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Sorry, you can not set/measure frontmount distributor points dwell because you can not get your meter on the distributor points wire which is hidden underneath the square ignition coil that sits ontop of the distributor. Of course, if you could find one of those $$$ specialized electronic oscilloscopes designed for engine tuneup, you could convert the TV sparkies trace to somesort of meaningfull dwell reading because it will read off the single coil terminal. You just can't use a dwell meter because it has to go across the two coil terminals. And even if you were ingenious enough to figgure out how to get to the points inside the distributor by taking your frontcap off, I don't think you could adjust the point gap with the distributor in place because you'd probably find the radiator fanblades in the way. Its just so much eazier just to unbolt the frontmount distributor and set the points gap and timing on your workbench. And if I remember correctly, the points dwell is really about 50% or 45 degs. And in all honesty, thats just about all the time that the coil can stand current flow before the insulative tar starts to melt and short out some of the primary windings and start getting weak sparkies. The dwell meter reads the amount of time the points are closed in degrees of shaft rotation. Dwell meter took the skill out of carefully inserting a greesy feeler gauge between mis-aligned and pitted points. Generally speaking, most ignition points should be closed about 2/3 of the rotation. That means for a 4 cylinder 4 lobe (90 degs) distributor shaft, the points (dwell) are closed about 60 degs of dwell. and a 6 cyl will be about 45 degs dwell and V-8's will be about 30 degs. I always set my points dwell on the wide side of tolarance...ie... 55-60 degs, set for 55 degs and as the points rubbing block wears, and the gap closes, the dwell will change to 60 degs..... ....HTH, Dell
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