No Fire/spark on my 36 Flathead??
- Thread starter HS
- Start date
mhsprecher
Well-known member
A great thread. I have exactly the same problem with my 39. I have not started diagnosing the problem, but I was going to try the same procedure. Even with my limited knowledge, I figured that the problem was between the ignition switch and the coil. It is good having this explained by those who know so that I can run my tests the right way.
Between my 39 and my 45 truck, I am becoming expert at V8 electrics!
Between my 39 and my 45 truck, I am becoming expert at V8 electrics!
HS. I read your posts and I suspect you ran a jumper wire from the coil to a post on the ballast resister - the same post that the wire theron goes to ignition switch? If so, WRONG.
I suspect you have a bad connection in the ballast resistor. Take the 4 nuts off, clean them with a file r sandpaper on their connecting surfaces, clean the surfaces on the mounting tangs of the ballast resistor, bend up the covers on the end of the resistor and solder with rosin core solder the nichrome ends to the mounting tangs. Now put a nut on each stud, then the ballast resistor, a wire from the ignition switch on one stud followed by a nut and tighten it. On the other stud, put on the wire to the coil followed by a nut and tighten it.
The reason I say all of this that on your test with your test light one stud yielded a weak light. Not that much current and the light should have been brighter, which tells me that there are bad connections in the ballast resister. Clean it up and solder it as put lined above.
When you ran the jumper wire to the coil I think and suspect you used the terminal on the ballast resister that runs from the ignition switch. To confirm this, run a jumper across the two terminals on the ballast resister and try starting the motor. And run it just briefly to avoid from damaging the coil and points.
I am not at this point ready to condemn the wire to the coil!!!
Let us all know the results of your jumper across the ballast resister. (A producer of heat that destroys)
I suspect you have a bad connection in the ballast resistor. Take the 4 nuts off, clean them with a file r sandpaper on their connecting surfaces, clean the surfaces on the mounting tangs of the ballast resistor, bend up the covers on the end of the resistor and solder with rosin core solder the nichrome ends to the mounting tangs. Now put a nut on each stud, then the ballast resistor, a wire from the ignition switch on one stud followed by a nut and tighten it. On the other stud, put on the wire to the coil followed by a nut and tighten it.
The reason I say all of this that on your test with your test light one stud yielded a weak light. Not that much current and the light should have been brighter, which tells me that there are bad connections in the ballast resister. Clean it up and solder it as put lined above.
When you ran the jumper wire to the coil I think and suspect you used the terminal on the ballast resister that runs from the ignition switch. To confirm this, run a jumper across the two terminals on the ballast resister and try starting the motor. And run it just briefly to avoid from damaging the coil and points.
I am not at this point ready to condemn the wire to the coil!!!
Let us all know the results of your jumper across the ballast resister. (A producer of heat that destroys)
JSeery
Member Emeritus
Most of this has already been answered, but just to be sure you are understanding. One side of the ballast resistor includes it in the circuit the other side will by-pass it. The voltage going to the coil will be different depending on which side you are connected to. The ignition switch side would be in the 6 to 7 volt range, the coil side would be 3 to 4 volt range. The higher voltage will give you a quick start but damage the coil if run for any length of time. That is what the ballast resistor does, it reduces the voltage/current to the coil. This reduction is required but the coil is designed to operate at the lower voltage/current range.
