The Ford Barn

Hoop · 11-11-2010, 06:28 AM

"Damm!! I wish that I had known that the V8 distributor was this complicated back when I was 17 years old. I had a 34 2-door with a 59AB engine, finned aluminum heads(don't remember which kind), 16 inch wheels and dual exhaust. I just took the thing apart, looked to see how it worked, replaced the points and asked the parts store what the gap was and experimented with the advance and vacuum brake and was good to go. It ran like gang busters!!"

Jerry, when you were 17 the quality of replacement parts was a whole lot better than the quality offered today.

While the distributor was designed for easy roadside repair, it also presumed good replacement points would be available.

I just encountered a brand new set of early '30s points from Mac's. I "rough" set the points with feeler gauges when I install them on the plate and then adjust them further on a KRW fixture before a final check on a Sun machine. (The KRW tells you things a Sun does not and vice-versa.)

The points were way out of phase on the KRW. So bad that I took them out and replaced them with another set. I will try to take some measurements to see where the manufacturer (USA) went wrong.

If you had installed these points with only feeler gauges, you would have had no way of knowing there was a problem except the way your car ran.

With a Sun machine, you would have known there was a problem since individual dwell would have been correct, but total dwell would have been very low. Unless you were experienced, you'd be scratching.

In this case the KRW best showed the fault.

I generally encourage guys to tinker. The more you learn the better you will be able to diagnose your own problems. That includes knowing which procedures work best in which circumstances.

Bruce Lancaster · 11-11-2010, 10:35 AM

Checking both dwell and gap on new points is essential to weed out the junk! If setting proper gap doesn't get you quite close to the proper dwell and vice versa, you can simply adjust the parts by carefully placing them in a garbage can and letting the experts with the big truck take them away for the needed work...I think the general problem is inaccurate drilling of the pivot, though I guess other things like the rubbing block could share the blame.
Readily available good quality tune up parts is why Fords could be run with backyard repairs...you could get acceptable results with simple methods if you lacked a stroboscope.
I posted plans for an easy, cheap degree wheel for Ford distributors on the HAMB a while back and have posted the Ford method for ruler timing '32-41 distributors on here somewhere...ruler timing for '42-8 is online as well as in the manuals you really should have.
All this primitive setup tech works quite acceptably and will reveal badly made points if used carefully.

flatheadernie · 11-12-2010, 12:24 PM

I usually set at .016, install, pull plugs hook up old m& w dwell meter,spin on starter set dwell to specs for motor, plugs in run for a while recheck while running , like one post said they are very forgiving of us thick fingered, 4 eyed old farts, LOLernie

Hoop · 11-12-2010, 02:52 PM

Bruce (and for anyone else still following this).

It's the cut of the rubbing block on this set, really crudely cut. as well as the pivot hole ... .015 out. I'll mess around with them, but it's a shame this passes for any kind of quality.

Again, from Mac's with brass liners in the pivot holes.

Bruce Lancaster · 11-12-2010, 02:57 PM

I noticed Mac's offers two qualities and prices on the '37-48 type...I think the answer here is going to scare me, but which was this one? Or was it the early type?
Sometimes I think they just sketch a part on a napkin with a sharpy and send it off to China to translate into a part...
I hope NAPA or someone is still selling decent ones, even though they have been selling them as incomplete sets for years now! '37-48 set has THREE parts in the box routinely, can't remember which they leave out. Emailed them about it maybe 5 years ago...

Hoop · 11-12-2010, 03:44 PM

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Their 18-12107 long arm connected with the screw pins for early 30's. Unfortunately only one "quality" offered.

Easy to see how some poor homer is trying so hard to troubleshoot something and swearing that he checked the point gap and it's fine. "Couldn't be the distributor." (And the old-timer helping him out and giving advice never had to deal with this junk.)

11-11-2010, 06:28 AM	#41
Hoop Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Jacksonville FL Posts: 1,137	Re: 1936 distibuter timing "Damm!! I wish that I had known that the V8 distributor was this complicated back when I was 17 years old. I had a 34 2-door with a 59AB engine, finned aluminum heads(don't remember which kind), 16 inch wheels and dual exhaust. I just took the thing apart, looked to see how it worked, replaced the points and asked the parts store what the gap was and experimented with the advance and vacuum brake and was good to go. It ran like gang busters!!" Jerry, when you were 17 the quality of replacement parts was a whole lot better than the quality offered today. While the distributor was designed for easy roadside repair, it also presumed good replacement points would be available. I just encountered a brand new set of early '30s points from Mac's. I "rough" set the points with feeler gauges when I install them on the plate and then adjust them further on a KRW fixture before a final check on a Sun machine. (The KRW tells you things a Sun does not and vice-versa.) The points were way out of phase on the KRW. So bad that I took them out and replaced them with another set. I will try to take some measurements to see where the manufacturer (USA) went wrong. If you had installed these points with only feeler gauges, you would have had no way of knowing there was a problem except the way your car ran. With a Sun machine, you would have known there was a problem since individual dwell would have been correct, but total dwell would have been very low. Unless you were experienced, you'd be scratching. In this case the KRW best showed the fault. I generally encourage guys to tinker. The more you learn the better you will be able to diagnose your own problems. That includes knowing which procedures work best in which circumstances. __________________ "Remember that when it comes to intelligence, half of all of us are below average." Last edited by Hoop; 11-11-2010 at 10:56 AM.

11-11-2010, 10:35 AM	#42
Bruce Lancaster Member Emeritus Join Date: May 2010 Location: Madison, NJ Posts: 5,230	Re: 1936 distibuter timing Checking both dwell and gap on new points is essential to weed out the junk! If setting proper gap doesn't get you quite close to the proper dwell and vice versa, you can simply adjust the parts by carefully placing them in a garbage can and letting the experts with the big truck take them away for the needed work...I think the general problem is inaccurate drilling of the pivot, though I guess other things like the rubbing block could share the blame. Readily available good quality tune up parts is why Fords could be run with backyard repairs...you could get acceptable results with simple methods if you lacked a stroboscope. I posted plans for an easy, cheap degree wheel for Ford distributors on the HAMB a while back and have posted the Ford method for ruler timing '32-41 distributors on here somewhere...ruler timing for '42-8 is online as well as in the manuals you really should have. All this primitive setup tech works quite acceptably and will reveal badly made points if used carefully.

11-12-2010, 12:24 PM	#43
flatheadernie Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 229	Re: 1936 distibuter timing I usually set at .016, install, pull plugs hook up old m& w dwell meter,spin on starter set dwell to specs for motor, plugs in run for a while recheck while running , like one post said they are very forgiving of us thick fingered, 4 eyed old farts, LOLernie

11-12-2010, 02:52 PM	#44
Hoop Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Jacksonville FL Posts: 1,137	Re: 1936 distibuter timing Bruce (and for anyone else still following this). It's the cut of the rubbing block on this set, really crudely cut. as well as the pivot hole ... .015 out. I'll mess around with them, but it's a shame this passes for any kind of quality. Again, from Mac's with brass liners in the pivot holes. __________________ "Remember that when it comes to intelligence, half of all of us are below average."

11-12-2010, 02:57 PM	#45
Bruce Lancaster Member Emeritus Join Date: May 2010 Location: Madison, NJ Posts: 5,230	Re: 1936 distibuter timing I noticed Mac's offers two qualities and prices on the '37-48 type...I think the answer here is going to scare me, but which was this one? Or was it the early type? Sometimes I think they just sketch a part on a napkin with a sharpy and send it off to China to translate into a part... I hope NAPA or someone is still selling decent ones, even though they have been selling them as incomplete sets for years now! '37-48 set has THREE parts in the box routinely, can't remember which they leave out. Emailed them about it maybe 5 years ago...

11-12-2010, 03:44 PM	#46
Hoop Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Jacksonville FL Posts: 1,137	Re: 1936 distibuter timing Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Their 18-12107 long arm connected with the screw pins for early 30's. Unfortunately only one "quality" offered. Easy to see how some poor homer is trying so hard to troubleshoot something and swearing that he checked the point gap and it's fine. "Couldn't be the distributor." (And the old-timer helping him out and giving advice never had to deal with this junk.) __________________ "Remember that when it comes to intelligence, half of all of us are below average."