Foul 304 - what is this dist?

[Tom Mandera <tsm1@domain.elided>]

OK, decided to do some more debugging...

First, I found a box of spark plugs in the garage.. Autolite 303s, but 
they were in a box of Champ RJ12YC plugs... box was labeled "Old Scout 
Plugs" and the individual plug boxes were numbered!  Now, I don't know if 
I knew the *correct* numbering sequence when I changed the plugs over 2 
years ago, but...

All 8 plugs appeared to be similarly dirty.  One was a little more so 
than others, but it wasn't fouled.

Anyhow..

Yanked #6 tonight, it was carbon fouled again.  I also hit FIVE mpg 
again.  :-(

Time for more debugging!

I started playing with my testing kit.  It said to hook the volt meter up 
to the battery and coil +, and then short the coil -.  Starts off at 12 
or 13V, turn the key ON, and hits 7V.  If I short the - coil, it hits 
8V.  Diagnostic stuff says 4-8 is OK, but over 8 is bad.

Move on to the next test.  Resistance.

Battery to - coil, naturally reads OPEN until the points close.. but it's 
not far enough over to be "OK" with the points closed, so I have high 
resistnace somewhere beyond the coil - post.

OK, yank the cap, pull the rotor, and then start hunting out where the 
high resistance is.

Well... I can't get the points to close!  Even the position it *was* in, 
the points don't appear closed.  Check all the connections.. Yup, 
everything is good.

I'm looking in my distributor at my "points", and I still can't figure 
'em out.. since I haven't seen points like that before.

I haven't seen a rotor like this one either!  Put the *rotor* back on, 
and I can get resistance again!  Hmm.. might explain why the new rotor 
wouldn't work... 

The old rotor is built like your typical rotor... but instead of a 
rectangle of plastic, it's fully round.  It also has, on the underside, a 
metal "crown" (upside down).  It's all one piece, doesn't appear to make 
contact to anything else on the rotor, and has "castellations" like on a 
battlement (again, upside down) at regular intervals.  8 square "holes" 
in all.

Check out the pictures at:

http://www.tmcom.com/~tsm1/scout/faq/jpg/distrotor

At the same time, while poking around with the other tester lead, it 
starts *sticking* to the "points."  I look closer, and it's still like no 
points I've ever seen (not that I'm fond of, nor proficient in, dealing 
with points.. I can deal with the dual points on my Honda m/c, and that's 
as far as I've ventured *thus far*)

I can't understand how there are POINTS in there, with this good sized 
magnetic thing, with the two wires running from it, out the dist, into 
the 4-wire plug, and into the coil.

I mentioned a while back a funny square box, with heatsink fins on all 
sides, with a 4-plug connector that seems to tie into the coil and 
distributor.. the closest I could guess was it's an electronic ignition 
of some sort...

But this is a '72 304A from a '72 Scout II!  It's not *supposed* to have 
electronic ignition!

The Holley replacement cap works fine.  The numbers were off by one (that 
is, the old cap had a (1) on it, and the new cap has a (1) on it, but 
they were ONE off.. )

What is this monstrosity, and is there something afoul with it?  I 
thought I would go through the ignition a little closer before I take the 
valve covers off to take my first peek at rockers and lifters and 
valves.. 

5mpg isn't acceptable.  I must hit 10mpg.  :)  I've done it before with 
this motor (at the time, 304/3spd/3.73/31s, now 304/4spd/4.09s/33s, 4" 
lift).. 

Why would the motor have had Autolite 303s?  What advantage over the 
Autolite 85s or the Champ RJ12YC plugs would the 303s have (or, why did 
the previous owner have those in it?)

*yawn*

Maybe it's time to yank the gold box and distributor off the 345 lying in 
the front driveway.. 

Oh, the distributor had no dust cover over the "points", and no condensor 
inside.  There is a condensor mounted to the coil.

Another interesting item.. I looked at the '77 196 for some points of 
reference, and it has the gold box... and a coil... and a condensor on 
the coil - but the condensor doesn't have a wire!  Hmmm..

Anyhow, not only am I getting absymal fuel mileage, but now I'm just 
plain confused.

;)

-Tom
http://www.tmcom.com/~tsm1/scout