Ignition points

[Duke W.]

Re: Ignition points

Maybe none. If your car REQUIRES a uniset, there is only one made by SMP, and it doesn't matter what "brand" you buy. They all came from the same SMP plant.

If you don't need a uniset, go to the link I posted earlier, and the information will allow to to determine which are best for your engine.

Ever heard the story about the man and the fish? If you give a man a fish, he eats for a day. If you teach a man to fish, he eats for a lifetime.

Duke

[Joe L.]

Re: Ignition points

Maybe none. If your car REQUIRES a uniset, there is only one made by SMP, and it doesn't matter what "brand" you buy. They all came from the same SMP plant.

If you don't need a uniset, go to the link I posted earlier, and the information will allow to to determine which are best for your engine.

Ever heard the story about the man and the fish? If you give a man a fish, he eats for a day. If you teach a man to fish, he eats for a lifetime.

Duke

Duke------


No Delco distributors require a Uniset; a separate point set and condenser can be used for any, even if a Uniset was originally used.

[Duke W.]

Re: Ignition points

Yes, but I think the uniset is required for those distributors that had them as OE along with the RFI shield, because a separate point set and condenser will not fit under the shield, which is the reason the uniset was designed.

So for judging the uniset may be "required", for no deduction, however, I'm sure a lot of those little RFI shields disappeared over the years as they were a hassle to deal with.

Duke

[D S.]

Re: Ignition points

After reading Duke's fine analysis on different NAPA points sets I concluded I bought and installed a 12/12 warranty set....12 starts or 12 miles whichever comes first. Thanks, Duke. I will know better the next time.
My March '70 built Corvette LS-5 had no RFI shields.

[Don L.]

Re: Ignition points

Yes, but I think the uniset is required for those distributors that had them as OE along with the RFI shield, because a separate point set and condenser will not fit under the shield, which is the reason the uniset was designed.

So for judging the uniset may be "required", for no deduction, however, I'm sure a lot of those little RFI shields disappeared over the years as they were a hassle to deal with.

Duke

Duke and others; a question of clarity please. Are you saying that Corvettes that came with the RFI shield REQUIRE the uniset? I am looking to return my set up from an aftermarket electronic ignition system to points/condenser/RFI shield for judging this summer. Having never seen my car ('72 SB) with anything but the electronic unit, I don't know if I will have a fit problem or not. I have the shield, the point set and the separate condenser on hand and thought that I was all set, but now I need to be sure I have the right stuff before I tear into it. Thanks.

[Patrick H.]

Re: Ignition points

Duke and others; a question of clarity please. Are you saying that Corvettes that came with the RFI shield REQUIRE the uniset? I am looking to return my set up from an aftermarket electronic ignition system to points/condenser/RFI shield for judging this summer. Having never seen my car ('72 SB) with anything but the electronic unit, I don't know if I will have a fit problem or not. I have the shield, the point set and the separate condenser on hand and thought that I was all set, but now I need to be sure I have the right stuff before I tear into it. Thanks.

Your car requires separate pieces. I have never seen a Uniset on a car with an RFI shield but, as Terry says, I haven't seen them all.
My guess is that a Uniset would not fit, which is the opposite of what Duke suggests.

[Joe L.]

Re: Ignition points

Yes, but I think the uniset is required for those distributors that had them as OE along with the RFI shield, because a separate point set and condenser will not fit under the shield, which is the reason the uniset was designed.

So for judging the uniset may be "required", for no deduction, however, I'm sure a lot of those little RFI shields disappeared over the years as they were a hassle to deal with.

Duke

Duke------


When the Uniset style points were introduced in the early to mid 70's, instructions were supplied with them that advised to remove the internal RFI shields when the Uniset was installed. The instructions stated that the shields would not fit when the Uniset style points were used and that the shields were unnecessary when Uniset style points were used.

[Don L.]

Re: Ignition points

Your car requires separate pieces. I have never seen a Uniset on a car with an RFI shield but, as Terry says, I haven't seen them all.
My guess is that a Uniset would not fit, which is the opposite of what Duke suggests.

Duke------


When the Uniset style points were introduced in the early to mid 70's, instructions were supplied with them that advised to remove the internal RFI shields when the Uniset was installed. The instructions stated that the shields would not fit when the Uniset style points were used and that the shields were unnecessary when Uniset style points were used.

Thanks guys. I thought I had read that the individual components were correct for my application, but reading this thread began to confuse me. Sometimes that's easier to do, and this was apparently one of these times .

[Joe L.]

Re: Ignition points

Duke and others; a question of clarity please. Are you saying that Corvettes that came with the RFI shield REQUIRE the uniset? I am looking to return my set up from an aftermarket electronic ignition system to points/condenser/RFI shield for judging this summer. Having never seen my car ('72 SB) with anything but the electronic unit, I don't know if I will have a fit problem or not. I have the shield, the point set and the separate condenser on hand and thought that I was all set, but now I need to be sure I have the right stuff before I tear into it. Thanks.

Don-----

Distributors which were originally manufactured with Uniset style points DID NOT also have the internal shields installed. I don't know how many original distributors used in PRODUCTION were originally equipped with Uniset style points. The Uniset style points came along sometime in the 72-74 period and I don't recall just exactly when. Of course, 1974 was the last year that breaker point type distributors were used in Corvettes.

Basically, the distributors came three ways:

1) all pre-1971 (about) used separate points and condenser and NO internal RFI shields;

2) ABOUT 1971 to ???? used separate points and condenser AND internal RFI shields;

3) Beginning ????? Uniset style points and NO internal RFI shields.

It might even be that as a result of the time that Unisets were introduced, Uniset-equipped distributors were SERVICE-only and were never actually used in PRODUCTION.

[William C.]

Re: Ignition points

Design intent of the uniset was to eliminate the RFI shields.