HELP HELP daul point mallory new points don't work old points do

[moparjon]

please help . i have a Mallory 2557701 dual - point dist. on a 1966 - 361 v8 , when i try to put new points in , same gap and dwell as the old ones , ( to spec ) the car will not start . i have used both the 25042 and 25042X points , same result , when i put the old points back in , the car starts every time . what is happening here ? is it a problem with the condenser ? why would only the old points work ? i have tried one new set one old , no start . i've tried different gaps and dwells , no start . i really need help with this as the old points are pretty much used up and i need to get this through inspection . help help help ! i know i know , get a new electronic ingnition , but i can't right now as i am almost completely broke , and it would work fine if i could get some new points to work . anybody EVER heard of this happening ? thanks -jon

 

[63RedFury]

If the condenser is bad neither set of points will work.Sounds like your new points may not be the right ones.

 

[Revhendo]

OK, so it's been like 30 years since I dealt with one of those. You sure the new points are getting grounded?

 

[morbidgoat]

are you getting any spark at all with the new points? try pulling one of your wires and put a plug in it to see if its getting spark. only other thought i would have is the center contact for the main spark from the coil if this part is changed with the new points maybe the new one just needs to be bent up a little to get contact

 

[moparjon]

ok , in my haste / frustration , i mistated above that the new points were set to dwell too , that was incorrect , i was not getting a dwell reading after setting the gap to spec . after working on the problem for days . i tried the new points again ( the 25042 's ) , no luck , but then tried to put the old ones back in again and was not getting a dwell reading . so , ok its something else . the screw that goes through the distributor housing that has the condenser and coil wire attached to it on the outside , also has the wires to the points on it , on the inside. well , the wire was slightly touching the base plate , causing no spark . i loosened and moved both points wires up making sure they didn't touch anything and got a dwell reading. i then dialed them in and the car was running great ( also the bolt on the coil with the dist. wire was slightly loose . so i tightened them up too ) the next day, today, i was trying the new points again , and noticed that where the wires connect to the blades of the points , the new sets come with the blades straight . which then touch the housing on both sides . so , i bent them away from the housing , making sure that nothing was touching anywhere . then i got spark , got dwell , got em dialed in and the car started . i still can't beleive it . days and days and days , for something so simple . dont let the wires touch anything.

 

[morbidgoat]

it usually is something minor and stupid but congrats on getting her figured out