Got my points

[MotoMike]

Well I got two sets of points and condensers from Lacey Ducati. they look to be of good quality. With -4° out, an honest foot of snow on the ground and an unheated garage, I think it will be a while before they get installed Only a couple months till spring

[DewCatTea-Bob]

" Well I got two sets of points and condensers from Lacey Ducati. "

____ Well Mike, you didn't mention what your price paid was... If you think you got some sort of a unquie/good-deal price from Lacey, then I don't wish to pry-into that and so you ought still not mention what it was, (out of respect for Lacey).

____ Concerning the points-sets, were they simply the contact-points themselves (with just plate & spring), or were they 'complete' with assy.screw & nut & washer with fiber-washer/insulators ?
__ In any case, when attaching the ign.coil lead-wire & condenser-wire terminals to their common assy.screw (on the points-set), care should be exercised to make sure that the points-alignment is kept at it's optimum when their screw & nut are fully tightened-down...
I've noticed that most everyone else merely-just tightens the screw & nut and do not much pay-attention to exactly how the points-alignment ends-up afterwords.
In my early-past (in the '60s) with this issue,, (due to my extra-fussy concern with minor-details)- I thus encountered a fair amount of frustration with keeping the points-faces perfectly aligned while trying to get the points-assy.screw & nut fully tightened-down (with the 2 wire-terminals kept situated, to my satisfaction), as by the last turn of the nut, the contact-point spring, (or else the wire-terminals) would twist along with the fastener-head next to it, and thus miss-align the contact-faces (or misplace the preferred location for the wire-terminals).
It would seem to be a three-hand operation/task... with one hand holding a wrench to keep the screw steady while with another to tighten it's nut, plus a third to make-sure to keep the spring (or the wire-terminals) from getting twisted-away from their intended optimum positions.
__ Anyone who has installed points in a DUKE and is picky with details (as I am), is likely already aware of this somewhat tedious issue.
I myself have devised just two-handed methods to deal with this issue while the point-set is left mounted on the timing-plate (still within the motor), or while the point-set (along with condenser) is held outside of it's motor-cavity (either with or without being on the timing-plate)... But it's been about 2-decades since, so I don't now recall the best-way. _ However I can state that it's quite helpful to make sure that the ign.coil wire-lead is not connected the shortest/direct route, to the points-connection... Where the points/ign.coil-wire enters through into the cavity/chamber, it should then be routed (AWAY from the points-connection), up & counter-clockwise around the inside-wall & behind (right next to) the condenser, down & rightward, then over & up to the points-connection, (the long-way!).
Completing this indirect pathway/route (for the points/ign.coil-wire), will likely provide future ease of convenience for working with the related components within the cavity-chamber.
__ Good-luck -(time-wise), with your point-set installation !


Dukaddy-DUKEs,
-Bob

[MotoMike]

thanks for the advice Bob. I am fussy about such details.

I didn't mention the price as I believe it is as Nigel said it would be in his earlier post. 8 pounds for the points, 8 pounds for the condenser and 15 for the set. current exchange is about 1.5 so the points alone would cost $12 there abouts. I think shipping was about $5 but I got other parts with them.

True a set of points for my 1969 Chevy small block would be half as much., These are not quite unobtainium, but they are not readily available. I have not found them at a better price and was not willing to make a new plate that allows the use of volkswagen points. I got two sets, so should be in good shape for a while. So all in all, I'm pretty happy. My largest regret is that Nigel's shop is not in Savanna Illinois. Now who do I see about the -4°work environment?

[DewCatTea-Bob]

" thanks for the advice Bob. "

____ Well Mike, the bulk of my previous post wasn't actually meant to be directed specifically towards yourself, as those such as yourself are likely predisposed to self-notice such mal-alignment and attempt to deal with straightening-out any such otherwise disconcerting details, (even though our preferred perfection is not really required in order for the related parts to still adequately perform their needed function).

____ So then it's now to be assumed that you didn't get any price-break for buying more than one set at a time, (except for them being shipped together-at-once, of course), thus paying 30-Pounds (45-bucks) total for those two pairs you got.
__ Anyhow, still wondering about the completeness of the point-sets you received ! Are they just the contact-points themselves alone, or were they complete with all the insulator-washers & fastener ??
__ Back in the '60s, ya could buy either the 'points' -(plate-bracket & spring, only) for under 3-bucks, or the 'complete-set', (which included the required Ground-isolating fiber-washers -[1 very-small & 2 larger], along-with it's bolt-screw, flat-washer, lock-washer & nut), for near 4-bucks.
__ I recall a number of times selling just the 'points' only, to owners who would then install them themselves, and then later bring-in their DUKE to my shop after having not been able to obtain any spark... The problem ALWAYS being that they had (unknowingly) lost one of their 3 original Ground-isolating fiber-washers !
__ Once in a while I'd also get inquiry as to how to keep the point/leaf-spring from (frustratingly) getting twisted away from proper alignment while tightening-down it's tiny fastener. _ I'd then just tell them to have an extra helping-hand hold it in place, using a pair of tiny needle-nose pliers, (with hopes that both workers were at least fairly competent).
Many of us who have dealt with installing differing point-sets into various machines, have no-doubt come-across point-sets which don't include those fiber-washers, but instead use a plastic/nylon-mold which not only does the job of isolating Ground, but also are form-shaped in such a way so as to correctly HOLD the leaf-spring & wire-terminals in their intended specific positions. _ Quite nice for cutting time spent on getting the points/connections properly set up & situated (as ought to be) !
It'd really be great if modern replacement point-sets (for DUCATIs) substituted such a isolator/holder-mold in place of the stock fiber-washers !


Dukaddy-DUKEs,
DCT-Bob

[MotoMike]

Bob

Sorry for not answering the question about completenss. I'd say they are complete. they have a two piece nylon or simlar insullating washers. It appears they have eliminated the small insulating washer which I am guessing went in the hole and kept the bolt located away from the sides of the plate. They did however mould it into nylong washers. each nylon washer one has a smaller raised shoulder that matches the diameter of the hole. Half the thickness of the original small washer I'm guessing so that when the insulating washers are inserted and snugged down they perform the very same function as the original. they have a small bolt, nut, flat washer and lock washer included.

your math is correct. I could have as we discussed before, used just about any condenser that would fit. could have taken the old one to the auto parts store and matched it for size and come away some dollars cheaper, but I decided to take that step out of the equation and just pay the price and take my ride.

On it's face I suppse 15 pounds of a point and condenser seems high, but I have seen them going for $40 to $60 on ebay.

[DewCatTea-Bob]

" I could have as we discussed before, used just about any condenser that would fit. "

____ Very seldom do condensers ever need to be replaced ! _ So I would've only bought just a single unit.
Also, it's understandably claimed that condensers loose their capacity (and also life-expectancy) as they get heated,, so, ANY cap that's rated the same could be substituted and instead mounted up near the ign.coil end (rather than at the points end, of the wire-lead), and be replaced about as often as the ign.coil gets messed with.


" I suppse 15 pounds of a point and condenser seems high, "

____ Well, back in the '60s ya could buy 5-quarts of motor-oil for the price of a points-set, so paying 12-bucks (8-Pounds) for a set now, would be like paying $2.40 a quart. - So not too far out-of-line for the points, I guess. _ But a condenser was about equal to only 3-quarts in price, (near 2-bucks). _ So that current condenser price is too high & out-of-line.


Dukaddy-DUKEs,
-Bob

[Bevel bob]

Happily with my set -up (pazon booster), points dont seem to burn at all and the condenser is not needed, the low milage that classic bikes do also means that wear of the fibre heel is also minimal. Points gap is surprisingly critical and one ot two thou out makes a lot of difference to the timing.