Ok let’s talk ignition coils

[Brad in Wisconsin]

Found this unique coil the other day and been curious about it ever since. Anyone know? Automotive industrial stationary engine? Thanks 

[Guest]

[Brad in Wisconsin]

Okay Mr. Tinindian, I'm confused,,,, the picture  of the coils you sent don't seem to be similar to what I have. Wouls like this to get to the right resto,

[Restorer32]

The pic mostly shows coils that originally had attached switches. For example the 1932 Packard had a keyed switch that appeared to be integral to the coil but was actually a separate piece.  Difficult to find in good condition.

[John348]

Well I am going to jump on this thread with a similar question to Brad's I found these two coils in a bin of Delco parts I am going through. No number on them so... any ideas? Much appreciated

 

[Guest]

The page I posted was one of twenty or so that Google found for me.  I only kept the page that referred to my car.  There is lots of information that Google can find for you.  I got my first computer and went on line 27 years ago and have spent a couple of hours every day since searching for information specifically for my applications.  Searching and searching is almost as much fun as wrenching.  Join some/several/many groups and search/ask everywhere.

It can be profitable even.  I once bought an NOS filter, the seller contacted me that he had 10 cases of similar filters and offered me a deal if I wanted all of them.  I took them and had them shipped to me.  After researching the applications I contacted three local clubs that served these marques.  One of them put me ii contact with a man who had several cars that used these filters.  I ended keeping a dozen for myself and sent the rest back to the same city they came from and netted myself over a thousand dollars.  Parts and information are out there, people have or need them.  The searching just connects them.

I have looked for a 1836596 coil as shown on that page since 1959, found and bought three that were no good and am not going to pay hundreds of dollars to  have one rewound when I have been driving for 59 years on a $6.95 universal Delco coil.  My daily driver never was and never will be a show car but sure has been a lot of fun for 400,000 miles.

Good luck guys in finding the correct coil for your car or the correct car for your coil.

[Dan Marx]

Check '41-47 Chevrolet. 

Dan

[rocketraider]

2nd pic John posted intrigues me. One of the three terminals is labelled "gas gage". I am admittedly ignorant of much earlier than mid-50s. Was that a common power tap for gauges?

[John_Mereness]

Not to be negative, though I have had some cars that tick for years with their original coil and had some cars fall flat on their face - now days, I am not a fan of original coils and not that a new one from the auto parts store will not fail, but it is much easier to deal with the situation when one does - Basically, I have been adapting in new could. 

[60FlatTop]

From reading the forums I can see that many people pull the coil wire when they do tests that require cranking the engine without starting it. That is not a good practice. I pull the coil wire and ground it with a wire I keep on hand. It is one of a selection of jumper wires with medium size clips at each end. I ground the coil wire to eliminate the large air gap that will create resistance as a near infinite air gap. OHMs Law again. High resistance will push the coil to its limit, maybe beyond. That could cause your coil to fail. Then you add another problem to whatever you were trying to fix.

Grounding the coil wire is not a common practice but a good one if you are using an obsolete coil.

[Bloo]

4 hours ago, rocketraider said:

Was that a common power tap for gauges?

 

No, but the gas gauge's power terminal was a common spot from which to feed switched ignition power to everything else.

 

If the ignition switch was in the coil, then the gas gauge would be next logical place for switched power to land. It still seems funny to see it labeled that way.

 

.

[Brad in Wisconsin]

 

Sorry for my delay in replying. I agree with the coil is usually no good. It's kinda neat looking and It’s hard to throw somethings away sometimes . Kinda like saving burnt fuses on top of electric panel, hoping they will heal themselves or maybe, Jeez I just paid $1.98 for a new coil maybe it will fix it self like a dead battery or a broke fan belt or bald tire or rotten tube or the other trinkets we find in old sheds .....maybe somebody would want it for a shelf pet... thanks for replying