The Ford Barn

philipswanson · 09-25-2023, 02:49 PM

My son bought a 40 Ford truck with a 59A flathead. It wasn't running when he got it. I put new points in it on my Sun machine and set the dwell. It started right up and ran well. We went for a ride and all ran strong. We drove about 5 miles and all of a sudden it died. No spark condition. We called AAA and got a tow home. He changed the coil and it started right up again. He took it for another ride days later and the same thing happened. Had to get it towed home again. What do you experts think is causing this?? Help please.

Mart · 09-25-2023, 02:55 PM

Crab or helmet?

I have had problems with the HT side of the ignition. Cap and rotor can all fail under load, and run fine again until hot and loaded again. Have any spares you can swap on?

marko39 · 09-25-2023, 03:27 PM

Check to see if the balist resistor is not bypassed as this can fry a coil .

aussie merc · 09-25-2023, 03:51 PM

with Mart crab / helmet or aftermarket also 6v/12v No such thing as to much information ??

ford38v8 · 09-25-2023, 10:23 PM

He changed the coil? More info please. Another coil from the cardboard box in the trunk?

Terry,OH · 09-26-2023, 05:50 AM

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

There are several items that with heat can go bad but when cold are OK. The ones mentioned above plus the ignition condenser.

Fritz · 09-26-2023, 01:09 PM

I put a Pertronix unit in a crab distributor on my engine because these reproduction parts are so terrible.

But, if I were doing a stock ignition all over again, I’d buy a coil from Skip Haney and a condenser from Tubman.

philipswanson · 09-26-2023, 03:22 PM

It's a crab distributor. I think the resistor has been bypassed. I will have my son check it out tonight. Will let you know what we find. Thanks!

SoCalCoupe · 09-26-2023, 09:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fritz

But, if I were doing a stock ignition all over again, I’d buy a coil from Skip Haney and a condenser from Tubman.

Did that with my helmet distributor. VERY SATISFIED! Car runs really strong and reliable. I'd be confident using it as a daily driver. Bought 2 each so I'd have spares. Also bought NOS resistors and points on evilBay for spares.

JK1934 · 09-26-2023, 09:44 PM

something worth checking is how the points fit on the pivot post, I just had one set of points lock up when it got hot so the 1 point was locked open so the distributor had no spark, was ok & tested good when it was cold but after driving for an hour or so the 1 set of points locked up, I have just drilled it out to give more clearance

BUBBAS IGNITION · 09-27-2023, 11:57 AM

Condensor condensor condensor

philipswanson · 09-27-2023, 06:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BUBBAS IGNITION

Condensor condensor condensor

Where were you buying your condensers?

philipswanson · 10-01-2023, 10:20 AM

Changed the condenser, same thing happened and needed another tow.

philipswanson · 10-01-2023, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marko39

Check to see if the balist resistor is not bypassed as this can fry a coil .

The resistor is bypassed but we are running a 6v coil that doesn't require a resistor from Napa.

Juergen · 10-01-2023, 01:08 PM

The first thing I check when a car just stops as check if an ignition or gas problem. Take off the air cleaner and work the throttle to see if the accelerator pump squirts out gas. If so fuel is not a problem. Then pull a wire and hold it close to ground as you try to start. You should have a hot blue spark. With a crab distributor you have an external coil. So check the output of the coil with the spark test. If still nothing you know it is in the ignition upstream of the coil. Check the input voltage at the coil. If not there keep going back.

petehoovie · 10-01-2023, 02:24 PM

Flaky ignition switch...

philipswanson · 10-01-2023, 06:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Juergen

The first thing I check when a car just stops as check if an ignition or gas problem. Take off the air cleaner and work the throttle to see if the accelerator pump squirts out gas. If so fuel is not a problem. Then pull a wire and hold it close to ground as you try to start. You should have a hot blue spark. With a crab distributor you have an external coil. So check the output of the coil with the spark test. If still nothing you know it is in the ignition upstream of the coil. Check the input voltage at the coil. If not there keep going back.

We checked for a fuel problem and getting a squirt. No spark though. Next time we take it out, I am bringing a hotwire and a multimeter. Thanks!

aussie merc · 10-01-2023, 11:25 PM

just wondering where is the coil mounted had nothing but drama when i went back to a crab turns out the coil was overheating when mounted on the eng moved it to the inner guard problems solved you couldn't touch the coil it was that hot but now gets warm but you can hang on to it

philipswanson · 10-03-2023, 06:01 PM

We worked on it again last night. Put another new condenser and coil from Napa on it and as usual it started right up. We drove it about 50 feet and it died again. Pulled a plug and checked for spark and none. Turned key on again and checked voltage on the - side of the coil. 6.2 volts present. In my estimation, it has to be the cap, rotor or distributor. What else can it be?

Ken/Alabama · 10-03-2023, 07:08 PM

Check the ignition switch at the steering column. Take it off and check the contacts. They get corroded and burned and cause a high resistance.

09-25-2023, 02:49 PM	#1
philipswanson Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Bonita, CA Posts: 1,374	40 Ford Ignition Woes My son bought a 40 Ford truck with a 59A flathead. It wasn't running when he got it. I put new points in it on my Sun machine and set the dwell. It started right up and ran well. We went for a ride and all ran strong. We drove about 5 miles and all of a sudden it died. No spark condition. We called AAA and got a tow home. He changed the coil and it started right up again. He took it for another ride days later and the same thing happened. Had to get it towed home again. What do you experts think is causing this?? Help please.

09-25-2023, 02:55 PM	#2
Mart Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Solihull, England. Posts: 8,755	Re: 40 Ford Ignition Woes Crab or helmet? I have had problems with the HT side of the ignition. Cap and rotor can all fail under load, and run fine again until hot and loaded again. Have any spares you can swap on?

09-25-2023, 03:27 PM	#3
marko39 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2016 Location: harpursville ny Posts: 1,040	Re: 40 Ford Ignition Woes Check to see if the balist resistor is not bypassed as this can fry a coil .

09-25-2023, 03:51 PM	#4
aussie merc Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: sydney australia Posts: 1,034	Re: 40 Ford Ignition Woes with Mart crab / helmet or aftermarket also 6v/12v No such thing as to much information ??

09-25-2023, 10:23 PM	#5
ford38v8 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: SF Bay Area Posts: 6,646	Re: 40 Ford Ignition Woes He changed the coil? More info please. Another coil from the cardboard box in the trunk? __________________ Alan

09-26-2023, 05:50 AM	#6
Terry,OH Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 4,751	Re: 40 Ford Ignition Woes Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) There are several items that with heat can go bad but when cold are OK. The ones mentioned above plus the ignition condenser.

09-26-2023, 01:09 PM	#7
Fritz Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: From Chicago. Now Nashville Posts: 207	Re: 40 Ford Ignition Woes I put a Pertronix unit in a crab distributor on my engine because these reproduction parts are so terrible. But, if I were doing a stock ignition all over again, I’d buy a coil from Skip Haney and a condenser from Tubman. __________________ Cars and metal rust away and are destroyed, but the Word of God will stand forever (Isaiah 40:8, Matthew 24:35).

09-26-2023, 03:22 PM	#8
philipswanson Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Bonita, CA Posts: 1,374	Re: 40 Ford Ignition Woes It's a crab distributor. I think the resistor has been bypassed. I will have my son check it out tonight. Will let you know what we find. Thanks!

09-26-2023, 09:44 PM	#10
JK1934 Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Sydney Australia Posts: 26	Re: 40 Ford Ignition Woes something worth checking is how the points fit on the pivot post, I just had one set of points lock up when it got hot so the 1 point was locked open so the distributor had no spark, was ok & tested good when it was cold but after driving for an hour or so the 1 set of points locked up, I have just drilled it out to give more clearance

09-27-2023, 11:57 AM	#11
BUBBAS IGNITION Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: SPEEDWAY INDIANA Posts: 4,148	Re: 40 Ford Ignition Woes Condensor condensor condensor __________________ If it Makes Spark, we do it !!!! www.bubbasignition.com [email protected]

10-01-2023, 10:20 AM	#13
philipswanson Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Bonita, CA Posts: 1,374	Re: 40 Ford Ignition Woes Changed the condenser, same thing happened and needed another tow.

10-01-2023, 01:08 PM	#15
Juergen Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 503	Re: 40 Ford Ignition Woes The first thing I check when a car just stops as check if an ignition or gas problem. Take off the air cleaner and work the throttle to see if the accelerator pump squirts out gas. If so fuel is not a problem. Then pull a wire and hold it close to ground as you try to start. You should have a hot blue spark. With a crab distributor you have an external coil. So check the output of the coil with the spark test. If still nothing you know it is in the ignition upstream of the coil. Check the input voltage at the coil. If not there keep going back.

10-01-2023, 02:24 PM	#16
petehoovie Senior Member Join Date: May 2015 Posts: 8,151	Re: 40 Ford Ignition Woes Flaky ignition switch... __________________ The only thing nice about being imperfect is the joy it brings to others.... *"Silver rings, your butt! Them's washers!"* "We shot our way out of that town for a dollar's worth of steel holes!" - from 'The Wild Bunch' - 1969 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NReUd2_0u0

10-01-2023, 11:25 PM	#18
aussie merc Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: sydney australia Posts: 1,034	Re: 40 Ford Ignition Woes just wondering where is the coil mounted had nothing but drama when i went back to a crab turns out the coil was overheating when mounted on the eng moved it to the inner guard problems solved you couldn't touch the coil it was that hot but now gets warm but you can hang on to it

10-03-2023, 06:01 PM	#19
philipswanson Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Bonita, CA Posts: 1,374	Re: 40 Ford Ignition Woes We worked on it again last night. Put another new condenser and coil from Napa on it and as usual it started right up. We drove it about 50 feet and it died again. Pulled a plug and checked for spark and none. Turned key on again and checked voltage on the - side of the coil. 6.2 volts present. In my estimation, it has to be the cap, rotor or distributor. What else can it be?

10-03-2023, 07:08 PM	#20
Ken/Alabama Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Alabama Posts: 3,261	Re: 40 Ford Ignition Woes Check the ignition switch at the steering column. Take it off and check the contacts. They get corroded and burned and cause a high resistance.