Original flathead with no spark

mr_charles

mr_charles

Junior Member
Hi everyone,

Recently, me and my father replaced the wires from the generator, as well as the main wire that goes to the coil. We were not experiencing spark before this, but we thought this would for sure work, since the old wires were shot. However, the car proved me wrong once again. When we got done with the wiring, still no spark! Oh, and for the testing of spark, we took a plug wire with a spark plug in it and just placed it on a head bolt. I don’t know if we’re doing something wrong? It’s the stock 6v system with the old school distributor.

Our next plan is to take apart the distributor, but if we should do otherwise, please let me know! We gotta get this thing to spark!! :mad:

Thanks,
mr_charles
 
Have you checked the main wire for voltage reading to the coil to make sure you're getting power to the coil to start. Use a VO meter, you "should" have as close to 6V at the coil lug as possible. Also will help with advice on the next move.
 
No, we have not checked that yet.
We just left the house but we’ll definitely check it when we go back in a few days.
Thanks!
 
You should have a (1.5 ohm ? ) resistor at or near your ignition key. This should not be by-passed as it may damage your coil and/or condenser at the distributor. As rockflo suggested, test the voltage at the coil input terminal (not the distributor terminal) - you should get a reading slightly below 6 volts. Beware the condenser - the original/old ones typically fail due to age. Only a professional could test them.
Not expensive .... buy a replacement.
 
Several things:

  1. Flathead V8 motors from 1932 to 1953 will install with varying amounts of work in a 1939 Ford. We need to know what type of motor so we can give you relevant advice. Post pictures of the engine bay and we can be more helpful.
  2. If it is a 1939 style engine, what type of distributor and coil are on the engine?
    • The stock distributor bolts on with three bolts. A common swap was to install the 42-48 style two bolt distributor with the 1942 style "crab" cap on it. Before guiding you on how to do maintenance on your distributor we need to know what type it is.
    • Original 1937-1940 Ford and old aftermarket original 1937-1940 type coils will fail after 70+ years. The repair for this is to send an original Ford coil to Skip Haney in Florida and get the coil repaired by installing new guts.
    • A common aftermarket conversion was (and still is) to put an adapter on the distributor and run a "can" type coil. These coils are usually reliable, but the conversion installation quality varies all over the place.
    • Post pictures of the distributor and coil
  3. When was the distributor last worked on?
    • Points will get a thin layer of corrosion on them from sitting and not conduct electricity. Some level of servicing the distributor is almost certainly needed if it has been sitting untouched for decades.
 
OK, me and my pops just went to work on it again and we made some progress. We tested the coil wire, it works. We tested the actual coil itself, it works. We got the distributor out and saw that the points looked decently corroded. So, now the next step is to clean the points inside the distributor. Problem is, we don’t know how to do that! Oh, and before I forget, the distributor is the old school ‘scuba mask’ style.
So, the overall question I’m trying to ask now is, how do we clean the points on the inside of the distributor? (Thank you all for your help!) (and to answer your question 38 coupe, the distributor has not been worked on since the 60s, and the points have not seen electricity since about 50 years ago)
 
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These distributors are unique, designed to be timed on a machine. I never attempt to work on the distributor myself. And if yours has not functioned in 50 years, it needs to be rebuilt. Not that expensive. Suggest you send it out to Third Generation or CharlieNY. They have the expertise and the timing machine.
 
Note, when you go to reinstall the distributor, the drive tang on the distributor is offset to one side. You can remove the coil to see what things look like inside.
 
I would completely disassemble, clean, lubricate, etc. a distributor that has been sitting for 50 years.

You may need new points depending on how corroded the points are, both the contacts and the spring strips that hold the points shut.
These distributors are not that difficult to work on, the parts are just in a different order than you are used to. Let us know if you want to tackle it yourself, or if you want to send it off for professional help.
 
Thanks for the replies everyone. We took the distributor apart a little earlier today, and sanded as well as cleaned all of the points. Let’s just say we can see brass now, and all of the points/connections are much cleaner than they were before. We plan on going back next weekend to reinstall the distributor, and try and check for spark again. Thank you everyone for your help, it is all deeply appreciated :) Stay tuned for when we get it reinstalled!
 
If you have a volt ohm meter you can check to see if the points are making contact when closed before going to the trouble of reinstalling it on the engine.
 
MR Charles


As Zeke3 pointed out, note that the key way on the back side of the distributor is "OFFSET" SO it might be easier for you to get a couple of 5/16-18 X 1-1/2 bolts and cut the head off just under the head. THEN thread those into the one top bolt hole and the one bolt opposite that hole, then you can slide the distributor up to the engine block, use your two thumbs on each side of the distributor opening and push it up against the block as you use your thumbs to rotate the rotor, you will feel the distributor click into place (It will also be flush to the block). THEN you can install one of the original bolts into the third bolt hole and hold it in place while replacing the two "helper" studs you make!!!! I made me a set for this purpose although embellishing them a bit to make them more user friendly, even more so since this picture!!!
 

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Hi again everyone,
We went back to the old girl today and reinstalled the (as far as we know) clean distributor to try and test for spark. So, we turned the key and ignition switch and hit the go button when nothing happened at first, but when we switched the plug and plug wires, we got ONE SINGULAR SPARK… but unfortunately after that, we never saw spark again. What should we do now? Like I said, we got one single spark, but after that even when we tried different plug wires with different plugs, nothing happened. The spark plugs are 50+ years old so maybe they’re shot? We don’t really know what to do next besides: new plugs, OR try and clean the old distributor again, OR honestly just send the old distributor in and get a nicer rebuilt one.
Let me know what you guys think!

Thanks,
mr_charles
 
Mr_Charles

You still have not said what voltage you are getting at the coil lug? With that said, you haven’t mentioned whether you have replaced the condenser OR if you are working with the original condenser?? Where it mine, I would pull your distributor and box it up and send it to Michael at Third Gen Auto or Charlie NY and have them rebuild and set your distributor up on their Sun Machine for you, that way you know you are working from a “solid” foundation from the start. Also IF you haven’t gotten a new condenser, do so!! Third, it is important to know what voltage you are working with at the coil BOTH before you crank the motor AND while you are cranking the motor, this will tell you IF the coil has what it needs to operate correctly. Fourth, IF you have the stock Ford Coil, while your distributor is being serviced, box your coil up and send that to Skip Haney if Punta Gorda Fl and have him work his magic on that, another piece of the puzzle you will know 100% you are working with a solid foundation. JMO

Also, as a. aside, IF you choose CharlieNY go ahead and buy yourself some insurance and send your carburetor and fuel pump as well……Charlie is the man and he will get all three 100% good to go, set up and 100% ready to run!!!! You will not be sorry, you will be pleased you did and you will have a concrete foundation for a good running flathead!!!
 
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OK, so as far as I know, we are working with the original condenser, and we tested the coil lug and it’s getting just under 6 volts as it should, so the coil is working fine. It just has to be the distributor, even though we cleaned it to the best of our ability, like I said we only got one spark out of it so we should probably either clean it again or send it in for a replacement or get it rebuilt.
 
Hi again everyone!
I don’t know if you all will see this, but I just have a quick question regarding the flathead spark. Does the generator need to be spinning when cranking to generate the spark for the plugs? I heard something about this somewhere but I don’t know if it’s true. I’m asking this question because I cut the old fan-belt which turned the generator, so would that possibly affect the flatty getting no spark?
 
mr_charles said:
Hi again everyone!
I don’t know if you all will see this, but I just have a quick question regarding the flathead spark. Does the generator need to be spinning when cranking to generate the spark for the plugs? I heard something about this somewhere but I don’t know if it’s true. I’m asking this question because I cut the old fan-belt which turned the generator, so would that possibly affect the flatty getting no spark?
Click to expand...

No it will not affect it. But to be sure your 6v battery is fully charged!!
Time to heed the good advice given concerning distributor rebuild and condenser check/ replacement.
Phil NZ
 
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