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First, thanks for all the good information I've received on this site. Sure does help when I don't have a clue. Anyway, our '31 has: new battery, new plugs, new coil and condenser and I think all the wiring is okay. Yesterday I drove the car about 10-15 miles, stopped and got gas on the way and went to a benefit car show. Started the car a couple of times to show folks how it runs. When I got ready to head home it would crank but no fire. The pop out ignition switch has gotten difficult to turn so I'm wondering if the switch could be the problem---not getting power where it need to go. Thanks for listening.

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Did you hold the coil wire 1/4" from a head nut to check for spark?

Is the popout an original part, or is it a repro part?

If you have no spark, then stop the engine with the points open and check to see if you have 6 volts on the movable points contact.

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Thanks Tom. Thank goodness most problems are simple. While my wife pushed the starter I held the coil wire. Well, it slipped out of the bottom of the coil----was in there loose. Anyway, I stuck it back in and the car started right up. You pointed me in the right direction, thanks

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The coil wire should be a very snug fit in the coil tower. If the brass terminal wasn't soldered to the wire, it may have stayed in the coil while the wire fell out. If it was soldered, the wire may not have been pushed into the tower all the way.

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I had the same problem with my coil Saturday, while driving to a Club pot luck. The car stopped several times. I spread the brass terminal apart, and that didn't work. Then I tried bending the terminal into a slightly oval shape, and that didn't work. My covered dish was covered with foil, so I took a piece of foil and wrapped around the terminal, and that worked. There doesn't seem to be much of a groove in the coil to catch the terminal.

Any better ideas than foil?

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Any better ideas than foil?

Try a bump of solder on the brass contact.

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I had the same trouble. However my coil wire would only fall out when going through a busy intersection. :eek: I ended up putting a bit of silicone caulk along one side of the wire and gluing it in. Has worked for several years now.

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Get a "modern" boot for that one connection if spreading the brass connection on the wire does not work.

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Thanks Tom! Im not going to tell you how I managed to keep my wire up in there. lol. I soldered up the one in use and my spare. I love the foil for a quick fix, we used foil for fuses as kids and later would have the entire unit burn out. But we saved 0.15 cents on the fuse. lol

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I put solder on the brass terminal sides, and the connection fits very tight now. The solder really grabs. Thanks, Tom.

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TSK-TSK-TSK! I can't imagine that ANYONE would put a "modern" part on a Model A--LOL:D---How can you even SLEEP?
Bill W.

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Quite well, thank you:D

Sewall

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Hey Uncle Bill - my dad cut a hole in the floor board of his 22 Ford T for his two very young boys to use in emergency! I remember pulling the floor mat aside and lifting out the board for use on many occassions. lol His day job was as a plumber. I believe he was the founder of "modern" Ford plumbing. lol

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Chief always traveled with a COFFEE CAN:D
Bill W.

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My Dad would tell stories about trips taken between CA & TX in a Model A when I was just a tyke. The container of choice was a pop bottle.

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Not my car! :cool::D