Stopping suddenly? That's an ignition problem. If it were a carb problem, it wouldn't just "stop" all the sudden. The rubber tip ? That's more'n likely up inside the idle circuit now and if you'r fuel has alcohol mixed into it, that's likely why the rubber tip is missing now. You didn't answer my question, are you still running points ?
Points are fine once they're set PROPERLY but they do not stay that way for long with the wearing of the point block againnst the distributor cam, add in the wearing of the point contacts to that mix too. As all this wear occurs, the dwell angle continually changes throwing the adjustment off. This affects the overall tune of the engine and is often mistaken for the carb tune changing. This is where multiple carb setups got their bad reputation. Once a Holley is set, it will stay that way for years. The only two things that'll cause it to change is bad and/or inferior fuel, and the slight wearing of the throttle shaft in the carb base. And that will take a long time as long as you don't use a return spring that's too heavy. Changes in the atmosphere will also affect the tune of a points ignition, another area that was incorrectly attributed to carbs.
Well, good parts properly installed in a points type distributor will run well for two years as long as the dirtributor breaker plate is not worn and the cam is lubed. I have two cars that currently run points without problems. I set them when I install them and don't touch them until I replace everything in the next tune up. My plugs last that long too - standard Autolite plugs gapped at minimum spark gap for smooth idle (.028 - .030").
This depends on the quality of the points set used. Most are crap and seldom run six months in a daily driven car, before needing adjustment or changing. Pertronix ? Never needs adjustments. Nor does a Duraspark. Set it and forget it. Plugs last 4-5 years.
I did mention good parts - standard Blue streak works well for me. My cars are daily drivers. Leave the ignition on without starting the car and the DSII burns out - but a new one. Pertronix has its own problems - as some here have experienced. No system is perfect but the one in your car at the time.
Never had a problem with a Pertronix I or II, nor with the Crane XR-1. Left the ignition on many times too. Duraspark ? Can't beat it either.
Mounted the pertronix today, but the car wouldn't fire with it.. Did some measuring and found that I only had about 6 volts at the + on my coil.. Do I have to mount the + for the pertronix somewhere else, where I'm able get 12 volts or is it just something that I've overlooked?
You need to remove the voltage resistor segment in the ignition wire. This is supposedly somewhere between the firewall and the coil.
Awesome, cause it was broken and spliced 3 places just in the engine bay.. All the wiring in the engine bay actually looks like that I'll have to change most of the wiring this winter I actually think I found out why the car would just randomly stop when the carb was tuned perfectly: The wire going from the points in the distributor to the coil was just twirled together with tape on the outside, and they were just hanging on with like 3 or 4 (!) copper threads
