any moisture out of the cap to keep it perfectly dry? And connect it to somewhere that sucks? I've got an old pipe where the vacuum wipers used to go (I think its that..no idea if it was originally fitted with vacuum wipers)
can i fit i to there. can post pics if that helps

Russ

yep thats more or less it, just dont use too big a pipe or you'll weaken the mixture too much, used to get this a lot on off-road vehicles due to wading through rivers and the like, ozone however is formed by the constant arcing of the points and rotor, this and the damp in the air is accelerating the oxidization. ozone gas burns pretty good too and will help combustion.

 

[russ6120]

Thanks for that chaps. Will this this pipe do? The one off the manifold..

 

[satan]

Thanks for that chaps. Will this this pipe do? The one off the manifold..

yep that'll do fine, but reduce the size, a piece of copper brake pipe looks like it could be ideal. if thats a brass fitting solder it it place then use an ordinary vacuum line like the one going to the advance /retard can on the distributor.:tup:

 

[BlueGenePop]

Personaly I recon it is because points are the spawn of the devil, they burn, corrode, and start going wrong from the moment you get them right!
the only way I have ever found to prevent them causing trouble has been to fit electronic ignition!

 

[satan]

Personaly I recon it is because points are the spawn of the devil, they burn, corrode, and start going wrong from the moment you get them right!
the only way I have ever found to prevent them causing trouble has been to fit electronic ignition!

yep, i agree:incheek: and ozone gas forms in those too. the way to eradicate it completely is coil on plug,[no distributor]

 

[bigyellataxi]

My MSD Pro Billet was rusty as fuck inside, and I was told (by MSD) to do what Santa said.

Sorry, Satan said.

 

[satan]

My MSD Pro Billet was rusty as fuck inside, and I was told (by MSD) to do what Santa said.

Sorry, Satan said.

HO,HO,HO,:tup::incheek:

 

[rovertenrod]

Be careful of the vacuum pipe reply. If the seal on the cap is good, the dizzy builds up a vacuum and on stopping , can draw a small amount of mixture into the dizzy. Seen this happen on many a cavalier when the vacuum advance fails- it blows the distributor cap clean off and sometimes in two.

Dave

 

[russ6120]

Think i'm gonna fit new points and condenser......have a good lok for cracks or where moisture can get in and spay a little wd40 for good measure...
Dont fancy drilling holes, although an eletrikery dizzy would be the ulttimate! Got enough to do at the mo....like fit the camera axle i've bought....