Locating a Tube Coil

B

bbook

Member
After the coil mounted on the top of the distributor of my '36 1.5 ton exploded when I left the switch on, I got an adapter and went to a "tube" type more modern coil. I couldn't find a good spot to mount it vertically, so I strapped it to the tube through which the plug wires are routed, as shown in the attached photo.

Yesterday, I ran it about 15 miles and had it at full operating temperature longer than I ever have. Upon return to the garage after shut down, it had no spark and wouldn't restart due to lack of spark. The coil was warm, but not any warmer than the rest of the engine. I wired in another tube type coil I had and it started right up. This morning, it started quickly with either coil.

Is my problem likely how I mounted the coil and its proximity to engine heat, or did the coil heat up on its own? Any ideas on where to mount the coil? It seems tough to get enough room around the intake manifold.
 

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West Coast's info is spot on...now to stir the embers, ideally, you should mount the coil vertically, not horizontally as pictured. It will work better!
 
I am running 6 volt, positive ground with a stock resistor. The coil is a reproduction designed to be used with the conversion. However the replacement coil was a modern one that doesn't require a resistor, but I retained the resistor while the replacement was installed.

Re-orienting the coil to a vertical position is good advice, as is replacing the condenser. So, do you think the coil fails when hot due to engine heat or the horizontal orientation, or something else?
 
Also, when placing a coil mount, the shorter the primary wire to the distributor the better.
 
I went with the "coil adapter" kit when my original coil decided to strand me before I could get home. The tube coil they sent me was bad right out of the box. Picked up another one from NAPA after I sent the bad one back & it fired right up. I mounted mine on the inner fender of my 38. Used one hole that was already there & drilled another to mount it. Been working fine for a year now. Now if I can only find a can of "flywheel teeth" to pour into it to keep the starter from locking up I'll be in good shape.
 
Get an original coil core for your engine, send it Skip Haney in Florida and your coil problems are gone. Ask 20,000 people using his coils. G.M.
 
"Get an original coil core for your engine, send it Skip Haney in Florida and your coil problems are gone."

G.M., what he's got is a memory problem. I agree that you and Skip are selling a good rebuild, but what are we going to do to remind him to turn off the ignition?
 
A properly constucted , sealed ignition coil can be mounted any way you wish .
Heat is what kills all coils and heat is generated ( not from the engine) from the current flow thru the coil.
Each coil has a internal working resistance with the windings and more often than not the car owner never really knows what this resistance value actually is.
Assuming the primary circuit resistance is correct, the coil and the overall igntion system will work fine for a very long time.....
These circuits dont ever change them selfs , humans do..................
 
BUBBAS IGNITION said:
A properly constucted , sealed ignition coil can be mounted any way you wish .
Heat is what kills all coils and heat is generated ( not from the engine) from the current flow thru the coil.
Each coil has a internal working resistance with the windings and more often than not the car owner never really knows what this resistance value actually is.
Assuming the primary circuit resistance is correct, the coil and the overall igntion system will work fine for a very long time.....
These circuits dont ever change them selfs , humans do..................
Click to expand...

If normal engine temperatures kill a coil there is a problem with the quality of the coil. Mounted remote away from the engines direct heat indicates poor materials used in manufacturing with repeated failures. G.M.
 
Hoop said:
"Get an original coil core for your engine, send it Skip Haney in Florida and your coil problems are gone."

G.M., what he's got is a memory problem. I agree that you and Skip are selling a good rebuild, but what are we going to do to remind him to turn off the ignition?
Click to expand...

The price of a new or rebuild coil should be a memory jog. Better yet is the installation of a battery disconnect switch is the best method. This switch may also prevent a fire. If the ignition switch is left on with a battery charger on there could be a fire. Years ago a guy in Media, Pa. with a 34 coupe had such a problem. He was lucky he discovered it before it destroyed the car and house. G.M.
 
bbook>>>This morning, it started quickly with either coil.>>>


Here's how a coil looks inside. Note how the secondary coil is grounded internally.

Jack E/NJ
 

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A poor chassis ground can cause the secondary to arc to ground at places other than at the spark plug tip.

Jack E/NJ
 
Jack E/NJ said:
bbook>>>This morning, it started quickly with either coil.>>>


Here's how a coil looks inside. Note how the secondary coil is grounded internally.

Jack E/NJ
Click to expand...

Jack,

This may be a bad example! Coils havent used a internal ground since the model T days.
Ground end of secondary is hooked to the primary winding internally on most until we get to the dis coils of today then each end is hooked to a spark plug...
Hook a ohm meter to the secondary and either primary terminal to test secondary resistance.
 
Oh, sorry. You mean they look something like this? I can't get a reliable enough reading on any of my coils with my new ohmmeter. Probably cuz it doesn't use enough voltage to break thru all the corrosion inside to measure it?

Jack E/NJ
 

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