The Ford Barn

Deluxe Delivery · 02-18-2012, 09:25 AM

I was just looking at Marco's close up of a nos distributor and it is pointed out that there is a fiber washer under the condenser screw. I am having trouble getting my newly purchased chassis running and do not see such a washer in place. Could this be the source of my no-fire problem ?

peters180a/170b · 02-18-2012, 09:46 AM

It would not be there if it did not serve a purpose

. It could be a bitch to put in.

The washer just about clears the hole.

. I use gum to hold it to the screw while feeding it thru the hole.

..NO-Fire problem???? One way to find out... put it in.

RonC · 02-18-2012, 10:08 AM

Are you getting spark across the points?

Deluxe Delivery · 02-18-2012, 10:43 AM

Yes, spark at the points...and smoke ! Just turning the key on starts the points getting hot and smoke insues. I have replaced the wire connecting top and bottom plates...and replaced top plate...still smoke. Have taken it out several times and can't locate a short from the flag terminal or the wire shorting on the inside. This engine sat in the elements for a longer time than I was told...I'm thinking rust between dist and head ??

RonC · 02-18-2012, 11:11 AM

Sounds like you have a short. With the power off. (if you have a pop out, pull the fuse or battery and turn the switch ON so the pop out does not ground out your dist.) Check the point arm and arm stud with a piece of cardboard between the points. there should be no continuity from any part of the point arm to any part of the top plate. use an ohm meter. If there is continuity work backwards starting with the wire between the plates and the bottom plate. Check the lower plate insulated studs. They should be tight. Run an ohm meter from both studs to the lower plate surface to make sure there is no continuity. If all is well, then pull the dist., remove the ignition cable end, reinstall with a jumper wire for the power instead of the switch cable.

Deluxe Delivery · 02-18-2012, 11:53 AM

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Good advice, Ron
This is just a chassis, with a plywood temporary dash, I'm just trying to see if this is a viable motor. So I rechecked my wiring ...and found that some "chucklehead"...me... had wires from the coil switched up three kinds of wrong !..... Changed that and...Smoking stopped...and I got a couple of firings from a few cylinders...YAY ! Now I just gotta get more firing and go from there. Still not out of the woods, but I'm makin progress ! Thanks, I'll keep posting til I get it !

Tom Wesenberg · 02-18-2012, 02:39 PM

Since you sent battery current through the points you may have heated and taken the temper out of the points spring. Check to be sure the points have good spring pressure. When I was in high school I accidentally wired my coil wrong and sent the full 12 volts through the points. I fixed it right away, but didn't think about the points spring getting heated up. For a few days I had a built in governor due to floating points at about 35 MPH.

02-18-2012, 09:25 AM	#1
Deluxe Delivery Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 370	fiber washer I was just looking at Marco's close up of a nos distributor and it is pointed out that there is a fiber washer under the condenser screw. I am having trouble getting my newly purchased chassis running and do not see such a washer in place. Could this be the source of my no-fire problem ?

02-18-2012, 09:46 AM	#2
peters180a/170b Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Putnam Valley N.Y. Posts: 2,151	Re: fiber washer It would not be there if it did not serve a purpose. It could be a bitch to put in. The washer just about clears the hole.. I use gum to hold it to the screw while feeding it thru the hole...NO-Fire problem???? One way to find out... put it in.

02-18-2012, 10:08 AM	#3
RonC Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Rhode Island Posts: 1,868	Re: fiber washer Are you getting spark across the points?

02-18-2012, 10:43 AM	#4
Deluxe Delivery Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 370	Re: fiber washer Yes, spark at the points...and smoke ! Just turning the key on starts the points getting hot and smoke insues. I have replaced the wire connecting top and bottom plates...and replaced top plate...still smoke. Have taken it out several times and can't locate a short from the flag terminal or the wire shorting on the inside. This engine sat in the elements for a longer time than I was told...I'm thinking rust between dist and head ??

02-18-2012, 11:11 AM	#5
RonC Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Rhode Island Posts: 1,868	Re: fiber washer Sounds like you have a short. With the power off. (if you have a pop out, pull the fuse or battery and turn the switch ON so the pop out does not ground out your dist.) Check the point arm and arm stud with a piece of cardboard between the points. there should be no continuity from any part of the point arm to any part of the top plate. use an ohm meter. If there is continuity work backwards starting with the wire between the plates and the bottom plate. Check the lower plate insulated studs. They should be tight. Run an ohm meter from both studs to the lower plate surface to make sure there is no continuity. If all is well, then pull the dist., remove the ignition cable end, reinstall with a jumper wire for the power instead of the switch cable. Last edited by RonC; 02-18-2012 at 11:24 AM.

02-18-2012, 11:53 AM	#6
Deluxe Delivery Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 370	Re: fiber washer Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Good advice, Ron This is just a chassis, with a plywood temporary dash, I'm just trying to see if this is a viable motor. So I rechecked my wiring ...and found that some "chucklehead"...me... had wires from the coil switched up three kinds of wrong !..... Changed that and...Smoking stopped...and I got a couple of firings from a few cylinders...YAY ! Now I just gotta get more firing and go from there. Still not out of the woods, but I'm makin progress ! Thanks, I'll keep posting til I get it !

02-18-2012, 02:39 PM	#7
Tom Wesenberg Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mpls, MN Posts: 27,582	Re: fiber washer Since you sent battery current through the points you may have heated and taken the temper out of the points spring. Check to be sure the points have good spring pressure. When I was in high school I accidentally wired my coil wrong and sent the full 12 volts through the points. I fixed it right away, but didn't think about the points spring getting heated up. For a few days I had a built in governor due to floating points at about 35 MPH.