Help understanding a points ignition system

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I am planning to convert my old Dodge D200 to an electronic ignition. But for right now I have to get the truck back on the road so I can get to work. The truck all of a sudden died and would not start. When I pulled the cap there was a lot of moisture. It needed it anyway so I went ahead and tuned the truck up with new plugs, wires, cap, and rotor. But the truck still would not start and the plugs were not getting any spark. I looked it up and everything pointed to the points being bad. So, I cleaned the cam and filed the points to a smooth solid contact. I tried to buy a new condenser but there were a lot of issues with that so I said to hell with it. Further research stated I need a dwell meter to make it all work. I just need this truck to run for now. Is there another way I can do this without buying an expensive dwell meter I am only going to use once?
 

dennis

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Most of the point ignition's were measured with feeler guage's so around .016 thousand's. the early gm's used a dwell meter but you had to have a way to adjust the points while turning over hence it had a little window to open and a allen head adjustment to set dwell. but it was still a more or less feeler guage adjustment. old gm's it was 28-32 for dwell which was about .016 thousands.
 

gunz

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I have only used a dwell meter a few times to verify, I just set the points at the know gap adn let it eat.

I got tired of points and moved the an HEI distribuitor on my old Chevys and never looked back.
 

dennis

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an old gm with a hei was a good improvement but this guy was working on the dwell meter for an old dodge. which could be probably be changed out to the chrysler pointless ignition. and would be a good improvement.
 
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I agree. I found a company that makes a new drop in ditributor and evrything I need to make it work with my old engine. When I pull that old 318 to go through it I plan to make the switch then.
 

OLDBULL8

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Why is it that the Chrysler, Dodge and Plymouth vehicle's get moisture in the distributor? I've know that problem for 65 years now, won't start, wipe out the distrib cap, starts right up then. Sometimes have to clean the white powder off the cap spark plug contacts.
 

subway

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depending on what happened you might have a bigger problem thatn moisture. the condensor and coil can both fail when they get old or randomly fail when they get hot then work again when they cool off. that is a ***** of a problem to figure out!

sounds like you might want to ohm out the coil to make sure it is good but i suspect the condensor crapped on you.

pertronix sells nice drop in kits that get rid of the points and use a light sensor to fire the coil. they can be added to the stock distributor to keep a stock look you just mount up the sensor where the points were and run the wires to box you mount. it is supposed to be very reliable, i plan on upgrading my willy's truck with a kit and get around to it.
 

sle2115

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I bought a pretty decent Sunpro dwell meter years ago for like $10 new. I'd definetely go to the electronic system and I've installed many, years ago. Pertronix also makes one for my Ford tractor and I've been meaning to change it out, but it runs so good I hate to mess with it! :)
 
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