The points open and close once every time a cylinder fires. A 4-stroke engine takes two turns to complete the cycle, and the distributor turns 1/2 crankshaft speed. Since a 6 cylinder engine must fire three cylinders per revolution of the crankshaft, at a crank speed of 2,000, the distributor is turning 1,000 RPM, firing 3 cylinders per turn of the crankshaft. that's 3,000 point cycles per minute, right? (or 180,000 per hour!)
OOPS I can't count! You're right - - - -it is 6,000 sparks per minute- - - -360,000 per hour! That's several MILLION cycles of the points in a 10K mile average lifespan.
Jerry
