Discussion Forum - Northstar Chevelle Club

dashboard · 2K+ Club

Remember when

dashboard · 2K+ Club

Not much is happening in the projects section so I’ll post this. How many remember these? When’s the last time you used a dwell meter?

Just doing a little updating on the Buick, off to Dons soon to spin up the updated dizzy and check out the curve.

Seats are in the shop being recovered, should get the carb and dizzy back tomorrow.

Derek69SS · Founding Member

I honestly would have no idea what to do with a dwell meter... where do you hook up the laptop?

Back in Black · Active Member

Haven't used a dwell meter since mine went flying across the garage when I tried to hook it up with the engine running. Never worked right after that. Come to think of it, I haven't been quite the same either.

John D · 2K+ Club

Got one... took me 20 minutes to find it, and nearly that long to remember how to use it!

(Only you would fabricate a custom carburetor block-off plate for the manifold... for everyone else a rag stuffed in the hole would suffice.)

jim larson · 2K+ Club

I check the dwell at least twice a year. I have it set at 29 degrees and it hasn't move since I put in new points a few years back. I also have an old time timing light and vacumn guage along with a new digital timing light.

Chris R · 2K+ Club

They taught us how to use it back in the early 90s when I was in tech school for automotive repair. I never did use one in the field. Come to think of it, I never did use one outside of school again ever.

jim larson · 2K+ Club

Not sure what you have Kevin. My meter has two leads, a red and a black. Red hooks up to the coil, the neg, the black hooks up to a ground on the engine ( use one of the intake bolts). The meter has 3 readings, rpm, dwell, and volts. By the way, the meter never fails. Can't say that about my computer.

With engine at idle, will read the dwell, which you then adjust with a little allen wrench though the window on the distributor. Then run the rpms up a few time, making sure dwell doesn't change (if it does, you have a shaft problem in the distributor). Should be set each time you set the distributor advance. Don't forget to put a little lube on the wick that lubricates the lobes on the shaft.

Nice find on the broadcast sheet. They didn't have build sheets in 65, just broadcast sheets stuffed here and there.

I just installed a set of front shoes from that outfit in TX (Brakes in a Box). I wonder if I will notice any difference. Plan to put the rears in sometime on a cool day as I am also putting new wheel cylinders in the rear with an oversized bore to give me more braking at the rear.

-- Edited by jim larson on Thursday 26th of July 2012 12:43:14 PM

-- Edited by jim larson on Thursday 26th of July 2012 12:44:38 PM

-- Edited by jim larson on Thursday 26th of July 2012 12:46:06 PM

Tim H · Mega Poster

Very nice Kevin. But is it snowing in your neighborhood?

I like the floorboard treatment. Are yoiu going to put down some sound deadner?

bowtie · Secretary

I used one once. Might even still have mine. No reason to use it though.

dashboard · 2K+ Club

Very nice Kevin. But is it snowing in your neighborhood?

I like the floorboard treatment. Are yoiu going to put down some sound deadner?

Oh ya, most definitely snowing here. Other than carpet padding no sound proofing yet; had some surface rust that I wanted to arrest for now, sound proofing will come at a later date. I’ve become a big fan of mega soundproofing after doing it in the Elky.

67ss · 1K+ Club

bowtie wrote:
I used one once. Might even still have mine. No reason to use it though.

I think you gave it to me.

Lost in the 60s · President

I still have 3 cars here with points and a dwell meter that I use once a year. Those uni-points in your pic were/are total TRASH. Don't put them in anything but the garbage can. Back "in the day", I would remove a set a day from cars that had running problems shortly after a tune up. I worked in a service garage thru out the 70's and installed hundreds of point sets and condensors. I do like the Pertronix III that I put in my Camaro and will eventually convert the rest too, but I have NO problem running points. I ran Blue Point brand points for years in my '70 454 and shifted that at 6500 regularly.

Eastwood just had their soundmat on sale for $120 a couple days ago. If you called and said you were out of town when the email came, they might give you the price.

That floor looks really solid. Rare find in this area.

jim larson · 2K+ Club

Not sure what I have in the car; but the condenser and points are separate.

John D · 2K+ Club

The parts store I worked at out of HS (Chicago 'burbs) used Filko as it's base line for ignition parts, and had AC Delco as a 2nd offering...

The guy at Filko was a Russian dude, with a thick accent - we nicknamed him "Das"... We'd place our daily re-stock orders in the am, and by 2pm they'd be ready. The phone would ring and we'd get "Das is Filllllllllllllkoe... Vann order ready to pickup" - click.

It was way cool that a one-horse local autoparts store could buy factory direct.

John D · 2K+ Club

Well, I just researched and found my personal preference for ignition parts (Filko - DesPlaines IL) was acquired by Standard about 15 years ago!
(Haven't been in the Chicago supplier's market for a LONG time, but Filko made some premium stuff... at good prices.)

I'd stay away from the "uni-points" - as Mitch has pointed out - having the parts condensed (puns intended ) results in a junk base stamping, lousy adjustability, etc. Get the separate pieces, and stick with "Standard Motor Products" or genny "AC Delco" parts.

Lost in the 60s · President

Ditto on the Filco brand. I worked at a Sinclair station in Fridley during the 70's and that's all we used there.

Chris R · 2K+ Club

It would be cool if "Das" is still around today. Retired somewhere sipping on a few cold ones.

dashboard · 2K+ Club

The points have been removed and are now nothing more than a point of conversation. They have been replaced with a Pertronix 1165 ignition kit.

Last night Don the Dizzy guy checked out my distributor, after 47 years it’s right on the mark. I would highly recommend him if you have some distributor issues; he’s very knowledgeable and has well equipped clean shop.

Today I picked up the carb from The Carburetor Shop it think he found the problem I chased for two days, Pat’s another guy I’d highly recommend if you have carb issues.

Fired it up this afternoon the little odd-fire odd-ball engine runs much better, need to get the interior back in tomorrow so we can take it for a ride.

jim larson · 2K+ Club

Who are Don the Dizzy guy and Pat from the Carb shop? Better care a spare set of point and a condenser in you tool kit.

-- Edited by jim larson on Saturday 28th of July 2012 07:37:21 AM

dashboard · 2K+ Club

Don's Ignition Service 763-755-7781 Blaine, MN.

The Carburetor Shop Maplewood, MN. http://thecarburetorshopus.com/contact-the-carburetor-shop-saint-paul-mn.htm

Jim, are you suggesting I retain the ignition points I just removed?

jim larson · 2K+ Club

Just in case. 2 guys from our club in Lake City were stranded last year alone. Numerous member of TC have experienced the same thing.

Lost in the 60s · President

jim larson wrote:
Better care a spare set of point and a condenser in you tool kit.

-- Edited by jim larson on Saturday 28th of July 2012 07:37:21 AM
That would be "pointless", since he now has the Pertronix electronic conversion inside.

dashboard · 2K+ Club

Jim, you’re making me feel uncomfortable when I drive the car now. I wonder how many folks where sitting on the side of the road with points or condenser problems in the same time period. I’m told theses engines where hard on condensers thus part of the reason for the upgrade.

With the rebuilt carb, new ignition system and interior reinstalled we took a little test drive last night. It runs much better but it’s grossly underpowered. Loves highway speeds; however it takes its time getting to 70 MPH; I could not imagine an AC unit on this engine unless you only drove it downhill with a tailwind.

But for cheap insurance a guy could keep a spare ignition module in the trunk; it would only take five minutes with a screw driver to swap it out.

Now that we feel better about the condition of the engine and know the compression check was very good it will be coming out in the next five to ten days to fix the oil leaks and clean up under the hood.

Lost in the 60s · President

dashboard wrote:
Jim, you’re making me feel uncomfortable when I drive the car now. I wonder how many folks where sitting on the side of the road with points or condenser problems in the same time period. I’m told theses engines where hard on condensers thus part of the reason for the upgrade.
With the rebuilt carb, new ignition system and interior reinstalled we took a little test drive last night. It runs much better but it’s grossly underpowered. Loves highway speeds; however it takes its time getting to 70 MPH; I could not imagine an AC unit on this engine unless you only drove it downhill with a tailwind.
But for cheap insurance a guy could keep a spare ignition module in the trunk; it would only take five minutes with a screw driver to swap it out.
Now that we feel better about the condition of the engine and know the compression check was very good it will be coming out in the next five to ten days to fix the oil leaks and clean up under the hood.
There's only 3 more months until winter. Leave the engine in until then and make a swap over winter. Why pull it twice ?????

Back in Black · Active Member

dashboard wrote:
Jim, you’re making me feel uncomfortable when I drive the car now. I wonder how many folks where sitting on the side of the road with points or condenser problems in the same time period. I’m told theses engines where hard on condensers thus part of the reason for the upgrade.
With the rebuilt carb, new ignition system and interior reinstalled we took a little test drive last night. It runs much better but it’s grossly underpowered. Loves highway speeds; however it takes its time getting to 70 MPH; I could not imagine an AC unit on this engine unless you only drove it downhill with a tailwind.
But for cheap insurance a guy could keep a spare ignition module in the trunk; it would only take five minutes with a screw driver to swap it out.
Now that we feel better about the condition of the engine and know the compression check was very good it will be coming out in the next five to ten days to fix the oil leaks and clean up under the hood.

My fancy shmancy MSD Digital E-Curve distributor took a dump at the Car Craft autocross course on Sunday. Good thing I had my trailer there. Nothing is 100% reliable.

dashboard · 2K+ Club

I would do that Mitch, in fact that was my plan but these are not small oil leaks. I was hoping putting some miles on it would help but they are only getting worse. I’d like to get it fixed so we can cruise right up to the snow. If I can satisfy myself with this V6 it could stay in there for a little while, plus I have the time.

"My fancy shmancy MSD Digital E-Curve distributor took a dump at the Car Craft autocross course on Sunday. Good thing I had my trailer there. Nothing is 100% reliable."
How true that is, including ourselves as we get older.

Lost in the 60s · President

dashboard wrote:
I would do that Mitch, in fact that was my plan but these are not small oil leaks. I was hoping putting some miles on it would help but they are only getting worse. I’d like to get it fixed so we can cruise right up to the snow. If I can satisfy myself with this V6 it could stay in there for a little while, plus I have the time.

"My fancy shmancy MSD Digital E-Curve distributor took a dump at the Car Craft autocross course on Sunday. Good thing I had my trailer there. Nothing is 100% reliable."
How true that is, including ourselves as we get older.

Do you need "our" hoist back...

dashboard · 2K+ Club

Thanks for remembering our deal Mitch, I don’t think I’ll need it, my neighbor two doors down has a picker and stand I can use.

Lost in the 60s · President

dashboard wrote:
Thanks for remembering our deal Mitch, I don’t think I’ll need it, my neighbor two doors down has a picker and stand I can use.
Let me know if you need it. I did use it to change out the front diff on my Pete a few weeks ago and couldn't get it to roll straight for anything. I finally realized the right wheel on the front is welded at an angle... THAT will be getting changed. I may put swivels on the front too for easier steering.