I'm at a loss

Jon B

Another wild guess:  You see the terminal post (bolt) passing through the wall of the distributor, in the photo above?   As you can see, there is a (cork?) spacer that insulates the post on the outside and inside of the distributor wall.  But there should also be a rubber collar around the bolt, where it passes through the hole, insulating it on all sides from the distributor.  You would have to loosen the nut and slide the bolt inward, to see if the insulator is hiding in there.  If it's broken or worn, and the bolt touches the distributor wall, it grounds out the circuit.

Val

This is my distributor

Val

Jon B I'll check that on this distributor, also my distributor cap came in today

Toddh

So that is like mine.  No internal jumper wire and an external condenser.  Make sure your advance weights (under the top plate) are lubricated and the springs are good.  

If you want to disassemble and clean, you’ll need to remove the gear on the bottom by punching out the pin and the shaft, weights, etc. will come out.  Clean and make sure the bushings in the shaft body are good.  Don’t lose the two washers on either end of the shaft.  

Clean everything up and reassemble.  I used a roll pin to replace the pin for the gear.  You can get a beautiful restamped distributor tag from Kurt at Willys Distributors. 

Hope this helps

eddiehudson

Val
I just reread some of the old posts. Your points should be shiny and bright on both sides. Use a point file and give them a good cleaning. You'll get a much stronger spark. Geoff was referring to the rotor and cap.

Your spare (not newly bought Autolite) might have some flashing on it causing it to fit poorly. That's an Autolite also, correct?

Good Luck

Val

Yes distributor rotor and cap are Autolite parts. And thank you Toddh for that info. And eddie I'll take some Henry cloth points and clean them up. I'm getting ready to post a picture on my other thread of clarity for ignition timing cuz I want to be sure where to put that pointer on the flywheel. 

Jon B

This may already have been said, but sometimes NOS points (when they've been in the box for decades) develop a "haze" and aren't shiny.  Some folks use a folded dollar bill (a $100 bill might be fresher!), slid between the two points, to remove the haze without scratching the point surfaces.

50C8DAN

John probably a $2 bill might work and be less expensive?

hasktavern1

50C8DAN said:

John probably a $2 bill might work and be less expensive?

Good one!  I like to see a little wit in these threads.  I will weigh in on this, not that I have any great new bits of wisdom.  I fought with the little dizzy in my 36 Tplane a couple of years ago, and I posted some of my experiences on the regular forum last year.  At least 2 things were causing problems:  1) the rotor looked great, but ended up being bad, and 2), the advance mechanism was sticky and didn't always return.  My mistake was putting too much trust in the distributor.  It appeared to be fairly tight and clean, so I simply installed new service parts; and reinstalled/adjusted it, after rebuilding the engine.  I got away with less attention to Delco-Remy units of that era, but it seems to me that the Autolites are 'more fussy'.   Jared

Val

As a precautionary measure and piece of mind I have sent my distributor to Dr Doug so that he can test it to ensure its good. I would hate to put everything all back together and it not start. After all the new items I have got I want to be sure on my existing items. My local chapter pres has a coil tester so I wil have him test that for me.

hasktavern1

Good call....he helped me diagnose mine...

Val

the good doctor received my distributor today. Hope to know something on soon. 

Val

early word back is that my distributor cap is missing something  but Cole said that Doug will test it and go through it and call me to go over everything 

hasktavern1

I wonder if the contact button at the top was missing/damaged....

Glowplug

Do not have the luxury of putting a meter on this (red line points to) but my guess is the points are grounded due to missing screw sleeve and non conducting washer on outside of distributor body. 

Val

I wasn't told what was missing. And that could be an issue too with the points being grounded. That isn't the distributor that was in my car but rather one I am gonna use as it correct IGW 4126 for 1939. The one I have in it I think goes with a 1936 car. Still waiting for word back from Doc. 

50C8DAN

If you want a distrib rebuild this is the place to go to.  They do them right and have a machine to check them on once they are finished.  They rebuilt my C8 distributor and also one of my Studebakers and the final product was perfect and looked like new.

https://www.buffalomachineworks.com

Val

Thanks for the info Dan, I was told today that Doug will check my distributor this weekend. 

jjbubaboy

Hey Val,
I am anxiously awaiting to find out what the problem is.....!

Val

I'll post when I get it running and the issue resolved. 

Val

Well, my ignition coil tested bad. Resistance reading range should be between 2 and 8 and 9 is 1.4. still give spark but I did think it was weak and this would be why. I bought another coil bankers cross if this one will be good. 

Val

Being speech to text is clearly not clear I will type this Reading should be between 2 and 8 secondary resistance on Sun machine. Mine reads 1.4  I bought another original type coil, fingers crossed it works.  Still waiting to get my distributor back. 

ajet

Hi Val,  Don't know if its been mentioned but it's easy to time 180 deg out. Make sure #1 is coming up on compression (not #6 ) when you're seeing your timing marks.

Just a thought, good Luck   Bill

Val

Thanks Bill, I'm using a TDC whistle 

Val

Still waiting on Ignition coil and Distributor, Did speak with Dr Doug and he saod that the points in that distributor were grounded.  He said we would talk real soon. So hoping when he gets the time to install the rubber sleeve and non conductive washers. I am anxious to get this car running and back on the road 

Val

Ignition coil arrived yesterday. It was a easy to adapt to my car and is now connected. Now awaiting the distributor. I'll have a complete Autolite ignition system which is what the car came from the factory with.

Val

I spoke with Cole @ Wildricks today. He informed me that the good doctor is finished with my distributor and that it will be sent out next week. So I hope to get my 39 back up and running soon. All NOS ignition parts so fingers crossed

Val

Still waiting should be here soon I hope. 

Val

Received email saying it has shipped!! Yay!!!

Val

Distributor is here!! The good doctor Doug took good care of it for me. I know it will work like new. Will try and get it in the car sometime this weekend.