VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1937-1945 1941 Chevy Master Deluxe bogs down at 1500 rpm

Hello everyone.
My 1941 Chevy, Master Deluxe, 216 cid, three speed, all original. I replaced the ignition points, ignition rotor and distributor cap. Set the timing and dwell to specs. Before I did these things, I replaced the carburetor with a rebuilt one from "Chevs of the 40's". The car ran great! Up to 60 mph without anything in her way. After I did the condenser, points and rotor a distributor cap, now the car bogs down in first gear at 12 mph, in second gear at 32 mph, and in third gear at 40 mph. She backfires in first, when the pedal is to the metal, only topping 18 mph. Any ideas? My great mechanic friend and I are stumped. We, of course, rechecked everything after our horrible test drive. Any help or suggestions??
Gus...

Possible the points you used have a seprate tension spring. The thin ground lead (usually copper colored and looks like a filmsy spring) comes attached to the points and the real spring installed by the "installer"....look and see if it is in the point box or?....the thin ground is very weak and the poits will float over idle speed.
If you want install the old points and see what happens

I was wondering what this extra spring type thing was that came in the box. Where does this extra spring go? Do I double it up with the spring attached to the points?
Gus

Yes! That is the heavy spring that puts tension on the points so that they will open and close correctly with the distributor cam. Without the heavy spring you will get point float.

Is that why my dwell keeps moving from 38 at idle, and 18-22 when I rev the engine in the garage? If this is the case, it is all making sense to me...please respond....
Gus

Install the correct spring on the points and you will cure the problem.

Heading out to the garage to give it a try...
Thanks to everyone.
Dog, you gave me that big confidence boost!

Gus....

I put the heavier tension spring on with the new point, but trying to put the heavier spring along with the lighter spring and the condenser wire lead, caused the thin, flimsy copper wire to bend upward, out of the 1/4" lock washer and nut. Then the car would not start because the flimsy copper spring bent near the cutout, and grounded inself. Can I snip the thin factory installed spring off, and use only the heavier tension spring?

Don't do that. Put the copper (spring) with the tension spring on together. The condenser tab can go on next, to either side of those. You may need to take the points out to straighten out the copper contact-spring or hold it down so it doesn't squeeze out when tightening.

Good luck,
Charlie

The thin "spring" is not a spring but rather a ground lead and it must be there.
The original Delco Remy poins that were used and sold by Chevrolet did not have this feature. The ground was made by the actual spring and it was "attached" to the points.

Sometimes the thin copper ground strap gets so bent up that it is impossible to use. However, you should use the copper ground strap if all possible.

As a test, I have had great success in removing the copper ground strap and the point system still worked fine. I usually try to avoid the type of points with the cooper ground strap especially when hooking up the 1929-32 Electrolocks to the distributor.

If the company that makes the points know that you should use the stronger spring type arm as well as the thin, copper, flimsy lead as ground, why don't they attach a heavier copper ground strap in the first place??

A confused Gus.....

Geneuine GM Delco points came with one strong spring that does both jobs.

Because the copper ground strap is not to be used as a spring. Since it is for a ground only the copper strap can be thin.