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Posted By Discussion Topic: 34 Flathead ignition questions -- page: 1 2 3 4     drkbp 09-28-2010 @ 6:54 PM reply profile send p.m. New Member Posts: 180 Joined: Aug 2010 Motor2Wheel, There are different types of these early distributors and they all look pretty much alike. If you still have the distributor off, look at the end of the distributor shaft. A type "B" dist is to be used with iron cylinder heads. It will not be marked on the dist shaft that mates with the engine. Those marked will have it right next to the "flat blade" that locks it with the engine. You probably have a "40B". The type "40B" was to be used with the aluminum heads, '34 to early '36. Originally, the iron were 5.5 to 1 and the aluminum were 6.3 to 1. I have iron heads but I can't remember what pistons are in the engine. I am not sure I don't have a "40B" on my '35 car right now but it sure runs good. The type "68" is the '36 distributor and "18" is '32 and "40A" is for '33. I don't think I have a "18" but I do have at least one of all the rest. I am not sure that any of them would not work just fine for you but I will defer to the experts posting on this string for the best type and head combination. Hope this helps, Ken supereal 09-22-2010 @ 10:52 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 6819 Joined: Oct 2009 We do a fair amount of distributor rebuilds in our shop, but the "adjust through the hole" types hasn't been among them. The old style certainly isn't as easy to set up as the later "pancake" type, but it is essential to have the coil in place when doing so, as attaching the coil causes the case to distort somewhat, and the pressure on the rotor also affects the point setting, which determines dwell and timing. The condenser should be in place, and the vacuum plunger is removed until the points are set, then reinstalled to set the spring tension on the plunger at various speeds and vacuum levels. With today's fuels it is seldom necessary to fiddle much with that, and most distributors run better with little or no pressure on the snubber, and with the advance slider set at maximum. We also set the full (both points together) dwell a couple of degrees less than the book says. drkbp 09-22-2010 @ 10:26 AM reply profile send p.m. New Member Posts: 180 Joined: Aug 2010 The '36 distributor has a two screw flat top coil on it. I am not sure if the whole year was that style or not. It looks like the three screw biscuit coil distributor but the coils do not interchange. Uses the same condensor and points I believe. The '36 distributor will fit on the earlier engines and vice versa. All these coils do not have an internal resistor so you need to be sure to run your power supply through the resistor under the dash or you will cut the life of the coil short. The "adaptor plate" type (that replaces the biscuit and flat top coils) from some of the vendors uses a 6 volt coil with an internal resistor. I have one and it works fine too. The "plus" is that the coil and condensor both are available at any (most) auto parts houses. Hope this helps, Ken 40 Coupe 09-22-2010 @ 10:06 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 1675 Joined: Oct 2009 the 33-early 36 as well as the late 36 distributor have the windows for adjusting the points while on a distributor machine with the inner distributor caps removed and the coil installed. the 37-41 distributors do not have the windows. Take the vacuum brake adjustment and loosen the lock nut and back the screw out all the way to the stop(do not force past the stop) and then re tighten the lock nut. the problems with the old coils and condensers usually shows up after the car has run for enough time to warm the components(they go bad with the increase in temperature), looks like your ready to try and turn over to see if you have spark. TomO 09-22-2010 @ 9:01 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 7252 Joined: Oct 2009 Super, the points were not designed to be adjusted while the engine is running. The caps have to be off in order to loosen or tighten the lock nut. The opening is not really accessible when the engine is running, the crankshaft pulley and belt are in the way. My earlier post was in error about when the points were discontinued. The 1936 catalog shows the distributor with that type of contact points. Motor2Wheel,you should not run the engine while back flushing it. The water pumps will prevent the water from entering the heads and block. Tom ford38v8 09-21-2010 @ 8:18 PM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 2759 Joined: Oct 2009 Motor2Wheel, Skip's website: http://www.fordcollector.com/ Skip sets up distributors, rebuilds water pumps using his high output impellers, and remanufactures Ford coils. Alan supereal 09-21-2010 @ 10:36 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 6819 Joined: Oct 2009 I've never seen a point setup like that. Thanks for posting the picture. I'm wondering how the lock screw that secures the movable point is accessed, and how or if the adjustment is made with the engine running. More than likely, the adjustment was designed to change the gap when the distributor was off the car, anyway. Setting the gaps of the points in the old Ford distributor is tricky, as the gap usually changes when the lock screws are tightened. Doing it while running on a machine allows us a more accurate adjustment. If anyone is doing it with just a feeler gauge, obtain a "go-no go" set for the job to get a better outcome. Motor2Wheel 09-21-2010 @ 10:26 AM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 10 Joined: Sep 2010 Alan and Tom, thanks for the input. The LH pump does indeed have a mis-matched gasket on it, like hand made. I wonder, do you think it really needs to be running while I perform a back flush? Great ideas and I hope to try them out next weekend. The engine is in the original-framed Victoria. The heads have been verified to be cast iron. As I learned from the great sources here, they were originally Al, but changed for the very reasons you mentioned. This was performed in the field at a shop somewhere and I have also located the stamped markings from the mechanic who supposedly did them. (Located on the top deck next to the intake at the back of the motor). It's been a great time so far just researching the car. I think I will be buying the 1934 book some time to get more details. Right now, I'm trying to get her running again. One other thing, can you hook me up with the best way to get ahold of Skip? Thanks, again, for the help. Chris. This message was edited by Motor2Wheel on 9-21-10 @ 10:31 AM TomO 09-21-2010 @ 8:52 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 7252 Joined: Oct 2009 Back flushing the block will remove most of the loose crud. You can use an old nylon stocking or one leg from panty hose to catch the crud coming out of the lower hose. This is a messy job on a 34 as there are no connections for a 3/4" hose. You can make one by modifying an upper hose with a hot water heater hose connection and then blocking off the top of the hose with a plug or clamp. You will still probably have a lot of rust, casting sand and other deposits in the block after back flushing. The only way to get at these is to tear down the engine. The 34 should have aluminum heads and they can be difficult to remove. If you start to remove them you must finish the job or you will have other problems. I have seen the points and distributor set up that you have before. It was used from 1932-1935 in the model 18 and model 40 distributors. It was not meant to allow the adjustment of the contacts while the car was running, it was to be used when the contacts were timed on the KR Wilson timing fixture for fine adjustment of timing. Most of these distributors were replace with the later type distributor or had the contact point plate replaced with the more conventional type of contacts. Tom This message was edited by TomO on 9-21-10 @ 9:20 AM ford38v8 09-20-2010 @ 10:01 PM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 2759 Joined: Oct 2009 Motor2Wheel, I have backflushed with 2 garden hoses and no pumps installed, while running the engine. I couldn't really tell if I got any crud out, because it was draining straight to the gutter. About the crud at the head/block holes, that can easily happen if the holes are mismatched with an incorrect gasket. Those holes changed in size and shape several times. Alan

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