Ignition Gremlin

[Paul from Maine]

Wednesday I took my '29 Town Sedan out for a 40 mile shake down ride (I'd only taken it around the block a few times after it spent 54 years in a barn and two months being serviced and repaired in my barn). Steering was tight, she climbed steep hills in 3rd, brakes were fair and I dared to push her up to 50 mph on the straightaway. In the whole forty mile trip only sputtered twice for a second when cruising. About a mile from home, she quit. With the key on, coil was getting juice even when points were open, so no spark. With key off, ammeter returned to zero and no current flow. Stock ignition with new condensor and electrolock switch. Any ideas before I unbolt the armored cable and chase down dead ends?

 

[TK in LA]

Are you getting juice to the points? If not it's between the coil and the distributor. Try taking off the spark advance rod, remove the point cam and move the point plate to remove it.You can then see if the wire has disintegrated and see if there is juice there. Just a couple of options. Could be something at the dash panel also. Some one else may have had the problem? Good Luck!

 

[Kurt in NJ]

With the points open, or the electrolock off there should be voltage at both sides of the coil.

If there is a short to ground in the electrolock, or the wire under the point plate there will only be voltage at 1 side of the coil.

most of the wires that connect the upper plate with the lower plate are the wrong type of wire for that use and will break with minimal flexing, it could be that wire is broken.

 

[Dennis L Oberer]

I wrote an article last issue of the Restorer....want me to email it to you?