points replacement 1950 dodge

[Guest xpebrian]

have 1950 dodge truck and was looking at points cant see how to remove them any help appreatchiated and info on how to ajust point gap have repair manuale but it isint to clear

[greg g]

The easiest way is to pull the dist out of the engine and do it on the bench or clamping it in a vice. Remove the cap and mark the position of the rotor in relation to the distributor body, and then reference the vacuum advance to the block so it can go back in in the correct position. With the dist out, it is very easy to see how the points are held in and adjusted, While it is out check the condition of the internal wire that connects the points to the coil wire. These sometimes crack the insulation and short against the dist body. causing running problems. Point gap is .020.

To remove the dist, disconnect the vaccuum advance tube, the coil wire, and the bolt which clamps the dist to the engine, and after marking the rotor and dist position pull it straight out of the engine.

[Guest xpebrian]

hello there have 50 dodge 1 ton has ran and started grate aslong as i have had it witch has been about two years but ran into a proablum pulled cap off to insecpt points cap and rotor they looked good reinstalled cap and rotor but know truck will not run first time in 2 years what could i have done to cause truck not to run thanks for all the help

[grey beard]

I agree xcompletely with Greg - this is the only way to do points. With the distributor out of the engine and in a vise, you can eyeball the setting and get a much more accurate adjustment than is ever possible while leaning over the fender. AND if you wear bifocals, it is really the ONLY way to see whatcher' doing.

AND, while she's out there on the hench, check the short little braided ground wire that connects the movalbe breaker plate to the distributor body. These little devils have bitten many a good mechanic right in the hurtful pride zone, since they're so small and easy to overlook. Also, either use a vacuum pump and gauge or suck on it with your mouth - to check for certain that your vacuum advance unit is not leaking. The part is critical to good drivability, and this is the easiest time to check it.

Coupla' other points - no pun - Do use a dab of ignition point lube on your point rubbing block. Auto stores sill sel it. A small tube will llast the resrt of your youngest son's life. Any time a distributor is pulled from an engine, wiggle the main distributor shaft sideways to check for wear and play in the top bushing, just under the points. Last of all, eyeball best you can the centriugal advance unit, just underneath the breaker plate. Check it for binding, wear, missiing or broken springs. They're very dependable, and are often overlooked. LOL:)

[Don Coatney]

Here are pictures of what your distributor looks like inside. The wire in the first picture is the one Dave and Greg are talking about.

[Guest xpebrian]

Here are pictures of what your distributor looks like inside. The wire in the first picture is the one Dave and Greg are talking about.

thanks for pics but my distribuator looks difrent inside the distributor number of my distributor is iay4002-1 puled cap and checked points and rotor and cap look like new but when re asembled it wont start know point gap is at

.16 what could be rong alwasy started right up and ran till know

[Reg Evans]

Maybe you put the cap on backwards or you somehow broke the little braided wire inside or you caused the coil wire to come loose or the little spring loaded graphite contact inside the top of the cap fell out or the distributor was loose and the timing changed or.......

Gotta catch my breath.

Too hard to tell what went wrong without being there and then sometimes that doesn't help either. Keep trying...you'll find it.

Does your 230 1 ton truck engine not have the external vacuum advance?

[Guest xpebrian]

Maybe you put the cap on backwards or you somehow broke the little braided wire inside or you caused the coil wire to come loose or the little spring loaded graphite contact inside the top of the cap fell out or the distributor was loose and the timing changed or.......

Gotta catch my breath.

Too hard to tell what went wrong without being there and then sometimes that doesn't help either. Keep trying...you'll find it.

Does your 230 1 ton truck engine not have the external vacuum advance?

no it dose not have the vacume advanced unit

[greg g]

the culprit may be as simple as having the coil lead back out of its tower on the cap. Assure all spark plug and coil wires are fully seated in the cap. Also assure thet the cap is fully seated in the proper position and snapped down properly on the dist.

[grey beard]

Negative - Negative!!! The wire of which I speak is the smaller ground wire shown in Don's first photo to the left of the lead to the coil that he is identifying.

Bottom line here is that when the distributor turns, the points must open and close, both mechanically and electrically. This means that you must have the correct gap, etc. - about 0.016 or 0.017-inch, but you must ALSO have electrical continuity starting and stopping as the points open and close. Just the smalleste, most invisible piece of dirt between the point contacts can keep a vehicle from ruinning. After I adjust points, I always use a clean hankey or clean shop towel on a screwdriver blade to clean the contact area.

Now while your distributor is there in your vise, hook up a battery charger or any battery to the lead coming from the distributor and spin it slowly with your hands. You should both see and hear sparks making and breaking as the points open and close. If you use a battery charger, you can even use a test light to prove the points are actually opening and closing electrically, before you reinstall the distributor into the engine.

One last point on dist. removal and replacement. These distributors have no drive gear on the shaft. Rather, they have just a (ahemmm) male slot that engages into the oil pump drive shaft end. All this means that unlike most other automotive engines in the world, the distributor will drop right into place. And, since there is no gear, but just a slot, you have only one chance to get it in wrong. If you remember where the rotor tip oointed before you pulled it out, just get it close to that position going back in, and you're a winner. This is a much easier job than is called for in most other engines that have a drive gear on the distruibutor. LOL

[bach4660]

check for a bakelite (old style plastic) insulator on the housing where a wire comes through, if that crumples you will loose ground against the casing and get no spark.

[Guest xpebrian]

hello there thanks very much for all the info i don t see any wires inside distribuator excpt for the wire to the condensor the wire frome the coil comes down and connects to a stud on the outside of distributor the points and condensor connect on the inside of the distribuator to that same stude

evorything seems to be connected point gap is at 0.17 when i puled top of carb float bowl was full of gas so i have gas to carb for the life of me i cant figure out whats wrong

[Guest xpebrian]

hellohave 50 dodge 1 ton with starting proablum

checked spark at coil no spark replaced coil with brand new one frome carquest still no spark at coil how is the coil wired witch wire gose to positive side of coil and witch wire goes to negitive side of coil thanks alot Brian Wilcox

[48WingNut]

Try a different coil wire and see what happens. Just a thought.

48WN

[Merle Coggins]

Brian,

The Negative side of the coil is the power source from your ignition switch. The Positive side goes to the distributor and the points. (if your truck is Pos ground) The points open and close the ground on the coil circuit. Check that you have voltage at the Neg side with the key on. Then if you have Ohm meter, or other type of continuity meter, check the Positive wire for a ground. Disconnect the wire from the coil and connect your meter to that wire and a good ground. Turn over the engine and you should see continuity to ground when the points are closed, and no continuity when the points are open. If you never have continuity you have an open circuit such as broken wire, bad points, or distributor isn't grounding to the block. If you always have continuity you have a short in the wire or points system.

The coil works as follows;

When the points close it completes the circuit for the coil which energizes the coil creating a magnetic field (becomes an electromagnet). When the points open that magnetic collapses which induces a high voltage spike within the coil. This high voltage gets discharged through the coil wire, which gets distributed through the cap and rotor to a spark plug. Spark plug arcs, gas goes BANG, and engine runs. If any of this doesn't happen... no BANG.

Good luck

Merle

[bach4660]

hello there thanks very much for all the info i don t see any wires inside distribuator excpt for the wire to the condensor the wire frome the coil comes down and connects to a stud on the outside of distributor the points and condensor connect on the inside of the distribuator to that same stude

thats what I am talking about, there is an insulator on that stud if breaks or you overtighten it the stud will ground out against the casing and you won't get a spark. I know cause I now own two coils, and to sets of leads trying to find out why I didnt have a spark. I eventually used a ballpoint pen casing as a temporary insulator just to make sure I was getting a spark. So use your voltmeter and make sure the there is no continuity between the stud and the casing.

[Norm's Coupe]

I didn't read all the post on this, but check the rotor and make sure it's making contact with the cap.

Some distributors have taller caps than others for our engines. So, the rotors are taller for the taller caps. If you have a short rotor, your not making contact. Also make sure the coil wire is seated all the way into the cap. If you listen close, you'll hear a snap when it's completely seated.

[Guest xpebrian]

what is the voltage suposed to be coming frome the ignitchion switch side

replaced points condensor cap rotor coil still no spark any help appreatchiated

thanks alot Brian

[Guest xpebrian]

what is the voltage suposed to be coming frome the ignitchion switch side

replaced points condensor cap rotor coil still no spark any help appreatchiated

thanks alot Brian

[Guest xpebrian]

hello there again finally got spark out of my ignatchion system points gapped to .016 plunty of spark but know she wont start she tries to start but wont fire catch what should i look for its getting gas any ideas appreatchiated

thanks alot Brian

[Reg Evans]

Make sure your battery is fully charged and that the engine isn't flooded with gas. Try some starting fluid maybe. or...Pull one of the spark plugs. Reconnect the plug wire and make sure the plug has a good ground. Have someone turn it over so you can see if the plug is sparking.

[Guest xpebrian]

engine is not flooded good spark at plugs points gaped at 0.16 fully charged battery getting gas to carb maybe timing off can this keep truck frome running whets the best way to set timing for this truck ran fine lost spark fixed that problem know she wont run any help apprechiated

[Jim Yergin]

If you have gas and spark then it seems to me the only thing left is that the timing is off. I had a similar problem with my Plymouth and discovered my spark plug wires were off one spot each on the distributor cap. I had no recollection of having moved them but once I had them in the correct spots the engine fired right up. You might also check your static timing to make sure that is correct.

Jim Yergin

[MBF]

I don't know, but I've always enjoyed the feeling of the blood rushing to my head as I bend myself over the fender trying to look through my bifocals to see what's going on. What makes it even better is dropping something down inside the distributor, or on to the floor so that you have to stand up quick and hit your head on the hood so that you can quickly lay down on the floor to retrieve what you hoped was laying on the floor has now fallen down into the floor drain. I find that getting really aggravated at this point helps too as it will almost certainly assure that you hit your head on something as you crawl out from under the truck. I don't know why anyone would remove the distibutor and miss this experience. Mike

[Guest xpebrian]

I don't know, but I've always enjoyed the feeling of the blood rushing to my head as I bend myself over the fender trying to look through my bifocals to see what's going on. What makes it even better is dropping something down inside the distributor, or on to the floor so that you have to stand up quick and hit your head on the hood so that you can quickly lay down on the floor to retrieve what you hoped was laying on the floor has now fallen down into the floor drain. I find that getting really aggravated at this point helps too as it will almost certainly assure that you hit your head on something as you crawl out from under the truck. I don't know why anyone would remove the distibutor and miss this experience. Mike

whell despite all the hard work got her timed and running know the carb need rebuilt but after that shell run grate