239 OHV question

flatford8

flatford8

Well-known member
Hello, I’m frequently on the Early V8 site, so first time posting here.
I have a friend who is working on a ‘54 Fordor. Are these still Positive ground? It ran a few years ago and now he can’t get spark. I saw a lot of bad wiring so I think he has a lot of work to do.....Thanks, Mark
 
Some of the replacement condensers these days (made in China) are causing no start and hot stall symptoms. I have heard that condensers from NAPA (Echlin ?) are about the best and still made in the USA.


Sal
 
Thank you guys!!! That’s what I thought.....a lot of work to do to make this one run again... wiring looks like it was done by Betty Spaghetti.... bare dead ends all under the hood.
Thanks again......Mark
 
Simple to bypass the spaghetti. Run a jumper wire from the battery negative (hot) post to the coil side terminal marked (-). First remove the existing wire that runs back to the ignition switch or you'll be back feeding the spaghetti. Run another jumper wire from the battery to the small terminal on the starter relay (or solenoid) to energize the starter. If everything else is OK it should start.
Have you cleaned and set the points? After sitting a few years, points corrode and won't carry current.
 
My first advice was check, clean and gap the points. He had the batt hooked up neg ground and I wasn’t sure if ‘54 was pos or neg ground and I wasn’t sure about how the coil should be wired. Someone had replaced the coil previously. Thanks to all for the advice !!..... Mark
 
flatford8 said:
.... He had the batt hooked up neg ground and I wasn’t sure if ‘54 was pos or neg ground and I wasn’t sure about how the coil should be wired. Someone had replaced the coil previously. Thanks to all for the advice !!..... Mark
Click to expand...
Depending on how the car & battery was hooked up last time it was running, or if the owner would prefer positive or negative ground... the generator needs to be re-polarized.

"... before you start the engine, remove the field wire from the voltage regulator and strike it (draw an arc) to the battery terminal of the voltage regulator in order to properly polarize the generator then reconnect the field wire to it’s position on the voltage regulator."


The ignition coil is polarity sensitive. The "+" terminal wire of the ignition coil goes to the distributor points on a positive ground car.
If the car has a clock they are also polarity sensitive. There may be a tab on the back to change it.
Not sure about a radio. If it was working before you don't want to make a mistake with it.
 

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Solid state vibrators in later car radios are polarity sensitive but the old ones with a standard ******** coil are not. Most cars in the 50s weren't solid state equipped yet but a radio repairman might put one in as a replacement.
 
1955 was the last year for the Ford 6-volt, positive ground electrical system. I think Volkswagen was the only mfr to continue using it clear into the '70's.
On your coil, the distributor wire hooks up to the positive terminal of the coil. The ignition wire hooks up to the negative terminal of the coil.
After you reconnect the battery properly, you will need to re-polarize the generator.


Don't ever take these old cars to ANY shop to have electrical or ignition work done. Those fools always hook up the test equipment negative lead to ground on everything and then scratch their heads trying to figure out what went wrong. As soon as y6ou realize what they have done, you pull your hair out. Never take for granted that the shop fools know ANYTHING.
 
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