miss ??
 

so we were coming home from a cruze Saturday, and my '38 flathead started to miss. it seams like an electrical miss. a guy told me I could check an electrical miss by a jump wire from my coil to the starter solenoid. he says if its electrical it will run smooth with the jump wire. my question is can this be done like he says? I don't want to hurt anything.

Re: miss ??
 

It will help a weak coil and won't hurt anything (except perhaps to shorten the life of the points at bit). First, make sure the ignition wire is firmly screwed down to the coil (don't ask how I know). Next, I'd try a new condenser. Just a thought.

Re: miss ??
 

Hey Jan,

I don't see how a jumper wire from starter solenoid to coil can accomplish anything at all, unless he was really suggesting that you bypass the ballast resistor.

Bypassing the resistor will provide full voltage to the coil, but the jumper can go from any power source (not only the solenoid) to the coil.

Re: miss ??
 

I know I put a new condenser on 3 years ago when I had Skip Haney re build my coil. is there anyway I can test the condenser?

Re: miss ??
 

so I guess i'll change out the ballast resister too, I do know before I had a ballast resister on it would act somewhat like its doing know, but not as bad. I don't know if they go bad or not so i'll just change it out.

Re: miss ??
 

Jan,

Are you on 12 volts with a 12 volt coil? Does it have an internal resistor? Maybe you have doubled the resistance by having both.

I guess you're on points/condenser. Condensers are cheap enough to buy and swap in just for curiosity sake.

Get a volt meter and check the voltage at the coil.

Re: miss ??
 

Condensers have been known to fail in a lot less than 3 years.:(

Re: miss ??
 

Mike, its the stock 6 volt, 4d, I ordered a condenser from Mac's i'll get it tomarow. I also got a new ballast res. Ido hope it all works out for me.

Re: miss ??
 

well I installed the condenser and ballast res. I got from Mac's. it wasn't any of those. It still has the slight miss just sitting when I take the throttle up to around 1 thous. rpm. I can hear the miss. I never got anything from Mac's before, the part condenser was very rough looking dirty even the threads looked rough. I called and she said that's the way they are old stock. is there anyway I can test the condenser? it just looks to rough for me to buy the story its old stock. oh yea I pulled all the plugs its not that. I believe its electrical.

Re: miss ??
 

Despite appearances, I think you're better off with a dirty NOS condenser than a shiny new foreign sweatshop-made unit.

Re: miss ??
 

well i'm pulling my hair out again. I can't find this miss. its there at all exceleration. coil rebuilt and distribuator set-up 500 miles ago by Skip in Fla. changed the condenser plugs are good. open for suggestions. car was running good for 3 years since built. coming home from a cruze the other day it started to develop a miss.

Re: miss ??
 

You May have a few sticky valves. Drizzle some Marvel Mystery Oil down both sides of the carb while running and put a pint in the gas tank. Drive it 10 miles and it should clear up. G.M.

Re: miss ??
 

thanks G. M. i'm going out there now i'll post the out come.

Re: miss ??
 

You might have a bad ignition wire.

Re: miss ??
 

Or plug? They only last 100k in newer cars. One tiny piece of broken loose carbon on a plug electrode will cause a miss. Found that out after I seafoamed my 86 Ramcharger once. One little tiny piece stuck to the electrode, and I found it on the first plug I pulled. What are the odds!

Re: miss ??
 

I would have never guessed that it was the f'n air filters. those little coragated cardboard filters. I cut out the paper and left in the screen mesh, until I get a good filter for it. unbelievable I would of never guessed. readjusted the carbs, and she runs like a champ.:)

Re: miss ??
 

Danged confulutin electrical air cleaners!