The Krypt Keeper Posted December 28, 2011 Share Posted December 28, 2011 1929 Ford Model A or very similar to an 8N tractor. 6 Volt Positive ground system. Have stumped people on a Model T & A forum so figure I would ask here also. The car is not getting any fire from the coil. I have power at the coil at the junction box, however when the points break connection the coil doesn't fire. I have tried 3 coils, I replaced the condensor, points are clean, ignition switch was spotty for continuity so for now that is replaced with a illuminated toggle switch. This allows me to see the connection of the points being broken. The wire in the armored coil going from the ignition to the bottom plate distributor has been replaced, connections cleaned and continuity is good. I have tried bypassing the ampmeter just incase that has a short. No dice. Battery fully charged Based on talking to a few people I have got to keep tracing and replacing wires, its going to be something stupid causing the problem. No shit since the car has only a dozen wires to begin with. I am ready to put a damn MSD box on the friggen car. wiring diagram below for anyone to look at. Any help on this would be greatly appreciated. Would like to have it running for my FIL and MIL to enjoy. So I can get started on his Galaxy 500 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iceman_40 Posted December 28, 2011 Share Posted December 28, 2011 Seems like you replaced most of the wiring already. On such a simple electrical system, I'd unhook everything not needed for the engine to run to start troubleshooting. Just remember that just because there is continuity doesn't mean that the wire can handle the current flow needed. Maybe easier to run all new wires for the car then you'd be sure it would be all good. Is everything else working electrically? Horn, lights, cranks over, etc? If I was a betting man I'd bet on the issue being a bad ground. Clean and check all the grounds you can find as I can't imagine there are to many. Never worked on a car close to that old, but should be the same electrically. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Krypt Keeper Posted December 28, 2011 Author Share Posted December 28, 2011 Everything else seems to work. Horn lights starter ect The biggest problems seem to be the ign wire in the armored cable. And the wire between the top and bottom plates in the distributor from what I read and both are replaced and doing what they are suppose to do. Will check grounds again and clean anything and everything. Car is a sweet ass pimp mobile when running. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
02 SilverBird Posted December 28, 2011 Share Posted December 28, 2011 Just sent you a message, just incase you dont ck for them often. Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iceman_40 Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 Best of luck finding the issue. Don't forget to check any connectors on the wires. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Krypt Keeper Posted December 30, 2011 Author Share Posted December 30, 2011 Thanks for the help Rob.. I ditched the toggle switch.. never thought about it but it is a 12v switch and putting it on a 6v system could cause issues with juice flow. Used the meter last night to check things over again and I seem to be have both sides of the points grounded. So that is another problem now.. Thinking about ordering some new modern upper and lower plates for the distributor and a new armored cable from the igniton switch. These pieces are over 80 yrs old and my father in law is 72, want him to enjoy some reliability in his car and not be worried about taking a drive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
02 SilverBird Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 Was doing some more thinking about it, yes the points grounding should be the problem, newer type point systems get there ground through the distriutor to the engine, but yours gets it back through the switch, if the base plate it grounded then the field in the coil will not collapse and cause the spark,also if you dont disconect the battery when engine is not running the coil will stay powered up overheat and fry. Keep me posted Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Krypt Keeper Posted December 30, 2011 Author Share Posted December 30, 2011 Yep.. So now I need to figure out where its getting grounded from. I am guess the armored cable is touching inside the distributor houseing somewhere or the wire that is attached to the bottom plate is making contact somehow.. will see how I fix these and move on to the next issue. Amazing any of this shit actually worked at all from what I have found. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
02 SilverBird Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 I bet it is realy something so simple like a fiber insulating washer old worn out and cracked and fell off.Stearing you in the face but you cant see it, been there before. Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redxxrdr Posted December 31, 2011 Share Posted December 31, 2011 Not a fix, but a suggestion. Get a trouble shooting light or a sweep dial meter and do your checks again if you haven't solved the problem. 100Mohm meters are great for most troubleshooting. But I have been tricked using them on relay circuits and old ignition systems. They will show voltages present when there is really no current flow due to high resistance. I once spent a week troubleshooting a no exposure problem with my trusty fluke meter. A more seasoned engineer showed up with a Simpson 260 and it showed no voltage where the Fluke did. Burned contacts on a relay would show voltage with the high impedance meter, but not the Simpson. Good luck, Craig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Krypt Keeper Posted December 31, 2011 Author Share Posted December 31, 2011 Well there was a chance of hope. Last night while playing with the points and top plate I took the top plate off and the coil fired off. Had the coil wire next to the head bolt and there was a big as spark. Woohoo.... Now to figure out is it a armored cable grounding out or the fiber washers not working or the wire from the bottom to the top plate that is causing the issues. I got two meters a digital and needle one. Both been used alot to just get this far.. Thanks for your suggestions and help guys. Was wondering what the hell was going on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Krypt Keeper Posted January 5, 2012 Author Share Posted January 5, 2012 found an issue and while it wasn't the origional problem it did prevent me from getting fire. The flag connection on the bottom plate from the ignition was sitting away from the side of the distributor but apparently not far enough from the top plate.. Never felt it hit as the top plate is spring mounted.. I bent the flag connection down slightly and got the 4th of july firing from my coil after cleaning up the points again.. got the distributor all buttoned back up and tried to crank it. She coughed and sputtered some. removed floor boards and put the battery on slow charge. need to roll the car to french doors downstairs so I don't gas myself out and try it again tonight with a fully charged battery. She hasn't ran in 3 yrs or so... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
02 SilverBird Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 Did you get any more time to work on the old car?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
02 SilverBird Posted March 31, 2012 Share Posted March 31, 2012 Now that the weather has warmed up did you get a chance to work on the old car. Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Krypt Keeper Posted March 31, 2012 Author Share Posted March 31, 2012 Yep got the starter on the bench. She tried to crank but seemed the starter was having issues. So I pulled the starter and took it apart. Seems someone had been in there before and didn't have a clue on what the hell they were doing. One of the brush wires was "fixed" with electrical tape and one of the connections on the base where the rivots hold the waffer board to prevent it from grounding itself out was broken and all messed up. there is a local guy around here that rebuilts starters and alternators, also a huge Ford guy. Going to see about dropping it off to him all allow him to redo the starter for me.. I don't have a clue how this car ever ran with all the damn issues that I have found on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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