Post to the EFV-8 Forum
Post Classified Ads
Shop the Online Store

User Login

Not Registered Yet? Click Here to Sign Up!

Early Ford V-8 Club Forum

FORUM RULES: Users agree to these Rules when using Forum.

The site administrator reserves the right to change the terms and conditions of the user agreement without prior notice to the user. It is the responsibility of the user to regularly review the terms of this agreement.

The user agrees to the following terms:

All information that you provide to us for your membership is correct.
You will not use your membership to spam, harrass, or exploit other members in any way.
Vulgar, Abusive, Racist and Sexist Language will not be tolerated.
Commercial-type sales postings will not be allowed.
No mass posting or flooding of the boards is allowed.
No Advertising of parts or cars; no Ebay or business/commercial ads (please use the "Classified" for ads Wanted or For Sale).
VIEWING MULTIPLE TOPICS ON SCREEN: You can choose to see more than 10 Topics at a time ... Log In and choose "Preferences" from the top bar on the Forum page. Scroll down and Change the "Default Topics Returned" parameter to 25 or 50, and save the changes. Since this setting is stored in your browser 'cookies' (if enabled), it seems to use that stored value even if you are not logged in. So, if you use a PC that you haven't logged into the forum from, the setting still seem to remain at the default.
EXTERNAL PHOTO LINKS ON FORUM: You can still use external photo links in your posts on the new forum. They follow the rules of any link in that they have to have the URL link qualified down to the full image file name (example: .jpg). The links will open in a new browser window, the same as an uploaded image attached to a post. Since an image attachment to any post does not display inline with the post, the results are the same. You can use multiple external links within a post. This link is from photos on a site from Don Clink's 'Deuce@75' albums:

http://donclink.com/deuce_75_1/images/dscn2950.jpg

Using links from photo sites such as Photobucket can help in "size" issue with uploaded attachment files. For best viewing in web browsers, photos should be around the 800x600 pixel range, and probably not more than 1024x768. Most cameras today store HUGE jpg image files, as the default settings are in the 7, 8, 10, and 12Mb image sizes. The image files that are then attached are very large, and the browser can't display the full image size without using the scroll bars. Use the re-sizing functions of your photo editing software to reduce the image to 800x600, which reduces the file sixe and the image load time in the browser. Don uses Google's free Picassa3 software, which is an excellent photo management product. All of the photo albums of the Deuce, Grand National, and Auburn that are links on the NORG site were built using Picassa's web creation functions. And it's free? (THANKS to Don Clink for the info!)
HOW DO I SHOW MY EMAIL ADDRESS ALONG WITH MY USERNAME? You can LogIn on the Forum, and select PREFERENCES. On this page Members can add optional information such as their City,State, Country; Occupation; Hobbies: list a Homepage; list AOL Instant Messanger Handle; Signature; "Make Email Address viewable to others;" and even change the number of Default Topics shown on a page. WHEN others click on your profile, they will see this information.

EFV-8 Club Forum / General Ford Discussion / crab cap/rotor issue?

Reply to Discussion | New Discussion

<< previous || next >>

Posted By

Discussion Topic: crab cap/rotor issue? -- page: 1 2 3

MICHV8

11-15-2017 @ 1:49 PM

reply profile send p.m.

Member
Posts: 448
Joined: Jul 2010

I’m trying to get that 59AB mentioned in another post running well enough to try Tom()’s MMO approach due to some stuck valves, but I have found another issue.

Sometimes the engine starts right away and idles roughly and other times it tries, but won’t fire. I’ve found that I have a spark at some, but not all, plugs. I’m working alone with a button solenoid so it is hard to reach the driver’s side plugs, but plug 2 and 3 have no spark and 4 does. So I took all the wires (which are new and were tested prior to install) off and, per Supereal’s suggestion from years ago, soldered the connections just to be sure. Did the high tension wire as well. Then did a continuity test on all wires and they are all good. Then did a continuity test on the cap and all sockets tested good.
I’m using a crab and the rotor slips onto the stem, but not as tightly as others do. Kind of a head scratcher…do I have a runtime arc somewhere in the cap or is the rotor shifting somehow?

ken ct.

11-15-2017 @ 2:43 PM

reply profile send p.m.

Senior
Posts: 1513
Joined: Jan 2010

Check your PM's. ken ct

MICHV8

11-16-2017 @ 10:32 AM

reply profile send p.m.

Member
Posts: 448
Joined: Jul 2010

forgot to mention coil and condenser are new

fsacht

11-16-2017 @ 2:57 PM

reply profile send p.m.

Member
Posts: 71
Joined: Oct 2009

Your situation sounds familiar. I am running a crab cap on my 48 Merc. chased this for a long time and discovered that the steel strip on the rotor that sends current to the plug wires had twisted and bent to the side and must have been only making intermittent contact with the cap center terminal. I straightened that metal strip and bent it upward from the point it is secured to the rotor then carefully reinstalled the cap. My rotor also has some movement at the center shaft. So far so good.

MICHV8

11-16-2017 @ 3:32 PM

reply profile send p.m.

Member
Posts: 448
Joined: Jul 2010

I believe that I have a mechanical vs electrical arc issue in that the rotor doesn't appear to traverse a circle when it rotates. It is harder than heck to take photos that demonstrate my concern, but I'll post 4 in a row. When eyeballing it from a level position, it appears that the stem tilts to the side. However, I took a couple junk crabs from the box and they all appear to have a little tilt, so now I'm not at all sure...photo1

MICHV8

11-16-2017 @ 3:33 PM

reply profile send p.m.

Member
Posts: 448
Joined: Jul 2010

photo2

MICHV8

11-16-2017 @ 3:33 PM

reply profile send p.m.

Member
Posts: 448
Joined: Jul 2010

photo3

MICHV8

11-16-2017 @ 3:34 PM

reply profile send p.m.

Member
Posts: 448
Joined: Jul 2010

photo4

TomO

11-16-2017 @ 5:30 PM

reply profile send p.m.

Senior
Posts: 7256
Joined: Oct 2009

Mich, you can use a jumper wire connected to the center terminal of the starter solenoid as a remote starter switch, just ground the jumper wire when you want to turn the engine over.

Are you missing the spark at the same plugs or does it move around?

Have you tried looking for spark inside the conduits?

Is the rotor hitting the cap terminals?

Does the point dwell vary when the engine is running?

Tom

Drbrown

11-16-2017 @ 6:11 PM

reply profile send p.m.

Senior
Posts: 571
Joined: Nov 2013

My experience with rotors etc. Have a crab points set-up in my '47 with 59AB. Shortly after purchase, and thinking I was doing a good thing, installed a new rotor from NAPA. The brass arm on the rotor end broke immediately from hitting the lugs on the cap interior. NAPA gave me a replacement and that broke too. The cap on the dizzy was the one that came with the car and it had worked fine with the old rotor. The crab was fitted with a Pentrox module.

Sent the whole unit to Bubba's and he got it working explaining that he checks the alignment and clearance between the rotor and cap lugs to meet ford spec clearance. He said he normally has to file the ends of most new rotor arms in order to get adequate/proper clearance. He also checked the shaft to be sure it didn't wobble. Have had no problems like that since.

PS: Had tapping noise in valve chamber when purchased. Could have been from prior owner letting engine sit. Put a little MMO in first oil change and in gas. Noise stopped after a little bit of driving. I continue to put MMO in my gas. I use 10w-30 detergent oil; no filter; changing at 1000 miles.

This message was edited by Drbrown on 11-16-17 @ 6:25 PM

<< previous || next >>

PAGE: 1 2 3

NOTE: YOU MUST BE A REGISTERED USER AND BE LOGGED IN TO POST (and reply to) messages in this forum. If you are a first time user, please click the CREATE A NEW ACCOUNT in the masthead above to register and Log In. After that, all you do is LOG IN to enjoy using this site.

DISCLAIMER: The V-8 Club does no independent testing of any of the opinions, thoughts or suggestions presented in the website on the Forum, in the Tech Tips section, or any section. A reader should consider the website to be a forum wherein differing solutions to a particular set of circumstances may be discussed. Ultimately, the selection of an item for an individual's vehicle must be based upon the independent study of the vehicle owner in consultation with people in the hobby and restoration experts.

Early Ford V-8 Club Forum

Merchandise Questions

Membership Questions