Defective Uniset Points - 300 miles/one year old

[Robert S.]

This post is to help others, if possible, in their troubleshooting. In a post of a few days ago I discussed the problems I was having on my L48 1974 which would not hold idle and would quit and not restart. I initially suspected an ignition system issue but after doing some basic electrical checks and finding nothing wrong and knowing the Uniset point set was new 300 miles ago I then started looking at the fuel side finding nothing wrong.
I went back to the electrical side and replaced the point set with a new set from NAPA. It resolved the problem. I do not know the manufacturer of the removed Uniset but does not look like the NAPA set. Visually ,the removed set looks perfect.

Lesson learned. Even if parts are almost new does not mean they are not suspect.

[Wayne W.]

Re: Defective Uniset Points - 300 miles/one year o

I had one lately to do the same type of thing.

[Duke W.]

Re: Defective Uniset Points - 300 miles/one year o

I'm curious. The points were 300 miles old, but you don't know the brand. How can that be?

Duke

[Robert S.]

Re: Defective Uniset Points - 300 miles/one year o

I purchased the car from a dealer in early 06'. Among the many things he did ,prior to sale, was to overhaul the distributor - new cap, rotor, point set, vacuum advance unit.
The removed point set looks brand new visually but has no brand name - it is stamped made in the USA.

Also as part of my troubleshooting I did check the voltage with the engine off ,but key in the run position, at the plus side of the coil and got 8 volts which I think is about right so points should have been getting the right voltage during their 300 mile life.

I suspect it is the capacitor part of the point set that went bad.

[Duke W.]

Re: Defective Uniset Points - 300 miles/one year o

Occasionally you get a bad part, and electrical parts can suffer "infant mortality". Sooner or later it happens to everyone.

Chances are the uniset was manufactured by Standard Motor Products. Standard now owns all the traditional brand names - NAPA Echlin, BWD, Neihoff, plus their own traditional Standard and Blue Streak brands. Delco also buys many of their parts from SMP.

There are also off-brand electrical parts, and my recommendation is to avoid them. Stick with the brand names for the best quality, but one in a while, you can still get a defective part.

Duke