It's Pointless - To Upgrade Your Distributor

I thought I'd check the dwell and timing on my Volvo Penta 260A (Chevy 350). In researching the specs and tools I'd need (I'd long ago sold my dewll/tach and timing light), I discovered that a couple companies offered a kit to eliminate the points in the distributor. This would mean I'd only have to set the timing once - period. I would'n never again have to mess with points, condenser, dwell or timing.

Hot Spark and Pertronix both offered kits. Can't say why I chose Pertronix, but I did. It wasn't wasy finding the make of my distributor. I ordered the Prestolite kit and found it was the wrong one. I sent the Pertronix folks an explanation of my problem with pics, they were quick to respond and quick to make the exchange to a Mallory kit.

It takes about 1/2 hour if everything goes well. Pull the cap and rotor. Remove the plate holding the points and condenser. Install the new plate. Slip the Pertronix sleeve over the distributor lobes. Put the rotor and cap back on and connect the wires to the coil.

Before:

After:

 

Update 11/15/2013

The Pertronix crapped out. Had trouble starting, then rough running. Put the points back in and things got better. Then she started loping. Took out the Pertronix Flamethrower coil and problem solved. Will try an EST distributor next.