40 ignition problems

3

34ragtop

Well-known member
i just bought a super nice 40 sedan from florida, the transporter left the ignition switch on for several days-killed the battery now the car has no spark. any suggestions what might have been ruined by leaving the switch on thanks tom
 
Good chance the coil is burned up. I'd certainly have a look at the point too. Not to mention, any wiring that feeds the ignition circuit.
 
The coil will burn up in 10 to 15 minutes when the ignition switch is left on if the points are closed. The points will carry a lot of amperage when closed they burn from arcing when opening and closing. Wireing is usually not effected unless a battery charger is on. The battery is run down pretty fast from the shorted coil, between the resistor, coil resistance and the lower volage there is usually no damage. When a coil is energized NOT being turned on and off by the points it is a big resistor and does not put out any spark to the high voltage side. Have your old coil rebuilt and it will be better then new. I believe Vanpelt parts may have one in stock. G.M.
 
I vote for the coil too. I have a 1948 Ford 8N tractor that I killed the coil on. It does not get used that often so usually when I’m done with it I turnoff the gravity fuel shutoff valve and let it run the carb out of gas so the fuel does not turn to varnish in there. After it quit running, I forgot to turn the ignition switch off and it fried the coil. The same thing will happen if you run a coil designed for a ballast resistor without one only it will last for about a week. The windings in the coil are made with really fine wire. If you get lucky and the points happen to me open when the switch is left on the current can not flow through the primary windings in the coil and it will be fine. If the points are closed the current flows continuously until that little wire goes up in smoke. The on off action of the points prevents the coil windings from overheating. Your wiring harness should be just fine.

I was taught that all electrical components run on smoke because when you let the smoke out they no longer run.

Jerry

 
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