TR4/4A Burning through points

[carpecursusII]

I did a quick general tune up the other day, including valve lash, point gap and plug gap. I drove maybe a total of 25 miles and the last few miles the car quickly developed a bad miss. I got home and found the point gap to be very wide .020+. I know that I set it at .014 and the car ran great at that setting, I just reset it to .014 and the car runs great again. What would cause quick wear to the points?

 

[TR3driver]

My opinion, there has to be something else going on, like the point plate was tilted or the point set is defective. The contacts can't have worn that much in 25 miles.

I have seen rubbing blocks wear that quickly, but that closes the gap rather than opening it.

 

[Brinkerhoff]

More than likely, the set screw wasn't tightened or you didn't set the gap properly . There just isn't enough wear going to happen in 25 miles .

 

[Geo Hahn]

More than likely, the set screw wasn't tightened...

That was my first thought but then I thought again and it seems like the points gap would most likely close, not open more.

I'd just reset them and try again -- bet they stay put this time.

 

[glemon]

I was going to say, doesn't the gap close as points wear? The rubbing block that is opened when the cam on the distributor drive hits it wears down and the points gap closes, at least that is how I recall it working both in theory and in practice. As noted I would guess something wasn't tightened down all the way and it moved, or was a little askew and it settled, as Geo noted set, them again, observe how everything goes going, measure twice, tighten once, and hopefully will all be good, and stay good.