The Ford Barn

Terry, NJ · 04-16-2017, 04:05 PM

So I was finishing up the transmission job, took it for a short ride and it performed perfectly. I guess I solved that jumping out of 3rd gear Problem. I parked it in the driveway.Came out from cleaning the garage to put it away, NO START. What the hell is this, No spark! I was just down the road with this about six months ago, thought I had it fixed once and for all! I guess not! So I get the meter and check the coil. Now as I understand it, I should have voltage on both sides of the coil. I have voltage on one side only. Did I burn the coil?
Terry

Mitch//pa · 04-16-2017, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Terry, NJ

So I was finishing up the transmission job, took it for a short ride and it performed perfectly. I guess I solved that jumping out of 3rd gear Problem. I parked it in the driveway.Came out from cleaning the garage to put it away, NO START. What the hell is this, No spark! I was just down the road with this about six months ago, thought I had it fixed once and for all! I guess not! So I get the meter and check the coil. Now as I understand it, I should have voltage on both sides of the coil. I have voltage on one side only. Did I burn the coil?
Terry

Youll only have voltage on one side of the coil if the points are closed with the key on.
Key off you will have voltage at both sides of the coil or key on and the points open

Tom Endy · 04-16-2017, 04:51 PM

The attached may be of help.

Tom Endy

Terry, NJ · 04-16-2017, 06:34 PM

Tom, I printed out your punch list of problems, went outside to where my coupe lay dead in it's tracks, checked both sides of the coil-OK. Next I took the cap off the distributor, put paper between the points and the arm was hot (6V). So just for the hell of it, I tried starting it again. It made one turn of the starter and fired off perfectly. So I seem to have a "won't start when hot", problem. I never had this before, what is the usual cause of these? I seem to recall it being a coil problem. T.I.A.
Terry

Mitch//pa · 04-16-2017, 06:38 PM

You need to check things when the issue is happening.

Dick Steinkamp · 04-16-2017, 07:11 PM

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

As an aside, I have owned over 40 vintage collector cars...from the mid 60s to the 30s. All had point type distributors and coils. In addition, I'm an old guy. For many years my daily drivers had point type ignitions and coils. I currently own 3 vehicles with point type ignitions and coils.

I've never had a coil or condenser fail. Never. I know it's possible, but it seems that every Model A problem here is blamed on the coil or condenser (or, of course, crap gas

) .

I sure wish I had the coil and condenser concession here. I'm sure there are a whole bunch of coils and condensers that have been replaced prior to the owner doing actual trouble shooting and correcting the actual problem.

Terry, NJ · 04-17-2017, 06:01 AM

Dick, My experience is similar. I'm 72 and until recently, all my cars were point and coils too.
But, I have three mod. A condensers that are bad. How do I know? I have a condenser tester and they were the cause of my points not firing at sometime in the past. I'm saving them for who the heck knows why. Six months ago, I had similar problems and I chased it to a shorted plate. That was what is so frustrating, Is this car cursed? Furthermore, in my dotage, I can't get a mental handle on how the mod.A Ignition system works that will stay with me longer than ten minutes, maybe fifteen. Problems for me seem to evolve. sometime today, I will get the engine hot again just to see what happens. Wish me luck!
Terry

Big hammer · 04-17-2017, 06:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Terry, NJ

Dick, My experience is similar. I'm 72 and until recently, all my cars were point and coils too.
But, I have three mod. A condensers that are bad. How do I know? I have a condenser tester and they were the cause of my points not firing at sometime in the past. I'm saving them for who the heck knows why. Six months ago, I had similar problems and I chased it to a shorted plate. That was what is so frustrating, Is this car cursed? Furthermore, in my dotage, I can't get a mental handle on how the mod.A Ignition system works that will stay with me longer than ten minutes, maybe fifteen. Problems for me seem to evolve. sometime today, I will get the engine hot again just to see what happens. Wish me luck!
Terry

Good luck Terry :-)

Dick Steinkamp · 04-17-2017, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Terry, NJ

Problems for me seem to evolve. sometime today, I will get the engine hot again just to see what happens. Wish me luck!
Terry

Trouble shooting can be frustrating...but it feels so good when you nail the problem.

Good luck!

Chuck Sea/Tac · 04-17-2017, 10:52 AM

I had an intermittent "open" the other day, turned out to be weak spring pressure not pushing the movable points arm end against the power post.

gweilbaker · 04-17-2017, 11:06 AM

I had an armored cable go wonky. Worked great, then out of the blue nothing, then it work again. Drove me nuts for a while.

Terry, NJ · 04-17-2017, 12:15 PM

I hope not! I bought the top of the line ignition switch ($ 55. IIRC) on Mitch's recommendation, during a previous bout with this thing. (That was before the last go around with the shorted dist. plate)
Terry

Quote:

Originally Posted by gweilbaker

I had an armored cable go wonky. Worked great, then out of the blue nothing, then it work again. Drove me nuts for a while.

04-16-2017, 04:05 PM	#1
Terry, NJ Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Bucks Co, Pa Posts: 3,740	Ignition woes (Again) Burnt Coil? So I was finishing up the transmission job, took it for a short ride and it performed perfectly. I guess I solved that jumping out of 3rd gear Problem. I parked it in the driveway.Came out from cleaning the garage to put it away, NO START. What the hell is this, No spark! I was just down the road with this about six months ago, thought I had it fixed once and for all! I guess not! So I get the meter and check the coil. Now as I understand it, I should have voltage on both sides of the coil. I have voltage on one side only. Did I burn the coil? Terry

04-16-2017, 06:34 PM	#4
Terry, NJ Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Bucks Co, Pa Posts: 3,740	Re: Ignition woes (Again) Burnt Coil? Tom, I printed out your punch list of problems, went outside to where my coupe lay dead in it's tracks, checked both sides of the coil-OK. Next I took the cap off the distributor, put paper between the points and the arm was hot (6V). So just for the hell of it, I tried starting it again. It made one turn of the starter and fired off perfectly. So I seem to have a "won't start when hot", problem. I never had this before, what is the usual cause of these? I seem to recall it being a coil problem. T.I.A. Terry

04-16-2017, 06:38 PM	#5
Mitch//pa BANNED Join Date: May 2010 Location: Bucks County, PA Posts: 11,454	Re: Ignition woes (Again) Burnt Coil? You need to check things when the issue is happening.

04-16-2017, 07:11 PM	#6
Dick Steinkamp Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Bellingham, WA Posts: 1,163	Re: Ignition woes (Again) Burnt Coil? Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) As an aside, I have owned over 40 vintage collector cars...from the mid 60s to the 30s. All had point type distributors and coils. In addition, I'm an old guy. For many years my daily drivers had point type ignitions and coils. I currently own 3 vehicles with point type ignitions and coils. I've never had a coil or condenser fail. Never. I know it's possible, but it seems that every Model A problem here is blamed on the coil or condenser (or, of course, crap gas ) . I sure wish I had the coil and condenser concession here. I'm sure there are a whole bunch of coils and condensers that have been replaced prior to the owner doing actual trouble shooting and correcting the actual problem. __________________ All steel from pedal to wheel

04-17-2017, 06:01 AM	#7
Terry, NJ Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Bucks Co, Pa Posts: 3,740	Re: Ignition woes (Again) Burnt Coil? Dick, My experience is similar. I'm 72 and until recently, all my cars were point and coils too. But, I have three mod. A condensers that are bad. How do I know? I have a condenser tester and they were the cause of my points not firing at sometime in the past. I'm saving them for who the heck knows why. Six months ago, I had similar problems and I chased it to a shorted plate. That was what is so frustrating, Is this car cursed? Furthermore, in my dotage, I can't get a mental handle on how the mod.A Ignition system works that will stay with me longer than ten minutes, maybe fifteen. Problems for me seem to evolve. sometime today, I will get the engine hot again just to see what happens. Wish me luck! Terry

04-17-2017, 10:52 AM	#10
Chuck Sea/Tac Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Between Seattle & Tacoma Posts: 2,354	Re: Ignition woes (Again) Burnt Coil? I had an intermittent "open" the other day, turned out to be weak spring pressure not pushing the movable points arm end against the power post.

04-17-2017, 11:06 AM	#11
gweilbaker Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Lindenhurst, IL Posts: 792	Re: Ignition woes (Again) Burnt Coil? I had an armored cable go wonky. Worked great, then out of the blue nothing, then it work again. Drove me nuts for a while.