Ignition points don´t open/close anymore

Hello
I had to change the gaskets at the camshaft, ignition point side. When everything was back in place, when I wanted to adjust the ignition, the points didn´t open or close anymore, not moving, as if the ignition point cam had lost its hump. I took everything out again, checked it, back in place, again, nothing. I can´t understand it. Before everything was working well. I guess I oversee something, somehow a blind angle.
There was no washer behind the point cam, and I asked myself if there should be one in order to have the points gliding not on the brim of the cam but on the irregular surface. Does that make sense? But then: Why did it work before?
Thanks a lot for help!
Peter

There should NOT be a washer behind the points cam.
I think you might have the points cam in backwards. The brim goes in first. Reverse the points cam, and see if that fixes it.

Thanks. I´ll try tomorrow

That´s it! Now it´s working. How stupid. The celts warned againts delicate operations during the full moon period otherwise one could put in the point cam the wrong way...
Sorry for the waste of time!

DogBunny said:

There should NOT be a washer behind the points cam.
I think you might have the points cam in backwards. The brim goes in first. Reverse the points cam, and see if that fixes it.

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Excuse my ignorance what is the brim side??

The points cam starts out as a piece of round stock before it's turned down and made into the cam. But, the whole width isn't turned down, they leave a small "lip" at the bottom. This "lip" is still round and must be on the inner side. If mounted facing out, the points rubbing blocks ride on it and since it's round, the points don't open and close. You can see the lip on the cam in this pic, points cam on the left .....

5twins said:

The points cam starts out as a piece of round stock before it's turned down and made into the cam. But, the whole width isn't turned down, they leave a small "lip" at the bottom. This "lip" is still round and must be on the inner side. If mounted facing out, the points rubbing blocks ride on it and since it's round, the points don't open and close. You can see the lip on the cam in this pic, points cam on the left .....

View attachment 251362

Click to expand...

Thanks. this is fitted the right way round, I'm not 100 percent sure about the advance side though. there are two lines here that are supposed to match also I am told.

The points not opening can also be the result of the block wearing down due to lack of lubricant on the cam. Happened on mine many years ago, but not anymore thanks to pamco ignition.

Yes, on the advance side, the little disc in the center has a slash mark and direction of rotation arrow stamped on one side. That side should face out. There is also a slash mark stamped into the backing plate. These two slash marks should align (yellow arrows) .....



There is a locating pin in the advance rod for the little disc (green arrow) but the hole for it goes all the way through the rod. That means it's possible to have the pin sticking out either side of the rod. One side is correct and locks the little disc in the correct position to give the proper timing. The other position is wrong and will throw the alignment and timing off 180°.

Besides the slash marks on the advance unit, there is another thing that helps you get the install correct. The points cam on the other end of the advance rod also has a locating pin, just like the little advance disc. Correctly installed, both of these locating pins should face in the same direction .....