Is this a bad coil or distributor or?????

My engine has a serious "miss" lately. It doesn't constantly miss and doesn't happen at acceleration more or less (I don't think it is an advance issue). It will happen at any speed too. The one thing I know for sure is I can see the tach needle fall when it does miss. So driving along, the tach needle is just bouncing.

I run the old style distributor with points. I also have no idea how they work. :? The coil is 3 years old, stock from Napa.

The problem seems to be getting worse quickly.

 

The plate in the dist that the points and condenser does rotate by means of the vacuum advance setup, therefore you need a good flexible (braided) ground strap from plate to dist base. Not saying this is prob, but good thing to look at cus this sounds like your symptom.

 

Well you’re about to learn because it sounds like you probably need new points, or at least pull the old ones and clean the contacts.
The best advice I can give you without knowing more is get a good manual and start reading. And don’t let these things intimidate you, these really are simple machines once you understand them.

 

I had a bad condensor once that almost left me stranded on the trail. I managed to get back but it turned out to be difficult to troubleshoot since I never suspected the condensor. It got to the point were I by passed the key, tried a different coil, etc. Finally swaped in a used but different condensor and problem was solved. Mine was running really bad though, backfiring and everything.

 

It is often hard to tell if you are chasing a gas or electrical problem. I think you are describing a gas problem. You might want to look for a clogged filter or defective fuel pump. It would not surprise me if you are not getting enough gas to the carb.

 

Points, or condenser, or both.
Mine was doing this also.
Switched to a Pertronics unit and the problem went bye-bye.

 

I don't think it is a fuel problem either. I recently changed that out after experiencing some serious clogging. This is different but thanks for the advice.

 

Carbon build up on the plugs could cause it.

 

glenn is right, key word here is usually, when you get one that didnt just give up it will drive you mad, if it were me this would be the first thing i replaced,only a couple bucks,one wire,and one screw, if the problem goes away toss the old one, if not tag the old one as good and hang on to it since you have one to test with next time, about the only other thing in there is the points, may have a bad connection or a wire shorting to ground, or the tach itself could be going bad and causing it to miss fire, just the process of elimination from here to find the bandit

 

Have you ever replaced the plug wires?

 

Easy way to check the plug wires - Start the beastie up in a dark garage, at night preferably.

If you get a real spectacular light show in the engine bay from the plug wires needing replacement, then you know. No show, no replacement, - yet.R)

 

Yes. I replaced the plugs and wires, coil, and distributor cap 3 years ago.

I will be checking the problems noted here this coming week. Didn't get a chance to over the weekend.

Thanks for all the help.