53 distributor internal wires

malpais

Well-known member
Sure I’ll remember……NOT.

I seem to have two ground wires ( bare copper) and a wire from condenser to little nuts on points. Where does 6v to points come from?

In other words, someone have a photo or maybe better, an explanation of what goes where. Only have one 53 dizzy, so nothing to look at. Thanks much.

Gordon
 
You can see the wire to battery side the coil, then the wire from the distributor side of the coil, to the distributor, then into the points and condenser mount = power to the points.

The ground wire at the top (11:00 position - black arrow). Condenser wire on left (white arrow) and the coil wire on the right (white arrow). This is on a 1953 Mercury.

Hope this helps.
 

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That Coil Wire is technically supposed to be routed underneath the breaker plate (next to the ground wire), but it's a royal PITA (and usually have to take the distributor out) to do it.... but as long as it's not interfering with the rotor you'll be fine...

have a look here http://www.vanpeltsales.com/FH_web/FH_images/FH_engine-pics/Flathead_Distributor_1950to53.jpg

Actually mine was under the plate, when I started taking pictures for the reply. I noticed it was interfering with the movement of the plate, preventing it form going to full advance, so I decided to move it above the plate.

The diagram seems to show the coil wire, coming up under the bottom of the distributor, at the same location as the ground wire. On mine, the ground wire is at 11:00 and the coil wire comes into the distributor at 3:00.
 

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The diagram seems to show the coil wire, coming up under the bottom of the distributor, at the same location as the ground wire. On mine, the ground wire is at 11:00 and the coil wire comes into the distributor at 3:00.
The ground wire is indeed connected to the body of the distributor at the bottom with this screw.
 

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That Coil Wire is technically supposed to be routed underneath the breaker plate (next to the ground wire), but it's a royal PITA (and usually have to take the distributor out) to do it.... but as long as it's not interfering with the rotor you'll be fine...

have a look here http://www.vanpeltsales.com/FH_web/F...r_1950to53.jpg


Interesting, I will see if I can do that. Seems like it shouldn't be too big of an issue to thread it under there. "famous last words" Thanks for the clarification.

Later:

Something like this.......easier than I thought, until I dropped the nut behind the plate. Got it out with a magnet.

If I am going to post pictures, the least I can do is make sure they are correct. Thanks again for helping me correct it.

Wonder where I can find the little rubber gourmet, the coil wire go through, at the bottom of the distributor?
 

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so... it's supposed to be a post you can see the rounded rectangular post in the photo... and it's 350032-S in the parts link.

and the coil wire is supposed to have a flag terminal that goes through the top of the post and then underneath is a threaded post the distributor wire connects to.

hope that helps
 

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so... it's supposed to be a post you can see the rounded rectangular post in the photo... and it's 350032-S in the parts link.

and the coil wire is supposed to have a flag terminal that goes through the top of the post and then underneath is a threaded post the distributor wire connects to.

hope that helps

Do you have any other pictures of how, the wire from the points block, attaches to the post? Or a picture of the post and flag terminal. Obviously, my distributor doesn't have it, and I am trying to figure out what function, it has, as opposed to just a wire from the points block directly to the coil. This is definitely interesting, since I have run my car for 11 years with out it.
 
Do you have any other pictures of how, the wire from the points block, attaches to the post? Or a picture of the post and flag terminal. Obviously, my distributor doesn't have it, and I am trying to figure out what function, it has, as opposed to just a wire from the points block directly to the coil. This is definitely interesting, since I have run my car for 11 years with out it.
These are the components of the connector.
There is nothing wrong with not using it.
When converting to electronic ignition the connector is removed and a wire thru a grommet is substituted.
470188




470187
 

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These are the components of the connector.
There is nothing wrong with not using it.
When converting to electronic ignition the connector is removed and a wire thru a grommet is substituted.
470188




470187

51 MERC-CT,

Thank you for the pictures. I now understated the configuration for the wire. I will search for the parts, just to have them, in the event I decide to return the distributor back to its original design.

Per your insight, I think I will stay with the single wire for now, since it has not been an issue, anytime in the past, and will search for a grommet, for the wire.

I think if I had been an engineer for Ford/Mercury, back in the day (which my dad was, and I remember him talking about the cost saving, with the elimination of a single spring, in the wiper), there would have been a single wire design submitted, as it would have definitely resulted in a cost saving, for the production of the distributor.

Thanks again,

Merc Cruzer
 
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