runs better on battery ??

[Bruce Compton Canada]

I've been messin' with my "new" '25 coupe and find it sort of hesitates or feels lean when accelerating. After checking the timer, manifold, carb, and fuel supply I removed the four coils. All four had the contacts set at about 1/8" and not anywhere near the .030" suggested. I checked and adjusted them with a fully charged 6 volt battery and all four pull a strong blue arc at least 1/2" long. When I put them back in the car, it runs almost the same as before on battery , but not near as good as it was on magneto. What did I do wrong. Thanks : Bruce

 

[Dodge]

You have to use some sort of coil adjusting meter to do it properly, you can't just set
the points and look for a hot spark. You need to know the draw. You are best to send
them to Ron Patterson, (google him) have him rebuild and set them, when they are working properly they are a wonderful thing.

 

[Will N]

Fun Projects sells a coil tester that is good for setting up the coils: http://www.funprojects.com/products/ct-1.aspx It ain't cheap, but if you're a do it yourselfer, you can't set up the coils without this. Also, keep in mind that the capacitors in the coil box will likely test bad and need replacing. Snyders sells good replacements http://www.snydersantiqueauto.com/capacitor. It's a bit of a job to replace the old ones, as you have to dig out the tar that they're buried in.

 

[tmodelman]

To follow up the above posts, it is the correct way to determine the current draw and the sparking timing on special tools. The Ford method in the day was the Hand Crank Coil Tester (HCCT). Today the modern Strobospark tool is used. Both provide testing to be sure the coil puts out the proper current, and sparks occur at precisely the timing of the 16 pulses of the Ford magneto.

The HCCT ring has the marks around the circumference, and a spark has to occur only at the mark, just one spark, if double sparking occurs, the coils will permit miss in engine operation. Correctly adjusted coils, each set to match as close as possible with the others in the box will provide the max. performance.

Often times, a poor adjusted coil will fire on a 6vDC battery source (but run poorly on the Ford magneto), but when tuned on proper test tools, and fired on the 16-30vAC the Ford magneto supplies, the coils will operate the best.

Get your coils adjusted on correct tools and you will be amazed. You can start the T on 6v battery on the BATT side of the switch, and then when you switch to the MAG, the engine will gain rpms and smooth out like magic!

 

[Steve Jelf]

If you're not too busy with other projects you can buy the equipment and the book and learn to do them yourself. But if you're like me, up to your hips in other jobs, you can't do better than to send them to Coil Man Ron Patterson or Coil Doctor Brent Mize. Ron did these coils for my 1915 roadster.