The Ford Barn

sailorcowboy · 08-29-2019, 02:45 PM

I was messing with taking some pics of the engine for a fiend and noticed the spark lever rod is rubbing on top of one of the engine Nuts.

I would assume that Henry did NOT intend for this to be so.

I was looking for how the rod should make the journey form the steering assemble to the distributor but could not find a detailed enough diagram or one I could actually see!

I searched the forum and couldn't even get a hot on "rod"

Thanks,
Tim

Chuck Dempsey · 08-29-2019, 03:34 PM

I have the same issue, and I think it is caused by my car's sagging frame. That pulls the steering column down a tad....

sailorcowboy · 08-29-2019, 03:45 PM

Interesting hypothesis Chuck, but how can you tell if the frame is sagging?

on mine, the previous owner seems to have bent the rod slightly to compensate but to no avail.

Chuck Dempsey · 08-29-2019, 06:16 PM

I too have bent the rod to compensate.... Better brains than I have covered the sagging frame issue. Just do a 'find' in this forum about it. It's the 'Search this Forum' button in the red horizontal line located about the middle of the opening page.

sailorcowboy · 08-29-2019, 06:19 PM

Thanks chuck I know where the search button is.

duke36 · 08-29-2019, 06:46 PM

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The 2 tooth column has the separate upper column housing that can be rotated to raise the rod slightly or to allow the rod to fit the 20 deg opening limits in the dizzy plastic body.
The 7 tooth housing is not adjustable. Some repro rods are too short. Some folks bend the spark control arm up slightly which can change the spark rod height but may change the travel length also. If the body is not shimmed properly on the frame or the cowl too low, then that coupled with frame sag as mentioned can affect the steering column position. Also, check if the steering column bolts to the frame have wallowed out the holes with the upper bracket and pitman arm disconnected.

chrs1961815 · 08-29-2019, 09:56 PM

Funny that this was brought up as I just had a problem like this. My car had a repro spark rod on it (the one from the column to distributor) and rather than adjusting the column or compensating, they chose to bend the rod a little more than slightly. I could deal with it not looking right but I started to have loss of power issues. I discovered this week that my engine had turned into a 3 cylinder with that rod rubbing against the spark plug shorting out a cylinder. Took a nice straight original and it fit perfectly.

08-29-2019, 02:45 PM	#1
sailorcowboy Member Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Edgewood, New Mexico Posts: 39	Spark rod rubbing I was messing with taking some pics of the engine for a fiend and noticed the spark lever rod is rubbing on top of one of the engine Nuts. I would assume that Henry did NOT intend for this to be so. I was looking for how the rod should make the journey form the steering assemble to the distributor but could not find a detailed enough diagram or one I could actually see! I searched the forum and couldn't even get a hot on "rod" Thanks, Tim __________________ Tim 1928 Sport Coupe

08-29-2019, 03:34 PM	#2
Chuck Dempsey Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Waynesville, NC Posts: 785	Re: Spark rod rubbing I have the same issue, and I think it is caused by my car's sagging frame. That pulls the steering column down a tad....

08-29-2019, 03:45 PM	#3
sailorcowboy Member Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Edgewood, New Mexico Posts: 39	Re: Spark rod rubbing Interesting hypothesis Chuck, but how can you tell if the frame is sagging? on mine, the previous owner seems to have bent the rod slightly to compensate but to no avail. __________________ Tim 1928 Sport Coupe

08-29-2019, 06:16 PM	#4
Chuck Dempsey Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Waynesville, NC Posts: 785	Re: Spark rod rubbing I too have bent the rod to compensate.... Better brains than I have covered the sagging frame issue. Just do a 'find' in this forum about it. It's the 'Search this Forum' button in the red horizontal line located about the middle of the opening page.

08-29-2019, 06:19 PM	#5
sailorcowboy Member Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Edgewood, New Mexico Posts: 39	Re: Spark rod rubbing Thanks chuck I know where the search button is. __________________ Tim 1928 Sport Coupe

08-29-2019, 06:46 PM	#6
duke36 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Posts: 1,414	Re: Spark rod rubbing Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) The 2 tooth column has the separate upper column housing that can be rotated to raise the rod slightly or to allow the rod to fit the 20 deg opening limits in the dizzy plastic body. The 7 tooth housing is not adjustable. Some repro rods are too short. Some folks bend the spark control arm up slightly which can change the spark rod height but may change the travel length also. If the body is not shimmed properly on the frame or the cowl too low, then that coupled with frame sag as mentioned can affect the steering column position. Also, check if the steering column bolts to the frame have wallowed out the holes with the upper bracket and pitman arm disconnected.

08-29-2019, 09:56 PM	#7
chrs1961815 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2018 Location: Spring Grove, Illinois Posts: 1,371	Re: Spark rod rubbing Funny that this was brought up as I just had a problem like this. My car had a repro spark rod on it (the one from the column to distributor) and rather than adjusting the column or compensating, they chose to bend the rod a little more than slightly. I could deal with it not looking right but I started to have loss of power issues. I discovered this week that my engine had turned into a 3 cylinder with that rod rubbing against the spark plug shorting out a cylinder. Took a nice straight original and it fit perfectly. __________________ "The more things change, the more they stay the same."