1946 ford v8 help

RalphM said:
Is the car still 6 volt? Or has it been converted to 12?
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6 volt For some reason when i hook the distributor wire on the coil i lose power to the coil and the wires on back of ignition gets warm.
 
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RalphM said:
Is this with the ignition off?
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I think what i am going to do next is take the ignition wire off the coil and hook a wire from the battery to the coil and then hook the distributor wire and see if they power stays. If i still lose power when i hook the distributor wire that way it must be problems with coil or distributor i would think. If power stays at the coil that way then i think it would be a problem from ignition to coil. Does that sound right?
 
There may have been a reason the car set so long. The ignition ballast resistor may have a crack in the wire wound resistor or a loose terminal connection. It should be mounted under the dash on a circuit board along with the electrical system circuit breakers. If wiring is in good condition, it's a big plus. If not, it can lead to a lot of work finding the bad components/wires.

The ignition coil may be OK but they can be damaged by just accidentally leaving the ignition on when the breaker points just happen to be closed. The coil needs the ballast resistor to prevent damage from too much current (it will overheat with time). The condenser on the distributor is very important to the operation of the breaker points and coil. If the points look burned, the condenser is likely bad. Good condensers and ignition parts in general, are not easy to source. Some of the reproduction stuff is crap. Most folks have the coils rebuilt to better than new by Skip when the time comes. The after market stuff is problematic. Good sources for this stuff are out there so don't be afraid to ask where folks get theirs.
 
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rotorwrench said:
There may have been a reason the car set so long. The ignition ballast resistor may have a crack in the wire wound resistor or a loose terminal connection. It should be mounted under the dash on a circuit board along with the electrical system circuit breakers. If wiring is in god condition, its a big plus. If not, it can lead to a lot of work finding the bad components/wires.

The ignition coil may be OK but they can be damaged by just accidentally leaving the ignition on when the breaker points just happen to be closed. The coil needs the ballast resistor to prevent damage from too much current (it will overheat with time). The condenser on the distributor is very important to the operation of the breaker points and coil. If the points look burned, the condenser is likely bad. Good condensers and ignition parts in general, are not easy to source. Some of the reproduction stuff is crap. Most folks have the coils rebuilt to better than new by Skip when the time comes. The after market stuff is problematic. Good sources for this stuff are out there so don't be afraid to ask where folks get theirs.
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Ok thanks i just pulled the distributor again and hooked it up in my hand and the housing and everything is showing power so i think there is a problem in the distributor.
 
Based on the pictures of this car you'd think it should start no problems, is Tony trying to start the car pictured here or working on another vehicle and playing with the distributor ??
 
If you do bypass the ignition entirely, you should add in a resistor so that the coil recieves the correct voltage. If you supply to much you can cause other issues and you'll be chasing a different problem.
 
6 volt , good now which way is it grounded ? That car is a beautiful ! Want to sell it . I'll trade you a 32 hot rod .
I'm serious .
 
Ops forgot , I'm not sure that was legal or the correct way , sorry if I broke the rules , I love that car !
 
oldasi said:
Based on the pictures of this car you'd think it should start no problems, is Tony trying to start the car pictured here or working on another vehicle and playing with the distributor ??
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Hi The one pictured it has been in storage for about 15 years.
 
RalphM said:
If you do bypass the ignition entirely, you should add in a resistor so that the coil recieves the correct voltage. If you supply to much you can cause other issues and you'll be chasing a different problem.
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Thanks for the info.
 
Ggmac said:
Ops forgot , I'm not sure that was legal or the correct way , sorry if I broke the rules , I love that car !
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Thanks for the complement it is a very nice car they just left it sit in a climate controled garage and never ran the car.
 
Finally got my ford running after sitting for 13 years it was the coil and resistor. The only problem i have found now is # 1 cylinder is dead no compression i can see the valves moving but one looks like it may not be seating all the way not sure. There is no noise or smoke so maybe valve not sure. Any ideas? Thanks
 
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