Can't properly set point gap -- help!

[dfirestone]

I originally posted this under "electrical", but it belongs here. I need help. This may sound dumb, but I notice that when I turn the elliptical adjusting screw to set the point gap, the whole point set will sometimes move. When that happens, a spring near the vacuum advance pops the lever up. When that lever is in the down position, I get no spark through the distributor, but I can't seem to get the dwell angle or the gap right when the lever is down. My shop manual is mum on this. What's happening??

[Arne]

The point set is supposed to move, that's how the gap is set. I can't place the "lever", can you post a picture?

[240ZX]

IIRC, the only lever than comes to mind is the the one that attaches from the breaker plate assembly to the vaccum advance diaphram. If so, has it become disconnected?

[dfirestone]

Hi Arne -- the lever I'm referring to is the metal piece that attaches to the vacuum advance spring -- it has what looks like a small pin protruberance on the top. And the movement I mentioned isn't the normal movement of the points to set the gap; I can twist the whole point assembly manually even though it's completely secured with the two set screws.

[JimmyZ]

Are the screws that hold the baseplate assembly missing? This would cause what you're talking about. (To a small degree.) The baseplate is the part that the points fasten to. It is made up of two plates.. One fixed and the other moves when vac advance kicks in.

How many degrees does the baseplate rotate? Is it the entire baseplate or just the top half?

Jim

[dfirestone]

I'll check when I get home this evening & get back to you.

Dave