Just out of interest!

[les]

I’ve been using the van for a couple of days, daily driver playing up. Knowing the van would be used after a period of storage, I thought I’d treat it to some new points, condenser and rotor. Knowing the distributor doctor had a good reputation I bought from them. No real reason to replace, the van started and ran well, just thought after storage it would be a plan. Yesterday the van fired and then nothing. I usually only have to look at the key and away she goes ! This initial firing continued with each turn of the key.
Suspecting an electrical issue I checked the points, the cam was opening the points but the arm in contact with it was slow in springing back, obviously why it fired once but didn’t continue. I put the old points back !
You’ve guessed the moral of this tale ———— if it ain’t broke—- don’t fix it !!

[nutmegct]

I often wonder how often an excess of free time leads us to "improve" things - which results in "dis-improvement".

[King Kenny]

The only time I ever had problems with points is when I change them. I find that the oil the manufacturers put on the metal parts soon wander to the point surface and causing them not to work. Try giving them a good clean with degreaser.

[Biggles1957]

Were you a bit over zealous in tightening the retaining nut so that the moving parts were not quite free to move? Just clutching at straws...

[philipkearney]

I would normally have suggested poor quality contacts - most new ones are, but those from the distributor doctor are supposed to be very good. Could need a little bit of lube on the hinge point ?

[les]

Yes quite likely but I don’t think I’ll be putting them back any time soon! I did slacken off the nut just to see if it made a difference, however the pivot point is on the heel of the cam arm, that’s where the friction is.