Manually Cranking 1940 Ford V8 for new electronic distributor

C

Capuano

Member
Purchased Speedway Electronic Distributor for my 1940 V8. Speedway indicated to forget instructions. First concern was no vacuum. Called Speedway and they said that distributor has a centrifugal advance and to plug the intake manifold vacuum port which was done. Second concern was alignment of new distributor. Called Speedway and they indicated to align rotor exactly as original. Rotors are quite different. Offset drive may align correctly. Decided to mark pulley for TDC. Removed fan. Ordered a 1.375 in 6 point socket to turn engine. Purchased TDC spark plug tool. Will turn engine first clockwise until it stops and mark pulley. Will then turn counterclockwise and mark pulley again when it stops. Will notch and mark pulley half way between marks for future timing determination. Is this a reasonable procedure or am I getting carried away?
 
You're assuming the spark plug tool will work on a flathead. It won't. The plug is over the inlet valve.

If you follow your instructions you will probably bend a valve.

Use a cable tie down the plug hole, orientated so it lays across the top of the piston as a dead stop. Make a pointer as a datum for the pulley. Then carry out your procedure as before.

This assumes you don't intend to pull a head.

Mart.
 
Mart, Thank you very much. That was worth the post. Now I know why one person used a finger in the spark plug hole to indicate when the piston was at top point or a ballon of some sort to do the same thing. Maybe removing the head is best. I will reconsider method.
 
Head off with a bolt on dead stop is the best (most accurate) method, but may be way overkill for what your doing. Unless you need to pull a head for some other reason I would go with the method Mart described.

I would consider sending the distributor to Babba (here on the Barn) to check out and set up. The advance curve may not be correct, and there are other factors that should be checked out. He can set it up on a distributor machine and all you will have to do is bolt it on. No head pulling and it becomes an easy bolt on. I believe Charlie ny (also here on the Barn) sets this up as well.
 
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I also recently purchased a Speedway distributor for my 59ab, after I gave it a good going over, I felt it was poor at best, went back for a refund.
 
You only need a rough on the TDC for install and just vacuum time it. Mines been going for a few years now driven almost daily. No problems
 
I've had a Speedway electronic distributer on my 40 coupe for a few years and it goes good. I had a problem at the start when after about 300 miles the module died. I rang Speedway and they sent me a new module and the woman there told me the module is a Mallory 609 although the speedway one has no markings and is probably a knock off so I bought a spare one.

I think the problem with the first module was that the Speedway instructions say that you do not need an ignition resister so I left it out but when the spare Mallory one turned up the instructions stated that you do need one so I've now have one installed.
You also must use a 1.4 ohm coil and a 1.4 ohm resister with this distributer.

You don't need to find TDC. just line the drive slot up correctly, set the advance by twisting the distributer to about centre of the bolt slots and it should fire right up. You can adjust the timing after that.

You should also know that you cannot use solid copper wire spark plug leads with electronic distributers as these will kill the module.
 
Hello Talkwrench,
Thank you for the response. Hopefully I will as lucky. I ran wire directly from ignition switch to my coil which has a 1.5 ohm resister. Confused by 47Merc comment of 2 resistors of 1.4 ohs and 1.4 ohm. Need clarification.
 
Hello 47Merc,
Thank you for responding. I ran wire from ignition switch to new coil with 1.5 ohm resistor. Need clarification on the 2 resistors of 1.4 ohm each. I called Speedway about the resistors some time ago and they said you do not need the original resistor and only need the 1.5 resistor in the coil.
 
I bought a Petronix coil from Speedway at the same time as I bought the distributer as they recommended it on their site.
http://www.speedwaymotors.com/PerTronix-40011-Flame-Thrower-Coil-Black,5571.html

and later when I installed the ignition resister I bought one like this. I cant remember the brand.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-4-Externa...ic-Ignition-/322615170613?hash=item4b1d5cd635

Haven't had a problem since and the car has done quite a few miles in both short and long (400 mile) runs and the car performs very well.
 
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