wireless lower plate

[fiddlybits]

If you are using a wireless lower plate in your distributer I would appreciate any feedback, good and bad, on your experience.

I am entertaining the idea of getting rid of 'the wire'.

[Mitch//pa]

i have seen nothing but problems with those. from intermittent driveability to full blown break downs. IMO its one of the worst things to do

[Patrick L.]

I agree with Mitch. Keep the wire, the ultra fine strand wire.

[Phil]

I found I have one on my Vicky. Didn't know I had one until I was trouble shooting a problem which turned out to be ignition switch related. Looked good, been working good. I will continue using until I have a reason not to.

[30Ford]

I never had a problem with mine ...this will be the 5th year

[Kevin in NJ]

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If you want to go the next 40 or 50 years without troubles then keep all original with a new wire between the plates.

See Vince Falters website on the proper type of wire to use and Marco's website to learn about tightening up the upper plate.

[Tom Endy]

The wireless lower plate mod relies on a sliding contactor on a brass plate to carry current from the battery to the ignition points. It is not a positive connection. Each time you move the spark advance handle with the engine running the sliding contact emits tiny sparks during its travel. Eventually It will create a burn trail between full retard where you start the car and the advance location where you normally place the handle while you are driving. Engine vibration and bumps in the road will cause more sparking, most predominately at either end of the burn arc. Eventually you won't be able to start the car in the full retard position because the contactor and the brass plate will be severely burned at that position and will not allow current to pass from the battery to the ignition points

My own experience with the lower plate mod occurred a number of years ago when they first came on the market. I thought this was the answer to that pesky little lower wire Henry came up with. I rebuilt two distributors with the lower wireless mod. One I put on the Vic the other I put under the back seat. Shortly there after I embarked on a tour from Southern California to Montana. At about Salt Lake City (1500 miles) the car began to miss as cruising speed. It became hard to start at gas stops. Finally it wouldn't start at all. I replace the distributor with the one under the seat and it fired right up. later that evening at the hotel I took the removed distributor apart and found a burn arc on the brass plate, with a severe burn at each end of the arc.

When I got home from the trip I removed and inspected the distributor I had installed at Salt Lake City and it had a severe arc burn as well. needless to say I removed both wireless lower plate mods and threw them in the trash.

I have since learned that Henry's wayward wire is not a bad design after all, as long as you use the proper wire and orient it properly during installation. I have taken countless numbers of distributors apart and found any number of incorrect wires installed. Some looked like solid wire the previous owner found on a fence post.

Bratton's carry the proper wire. It is made up of very small strands of copper wire that makes the overall wire very flexible and able to withstand 80 years of spark handle movement and it is a positive connection from the battery to the ignition points.

My advice is to stay with what Henry ordered.

Tom Endy

[machine girl]

Tom we respect your model A wisdom,but 1000s of these were sold. with no problems, and worked very well , still have 2 in a couple of cars .no problem

[George Miller]

I have fixed a couple of wire less lower plates for other people when there car quit on tours. Get a 100 strand wire. Fix it once and forget it.

[Tom Wesenberg]

I had a customer that insisted on the wireless plate. I had to grind away some metal from the plate before I could even install it or the brass strap would have been touching it and shorting out.

I use 160 stand wire with original plates and don't expect to touch it again in my lifetime.

[Logan]

I hated mine when it was in the car. Tried figuring out all kinds of ways to make it work right, and always make good contact no matter what position the spark was in. Ended up just chunking it.

[machine girl]

ok you had a customer 1 problem, why down grade what sold so many with no problems ? we are really done with mis information

[Mike V. Florida]

All the ones that have been installed in the cars in our club have been removed due to problems. The only one left, the owner made it himself.

[George Miller]

Yes why down grade. Put in a wire.

[George Miller]

Originally Posted by Tom Wesenberg

I had a customer that insisted on the wireless plate. I had to grind away some metal from the plate before I could even install it or the brass strap would have been touching it and shorting out.

I use 160 stand wire with original plates and don't expect to touch it again in my lifetime.

A 160 strand would even be better than a 100 strand.
Where do you get the 160 strand Tom.

[James Rogers]

I also don't like the wireless plate for personal reasons that others have stated here. I believe that many of those sold are in the trash or on owners work benches, never to be used after being removed for problems. I don't know anyone that uses one but do know several people that have them in their junk boxes, including me. However, I don't like beets either so,its up to the owner to make their own judgement.

[Tom Wesenberg]

Originally Posted by George Miller

A 160 strand would even be better than a 100 strand.
Where do you get the 160 strand Tom.

I looked for a few years and finally found it at the electronics surplus store. It wasn't cheap, but at least now I have a spool of it. It also works great for the output wire on generators, from the brush to the stud.

[Pete / MA]

I used the long wire plate that Snyders sells when I rebuilt mine. So far no problems.................Pete

[George Miller]

Thanks Tom

[George Miller]

I think the wires less plate would work fine for a parade car or one that is not used much. For guys like me that drive there cars a lot and move the spark lever for varying condition it is not a good thing. It probable would have worked a lot better with a carbon brush under spring tension instead of brass dragging on steel.