First I know I should have electronic points but cash crunch right now so here we go...

312 motor.  Set the points to .015.  Car fires right up and idles.  Press on gas car dies. Checked points and the gap was now almost 1/8".  Readjusted and car fired right up.  Ran fine for a while, put into gear and died.  Checked points and found them to be completely closed.  Readjusted and started right up.  This time I was able to drive about 2 blocks and it died.  Looked at points and they were wide open.  Adjusted and started up and went home.

Checked each time to make sure the set screw was tight and it was.  Adjusted each time on the high point of each lobe.

Distributor is bolted down and does not move.

Little movement in the shaft but no more and expected.

Any ideas to what is causing this?

1957 Thunderbird

312

Are the screws holding the plate on which the points are fastened tight?


Lawrenceville, GA

I did notice when I push down on the plate it did have some up/down give to it.  Should it be solid without and movement? 

Rod

1957 Thunderbird

312

It should not move up and down. Make sure your screws are present, and tight. It should rotate, for the vacuum advance. I suppose, if that is worn enough it may move up and down.


Lawrenceville, GA

I will check this tonight.  It does tilt down when you push on it.  I wonder if this could be the gremlin...Appreciate your help.

1957 Thunderbird

312

It seems that Charlie has nailed your problem.  Same thing happened to me on our '57 T-Bird with tach drive distributor.  It would die on me at a stop light, usually it would restart.  The last time it wouldn't start, I checked the points and they were way off.  Reset them and drove home.  Later I discovered that one of the two screws that hold the breaker plate to the dist. housing was missing.  I located the hole, replaced it and it has been fine ever since.  The embarrassing part was that I had had the distributor out to freshen it up and never noticed the missing screw.  Good luck, Nick Brann - K.C., MO

I pulled the points and condenser and could not see any other screws holding it down.  I unhooked the vacuum linkage and it spun fine but does wobble up and down.  The 3 set screws are all in place and tight but that plate sure seems loose to me.  I found a replacement distributor for $60 at autozone.  Much cheaper than the $139 one on line.  It will be in on Thursday.  Will check it to make sure.

If I remove those 3 set screws around the edge, will the plate come out?

R

1957 Thunderbird

312

The plate should come out. The advance mechanism is under that plate.


Lawrenceville, GA

I pulled the plate last night and everything seems to be OK.  There is some "wiggle" room in the plate which might be just enough to cause it to go out of whack but still seems hard for me to grasp that would shut the points down/ or open depending on which time, after such a short time of running.  It does not look worn.  There is a bit of a groove in the dist. where this part seeds down into but it in there solid.

Any other possible reasons for the points to act like this?

Rod

1957 Thunderbird

312

The shaft being loose in the distributor will make point adjustment inconsistent. Just try to move the shaft at its top and see how much side movement is evident. More than just a few thousandts will be too much.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)