The Ford Barn

1928Mik · 10-24-2019, 08:27 AM

I agree with Purdy. Same problem happened with mine. Swapped coil, not the issue. New condenser solved it.

Marshall V. Daut · 10-24-2019, 08:29 AM

"I was wondering if it was wearing down"
Have you checked your private messages on this website? I sent you message a few minutes after you posted your question with this same advice: check the rubbing block on the points. New points are not very good quality (unless you find NOS points), so the rubbing block wears down in the first 100 miles, closing up the point gap. After that time, the block doesn't wear much more. I suggested you re-gap the points to 0.020" and keep an eye on them. Be sure to rub Vasoline or distributor cam gear grease on the cam to lubricate it. I suspect a worn rubbing block on new points is why your points closed up.
Marshall

Straw530 · 10-25-2019, 05:05 AM

I wasn't aware of private messages. I will check the points gap again as well, to see if that is an issue. I had only put about 125 or so miles on since the last time I had gapped them, but I will see. I did not lube the cam however. Still learning as I go! Hopefully tonight or tomorrow after I get home, I can work on it and have a result. Thank you.

Straw530 · 10-27-2019, 09:55 PM

So I got looking at it this afternoon. The pad on the points arm had wore down and closed the points. I then took the points out and reinstalled. I now don't have spark when I ground the coil wire and open the points. I am thinking maybe they need to be cleaned or something else. My question is though, do I need to re time the car? When I pulled the cam off, to remove the plate, I thought there would be a flat spot or something to retain it's position. Hope it's not too dumb a question, I am pretty new to these and have never been good at ignition! Thanks

History · 10-28-2019, 06:47 AM

Straw, make sure to check for fouled plugs. Mine weren't exactly fuzzy black but powdery black? They were still fouled to the point I thought it was carburetor problems instead. I'm sure the mechanics back in the day and the smart ones now have a concrete place to start diagnosing problems. It's easy to go down many rabbit holes.

I was sure mine was the carburetor and believe it did need adjustment in one way or another but I think my main problem was fouled plugs. Good luck and make sure to tell us what it turns out to be.

wmws · 10-28-2019, 08:49 AM

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Yes you need to retime the car any time you take the points cam off. But now you have no spark? With the key on and holding the coil wire about a quarter inch from a head bolt open and close the points. You should have spark at the coil wire.

31Tudor · 10-28-2019, 09:20 AM

Before you jump in replacing parts, with either a test light or volt meter, start seeing where you have power. With the key off, you should have power both sides of the coil. With the key on, you should have power to the points. If you don't, then start checking around the switch, be sure nothing is touching or grounding out in the distributor. Be sure the point pigtail wire is not grounding out on the upper plate or the side of the distributor body.

katy · 10-28-2019, 09:53 AM

Quote:

With the key on, you should have power to the points.

Only if the points are open!

10-24-2019, 08:27 AM	#21
1928Mik Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2017 Location: Zanesville Ohio USA Posts: 268	Re: Model A backfire, can't move I agree with Purdy. Same problem happened with mine. Swapped coil, not the issue. New condenser solved it. __________________ 1928 Niagara Blue Phaeton 1972 Olds 442 Convertible 1979 MGB -Life's Too Short To Drive Boring Cars-

10-24-2019, 08:29 AM	#22
Marshall V. Daut Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Davenport, Iowa Posts: 2,111	Re: Model A backfire, can't move "I was wondering if it was wearing down" Have you checked your private messages on this website? I sent you message a few minutes after you posted your question with this same advice: check the rubbing block on the points. New points are not very good quality (unless you find NOS points), so the rubbing block wears down in the first 100 miles, closing up the point gap. After that time, the block doesn't wear much more. I suggested you re-gap the points to 0.020" and keep an eye on them. Be sure to rub Vasoline or distributor cam gear grease on the cam to lubricate it. I suspect a worn rubbing block on new points is why your points closed up. Marshall

10-25-2019, 05:05 AM	#23
Straw530 Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2019 Posts: 22	Re: Model A backfire, can't move I wasn't aware of private messages. I will check the points gap again as well, to see if that is an issue. I had only put about 125 or so miles on since the last time I had gapped them, but I will see. I did not lube the cam however. Still learning as I go! Hopefully tonight or tomorrow after I get home, I can work on it and have a result. Thank you.

10-27-2019, 09:55 PM	#24
Straw530 Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2019 Posts: 22	Re: Model A backfire, can't move So I got looking at it this afternoon. The pad on the points arm had wore down and closed the points. I then took the points out and reinstalled. I now don't have spark when I ground the coil wire and open the points. I am thinking maybe they need to be cleaned or something else. My question is though, do I need to re time the car? When I pulled the cam off, to remove the plate, I thought there would be a flat spot or something to retain it's position. Hope it's not too dumb a question, I am pretty new to these and have never been good at ignition! Thanks

10-28-2019, 06:47 AM	#25
History Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2017 Location: NC Mountains Posts: 689	Re: Model A backfire, can't move Straw, make sure to check for fouled plugs. Mine weren't exactly fuzzy black but powdery black? They were still fouled to the point I thought it was carburetor problems instead. I'm sure the mechanics back in the day and the smart ones now have a concrete place to start diagnosing problems. It's easy to go down many rabbit holes. I was sure mine was the carburetor and believe it did need adjustment in one way or another but I think my main problem was fouled plugs. Good luck and make sure to tell us what it turns out to be.

10-28-2019, 08:49 AM	#26
wmws BANNED Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Coatesville, Pa Posts: 719	Re: Model A backfire, can't move Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Yes you need to retime the car any time you take the points cam off. But now you have no spark? With the key on and holding the coil wire about a quarter inch from a head bolt open and close the points. You should have spark at the coil wire.

10-28-2019, 09:20 AM	#27
31Tudor Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: North Carolina Posts: 611	Re: Model A backfire, can't move Before you jump in replacing parts, with either a test light or volt meter, start seeing where you have power. With the key off, you should have power both sides of the coil. With the key on, you should have power to the points. If you don't, then start checking around the switch, be sure nothing is touching or grounding out in the distributor. Be sure the point pigtail wire is not grounding out on the upper plate or the side of the distributor body.