Ignition timing

Thank you, Phillip, for making my point on terminology.

The left-hand (LH) points are adjusted first ... not the right-hand (RH). The position of the points is determined by the distributor being installed and viewed from sitting in the driver's seat. The LH side of the vehicle is always the left side.

Not sure what instructions you are using, but I really don't think Bubba does it RH first.

When you set the points (I think you're just mixing up LH/RH), how do you set the initial advance?
 
I'm not sure if Ford intended the pre 49 V8 points to be set with feeler gauges. I think they intended them to be set at a dealers on a setting fixture. That said, setting each pair to 15 thou will get the car down the road, and for any non performance application, the average driver would not notice anything wrong.

The next time I use my setting fixture I'll measure the points gaps and report what they are.

For any non performance application, the lumbering old flatty is probably the least finnicky to things like dwell. Advance it until it pings and back it off until it doesn't.

What they don't like is running retarded. I had a French flatty, with a distributor like a 8BA, vac advance only. The vac unit had failed, so I had no advance at all. The first long journey, (actually driving it home) it overheated after about an hour.

Once everything was repaired it would run all day long.

Mart.
 
Hoop said:
One of the problems in these discussions is terminology.

TIMING an early flathead distributor is a little different than TESTING a distributor.

TIMING involves setting the dwell and adjusting the initial advance.

TESTING means checking the distributor for wear, bad parts, faulty operation, etc.

TIMNG and TESTING can be done at the same time ... with aging distributors and questionable new parts, it's a good idea.

BUT, claiming that one cannot TIME a flathead distributor using feeler gauges to set the dwell ... ?

THINK about it. Ford designed, patented and produced the distributor with the intent of having points set with feeler gauges. Ford did not design it so that owners had to send their distributors to G.M. and Skip Haney to be timed.:roll eyes:

The misinformation, much from using the wrong descriptions, has given the distributors a bad reputation.

Am all for testing distributors. But, when someone asks how to time one, please give a knowledgable answer.
Click to expand...

HOOP,

Glad you jumped in , this thread is out of shape.
Had surgery on my arm (for dialysis port) monday and just didnt want to type.
I call these "thread drifts" thats when a thread or discussion just is full of non factual info.
Good job hoop!!!!!!!!
 
Bubba, a heap of blessings on your arm.

As you know, folks repeat what they think is correct. Let's pick on Mart ... he's a great contributor ... and examine what he posted in all good faith.

"I'm not sure if Ford intended the pre 49 V8 points to be set with feeler gauges."

As a matter of historical accuracy, let's look down below at Ford's patent for the helmet distributor. The original intent was for the operator/owner/mechanic to time the distributor using a "timing plate" (fixture) mounted on the "dash" (firewall) of the vehicle. The operator needed no special skill. It is a GUESS that a specified gap was set using feeler gauges but it was universal practice at the time. It is not mentioned in the patent but gapping points was as common as gapping plugs.

Imagine Farmer Brown having to go into town to the dealer to have his points changed ... unlike his previous Fords which he did himself. Or, imagine Bonnie and Clyde bringing in their '34 Ford for a tune up.

Here's a good read:

https://patents.google.com/patent/US1963657A/en
 
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Yeah, I did hesitate when writing that, hence the "I'm not sure" bit.

I did go on to say feeler gauges are probably as good as anything for most non performance applications.
 
Right on Hoop. I was raised in my fathers shop when these were the king of the roads.
Not knittin pickin but most now their parents wasn't even born yet. We just got over
very hard times WWII the ole man serviced many many Model A's pre war V8s. I still
have the Standard ignition wall cabinet still loaded with points, condensers, rotors from
the 30s and 40s. What I am trying to say back then No body but No body had a strobe,
fixture, or the Sun machine that did it all. We were all mom & pop garages broke but
better than picken corn. My fathers profit margin on a gallon of gas was 1 cent. But
I always had good school clothes and toys. So customers for a tune up & oil change would
come to any local garage. Guess they couldn't afford the dealer. So while I watched
now embedded in my head pop took off the right top radiator hose (tin can catch water)
remove fan comes right out with no hose in the way, remove distributor replace points
set .015 replace all parts back on, then out the door. Thats the way I do it now and
70 yrs later, and my car runs perfectly. Not wise guy, but I find people now are all got their minds wrapped up with math and tech stuff. How many just used a match book
cover to set points? from my generation, about every body when a simple feeler gauge
was something in a Sears wish book LOL but true ........
 
I think this is why Big Job doesn't have a problem.
I have the Standard ignition wall cabinet still loaded with points, condensers, rotors from the 30s and 40s.
 
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