Guest trap442w30 Posted December 30, 2016 Share Posted December 30, 2016 I hate to bother everyone again, but I think my coil is bad. How can I be sure....I have good power going to the "battery" terminal on the coil, and I have a good ground. I'm unsure what I should be testing next. The other top terminal is "timer" which goes to the points and the side terminal is the high tension going to the distributer cap. Does anyone know what wires I should test and what readings I should be getting. If it is bad, where do I find one (I'm assuming they are not able to be rebuilt)? Can I temporarily use a traditional style 6v coil? If so, do I need a resistor with it and how big of a resistor? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1927Chevy Posted December 30, 2016 Share Posted December 30, 2016 http://www.ebay.com/itm/1921-1922-Chevrolet-Oldsmobile-Remy-Ignition-Coil-/272424821584?hash=item3f6dc8e350:g:N~cAAOSwHMJYDj6n&vxp=mtr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stude Light Posted December 30, 2016 Share Posted December 30, 2016 Remove the 6v power wire from the BATT terminal, remove the wire going to the distributor from the TIMER terminal and remove the high tension wire from the side of the coil. Next remove the resistor unit from the top of the coil (screw in the center of it holds it down). Now use a continuity tester and measure from the tang of the resistor unit (the part the was connected to the BATT terminal) to the center of the unit where the screw holding it down was. You should get continuity. If not, the resistor unit is bad. Next, measure resistance from the terminal that held the resistor unit (this terminal has no markings) to the TIMER terminal. You should get 1 to 2 ohms. Next, measure the resistance from the high tension terminal to the base of the coil (or ground). You should get 2000 to 3000 ohms. Since you have all the wires off, I would suggest that you hook up one end of 6 volt power to the terminal that the resistor unit was mounted and swipe the other end across the TIMER terminal. You want to touch and release as quickly as you can so you get some arcing. While doing this you should get some spark out of the high tension terminal. You can either hook up a spark plug and lay it over the engine or just hold a screwdriver ( by the handle unless you like getting shocked - I don't ) contacting the coil base and moving the screwdriver shaft close to the high tension terminal. I use an alligator clip lead on the one 6 volt terminal and this gives me one hand with the screwdriver and the other to swipe the 6 volt spark. Polarity doesn't matter when doing this test. I have a spare coil if you need one but I don't have a spare resistor unit. You can always bypass the resistor unit just to get the car running (you will get a slightly hotter spark) all it really does is to reduce overall amperage draw and allows the coil to run cooler during extended operation. Scott Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stude Light Posted December 30, 2016 Share Posted December 30, 2016 I'm looking at your photo a bit closer and the resistor unit looks to be hooked up to the center screw that holds the unit together. Unless I can't see an insulated strap, this is incorrect. It should be hooked to the BATT terminal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest trap442w30 Posted December 30, 2016 Share Posted December 30, 2016 The coil on the left was mounted on the 1917 (which was titled as a 1918). The coil on the right was in a box marked Studebaker 1918 touring coil. I also attached a picture of the distributor, did these use a condenser? Its a Remy model 88-A s/n 42928. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest trap442w30 Posted December 30, 2016 Share Posted December 30, 2016 Forget the coil on the right, its bad. The coil on the left I'm getting continuity on the resistor, 1.3 ohm from center to timer, 2,400 ohm from HT to ground. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stude Light Posted December 30, 2016 Share Posted December 30, 2016 Seeing the top of the coil now it looks like the resistor is correct. Well all you measurements look good so I'm going to guess that you coil is good. Did you try the spark test? Oh, I forgot to metion that some of the coils have built in condensers. Not sure about yours....it is usually written on the side. Condenser or Non-Condensing. Regardless, you should just make sure that there is no continuity between the timer terminal and base (or ground). If there is, you have an internal condenser and it is shorted. You should have a condenser somewhere between the TIMER terminal and connection and the points. Doesn't matter which end or even somewhere in the middle of that wire. Just go to your local auto parts store and get a universal one..it's just a capacitor. Ground the case. Oh, and save that other coil even if it's bad. The ones with the side mounted high tension tower are hard to come by. I've swapped parts before to make a good one. Scott Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stude Light Posted December 30, 2016 Share Posted December 30, 2016 I used an ECHLIN AL869 condenser from NAPA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest trap442w30 Posted December 31, 2016 Share Posted December 31, 2016 There is no continuity between TIMER and the case so if there is a condenser that means its not shorted, but I tried the spark test and I get nothing. The coil does not say anything about a condenser...all it says is 171-A and 180788. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stude Light Posted December 31, 2016 Share Posted December 31, 2016 Well, no spark is no good. Two questions: Are you sure you have power? Are you getting a little spark at the 6 volt terminal and none at the high tension end? Don't expect a huge spark. It will maybe jump 1/8 or 1/16 inch gap. I have a Remy 284A on my 1923 Studebaker. The 284L on ebay and my spare 284D would both work. I believe the letter designation relates to the "clock angle" of the base and high tension terminal as compared to the top terminals. Scott 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest trap442w30 Posted December 31, 2016 Share Posted December 31, 2016 I had a bad ground when I was testing for a spark before, I do get a spark on the trigger wire and on the HT terminal. I also checked continuity of the spark plug wires. The trigger wire will ground when the points close. The cap and rotor are clean. I'm assuming it arcs vertically from the end of the pins to the rotor (rotor radius larger than pin center diameter and its about .030 below the pin). The rotor spring contacts the center of the cap. Unless all 6 plugs are bad, I am at a loss to why I am not getting spark. Also, unrelated, where can I get a rebuild kit for a Schebler Model R carb? I put in a 4psi electric fuel pump, the float will shut off the fuel flow, but when I'm cranking and when I stop cranking, the fuel will leak out of the carb somewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spinneyhill Posted December 31, 2016 Share Posted December 31, 2016 Shouldn't the fuel pressure be nearer 1 psi? If it had a vacuum tank, shouldn't the pressure be about (vertical distance from tank top to carb. fuel inlet in inches) divided by (32 feet x 12 inches), times 14 psi? So if the tank top is 20 inches above the carb inlet, the pressure should be about 0.7 psi or say 1 psi. 4 psi is too much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stude Light Posted December 31, 2016 Share Posted December 31, 2016 Glad you were able to diagnose the coil. Your timing may be off significantly and the coil is firing when the rotor is not lined up to a plug. You should check to ensure the points open just prior to #1 TDC, then check to make sure the rotor is aligned with #1 cylinder. Spinneyhill is absolutely correct. Your car had a gravity feed system. I suggest you try returning to gravity feed. While trying to get the engine going just suspend a small (enclosed) container with a line to the carb. Once you get it running then you can decide to restore the original fuel pump or find a regulator to get you down to a quarter or half a psi. There isn't much inside that carb to "rebuild". Usually they just require a thorough cleaning. You may want to search around on the Internet for Schebler carb settings. Scott Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest trap442w30 Posted December 31, 2016 Share Posted December 31, 2016 It didn't look like too much in the carb, I made a new gasket to the intake and for the bottom of the bowl, I was going by 1917 owners manual about turning the auxiliary air valve down and running the spring adjusting nut under it up for the initial setting. When I got the car it had a Dupree 6v-802 electric fuel pump in it (which I think was 6 psi) and there were no lines to the vacuum unit. I was just assuming the car was running with that big pump in there and threw in an Airtex E-8902 which is a 4 psi unit. I'll switch back to a gravity to get it running. Again, I didn't disturb the distributor, assuming it was running that way, but I will check the timing. The rotor is kind of loose on the mounting pins....well, compared to cars of the 1970's and up. And I knew I should have opened up the packing on the water pump while the radiator was off....the same goes for the freeze plugs. As long as I'm off topic...I think it had the original side curtains...they are like a canvas material with the remnants of what looked like plastic windows....Did they have plastic in 1917? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stude Light Posted December 31, 2016 Share Posted December 31, 2016 Yes, those are probably the original celluloid windows. Probably a bit yellowed and very brittle now. I just had new side curtains made for my car after watching it rain all day on my open car at Hershey this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest trap442w30 Posted January 1, 2017 Share Posted January 1, 2017 I found all the door posts for the side curtains, but only the front two curtains (with the two little oval windows). I removed the top to get it in my garage and hopefully will have a higher garage next year. I'll know if the neighbors will allow it in a couple days. Then I will get the Amish to redo the top, sides and interior and get some new tires for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stude Light Posted January 1, 2017 Share Posted January 1, 2017 Very cool. Hopefully that is not your Jeep with the top laying on the hood. Here are a couple of shots of the Schebler carb info from my Dykes Manual. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest trap442w30 Posted January 1, 2017 Share Posted January 1, 2017 I took the top off by myself, so I pulled the jeep up, laid it back on the hood. A few scratches give it personality. This was a replacement to my last grand Cherokee that was probably owned by a drug dealer...I bought it from a police auction. Since I owned it, it was stolen and used to drive through front doors of houses, then It was rear ended twice...the second time they left their front bumper hanging on my hitch when they took off. I've pulled a loaded semi out of the grass, pulled some tree stumps and finally it was totaled by an Amish buggy with a lady and 6 kids that ran a stop sign (everyone including the horse were ok). I bought it from the insurance company and kept driving it. Thanks for the carb info...the owners manual failed to mention to open it one turn. So if I was on full rich condition with the choke all the way out and no ignition, the fuel I'm seeing might just be pouring back from the engine and intake through the carb. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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