Kilgore47 Posted May 25, 2023 Report Share Posted May 25, 2023 After two months of working on the P15 I finally got everything pack together and it's time for a drive. Not two months worth of work - I take my time and only work on it when I want to. That keeps it fun. Anyway - Started the car to let it warm up while I was rolling down the windows, rolling up the shop door and checking to make sure nothing was in the way. The engine stumbled a couple of times so I jumped in the car to check the choke setting. Everything was fine and then it died. That's not unusual for one of these old cars when they are cold. But it didn't start back up. Tried a dash of starting fluid to see if there was any spark and nothing happened. Maybe the ignition switch finally gave out - so I got the spare key out of the tool box in the trunk (18 inch wire with alligator clips on both ends). Still no spark. So I pulled the distributor. The last time I had the distributor out to adjust the points I put a tiny bit of dielectric grease on the distributor cam to keep the points contact to the cam from wearing too fast like it had been doing. Just a tiny bit. Which was a tiny bit too much because that grease got on the points contact and kept it from firing. All fixed now and the car is running good in time for the cruise in this coming weekend. All this to say that I have added a new item to the tool box in the trunk. A can of electrical contact cleaner. Next time this happens I should be able to pull the cap and spray the points clean. Give it a little time to dry and then be back on the road. I can fix that - But it may take more than one try 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saskwatch Posted May 25, 2023 Report Share Posted May 25, 2023 Thank you for posting this , good to know …. When I installed new points there was a note from manufacturer that a small amount of the included lube must be added. I will now know what to do if I get similar results. Thank you ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonaldSmith Posted May 25, 2023 Report Share Posted May 25, 2023 Clean points are happy points - I just wanted to point that out. Recently I installed new points. When I bench tested the distributor, there was no continuity across the points. I dragged a small piece of paper between the contacts. That did the trick. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kilgore47 Posted May 25, 2023 Author Report Share Posted May 25, 2023 2 hours ago, DonaldSmith said: I dragged a small piece of paper between the contacts. That did the trick. When I was young I was told that a dollar bill could be used for that. But it was rare for me to have paper money and pocket change didn't work. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonaldSmith Posted May 25, 2023 Report Share Posted May 25, 2023 Nowadays, you'll need a ten dollar bill. Credit card won't work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Los_Control Posted May 25, 2023 Report Share Posted May 25, 2023 Just a trick I was taught years ago, anytime I install or mess with points. I always drag a white business card between the contacts. Something we almost always have & I simply prefer white because it shows the oils you cleaned off ... do it a couple times if needed til it comes out clean. Brand new points will have oils on them that is in the metal, or possibly your feeler gauge has some dirt & oil on them .... Brand new points with a white card, you will get a smear of black oil on the card. Putting grease on the rub block is a good thing, I would not stop that .... maybe just a bit less next time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soth122003 Posted May 25, 2023 Report Share Posted May 25, 2023 Since my P-15 doesn't have a cup holder, I bought one of those plastic cup/tape cassette holders that sit on the trans tunnel hump. It holds my soda when I drive and the other holder holds a blue tooth speaker. The tape area hold an old phone that blue tooths the music to the speaker. The last thing that the tape holder area holds is a points file and a book of matches (this doubles as a fire source and a points cleaner and gap setter if I have to adjust points on the fly). I have used this more than once to get the car started after setting in the Florida humidity for more than a few weeks after not being started. Joe Lee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry Roberts Posted May 25, 2023 Report Share Posted May 25, 2023 There is a special lube for the distributor cam . One place to buy it is MAC'S FORD Parts , MacsAutoParts.com Lubricam is one brand . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sniper Posted May 25, 2023 Report Share Posted May 25, 2023 Napa has it too https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/ECHML1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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