Ford Distributor Stroboscope

[earl_leonard]

I joined this board to try to learn more about a Ford Distributor Stroboscope that I recently purchased at an auction. After purchasing it I learned that it is used on 1930-50 era distributors. I have found several pictures on line, I have examined the books that came with it. There are both a operators manual and a service manual. A letter is enclosed with the service manual, it is dated 1965 and indicate that the machine was 20 years out of production. It may have a cord cut on the back. Otherwise it may be complete. I did notice an extra tube in the drawer with the books. Beyond that I know nothing about the tool. My questions are: Are parts if needed available? Is there much demand for such a machine? What is its value? Where would be the best place to sell such a machine? Thank you in advance for any help that you may offer.

[meric42]

A photo would be helpful to ID and date the machine

[Ian NZ]

I have rebuilt a 1949 Ford distributor stroboscope, and had to make some parts and have a radio technician repair the electrical side of it, to make it work satisfactory.
I have seen them sold for $3000 U.S. and I do not know what order they were in .
I find that this machine is excellent for setting up the Ford distributors to Ford specifications.

[earl_leonard]

yes mine looks like the one pictured above

[earl_leonard]

Thank you for the information, What did it cost to rebuild?

[earl_leonard]

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I glanced through the operators manual and noticed it is missing the calibrating distributor, The power cord has been cut, but other than that it seems to be complete. I have not done a complete inventory. All of the knobs seems turn as they should, all of the wires seem to be present.

[Terry,OH]

If your machine is like Ian's above you have the "Stroboscope". It was made by Heyer after the war, along with a second machine "Diagnosis Test Set". The two test sets performed different test. Prior to the war Heyer made "Laboratory Test Sets" for Ford from about 1934, one machine.
Prior to the war, the instructions for the various test were published in Ford Service Bulletins.
Ford Dealer & Service Field Magazine (Not a branch of the Ford Motor Co.) had instructions published ,in hard bound, "Laboratory Tests For Ford Cars". They may not help you much since they are for the early test set.
You may want to look in post war Ford Service Bulletins for instructions for test.

[jimTN]

The later machine runs off air and the earlier machine runs off a 6v battery.

[earl_leonard]

Mine has the air hose and looks like the one in Ian's picture. The top drawer has the operators manual mounted in it. The lower drawer has adapters and the service manual in a envelope.

[Ian NZ]

Make sure you tighten the two screws up on the top of mercury manometer unit, too clamp up the hoses, when you lie the stroboscope in a horizontal position, or you will loose the mercury out of the manometer unit. The mercury manometer unit is excellent for setting up the vacuum brake on the V8 distributors.

[earl_leonard]

Ian Thanks for the tip. Should I be able to see anything in the manometer tubes ? I suspect that it may have been lied down before I got it. I will have to clean up the glass to look a little closer.

[Ian NZ]

You should be able to see the mercury at the bottom of the manometer glass tubes.

[earl_leonard]

I will check again but I remember none, Must have been laid over before I got it. Does it have to be mercury or would something else work?

[Ian NZ]

Yes it has to be mercury which is not a nice liquid and is hard to handle.

[earl_leonard]

I am well aware of the dangers of mercury, Very bad stuff.

[jimTN]

Ford made an adapter to use this machine with the earlier dist. If your machine is like the pic above, it operated with compressed air to turn the stroboscope.

[earl_leonard]

Yes it has a air hose input

[lefttosell]

I have a Ford stroboscope that was my husband's. It doesn't work. I sold 3 Sun distributor machines but have this left. I'm moving and it needs to go. If someone wants it let me know. If not, I will have to scrap it. Thanks guys.

[marko39]

Originally Posted by lefttosell

I have a Ford stroboscope that was my husband's. It doesn't work. I sold 3 Sun distributor machines but have this left. I'm moving and it needs to go. If someone wants it let me know. If not, I will have to scrap it. Thanks guys.

Where are you located?

[G.M.]

I have 3 of the strobe machine and the electrical anolizer.
We rebuilt all of them. Skip has two of the distributor strobe
machines, they are matched as far as timing with a master
distributor that is kept in a plastic sealed bag to check them
every few months for timing. Skip has used them for well
over 20 years and has done over 18,000 distributors. When
installed on the car most need no adjustment. G.M.