Points and Plugs

Ok, so what are points? None of my cars have any so I have no clue. This sounds like a job for Wikipedia!!!!........ Ok, back now from Internet land. Wow, that was very educational. I still do not fully understand how points work. But I did learn they act like a switch for the ignition system. And the point gap is crucial for setting the proper “dwell” time. I also found out the points can both oxidize and wear over time with use. Since my Bosch l-jet cars have an entire computer dedicated to doing the job of these little points, they must be pretty important.

Points are beginning to sound like those magical aspects of engine tuning you used to need a guru for. I can just imagine a group of guys out at Bonneville with tanned leather skin and weathered faces huddling over an engine in some streamlined hot rod. They would casually smoke cigarettes and argue the merits of various spark gaps, point gaps, and distributor settings. There is probably an oscilloscope sitting on a table nearby and an adjustable timing light in someone’s hand. One of the guys has a feeler gauge set hanging out of his pocket. And far off in the distance you can hear some fire breathing dragon of a car making a high speed run. Ahhh…

I am not one of those guys, but I bet we have a couple in the club. With some luck at least one will show up for the meeting and show us all how it is done. But I do know how to gap a plug back to factory spec and how to replace a cap and rotor. I can even replace a set of plug wires. I have done all those things many times. I know many of our club members do not work on their cars. If you are more of a driver than a mechanic, this could be your chance to dig into the engine compartment with out getting into trouble.

Besides plugs and points, we have some cars in the club with much more modern ignition systems. For instance, all Bosch L-jet cars use computers to control the engine. There is still a distributor and a single coil, but the timing is controlled using engine vacuum, a Hall effect sensor, or flywheel position sensors depending on the car. The early GTV6 used a dummy box for the ignition control. I have no clue what that means, but I know the later cars had a more complex computer. And once you move into Motronic, things get even more complicated and simple at the same time. These cars only have one computer for all the engines functions, and most of the hoses and extra junk associated with L-Jet is gone, but the control is more complex. These cars use crank position sensors and idle air control motors and the like. Finally I know of at least one car in the club that left the factory with coil packs! Lets hear it for the 164LS. With the exception of the 164Q it has to be the most advanced and most powerful Alfa you could get at a dealer back in the day. These cars get rid of the distributor all together and give each cylinder it’s own coil. The computer tells each one when to fire and things are very precise and controlled. Not to mention very powerful!