oldsmobile 1926 Distributor prblem

[DFOXY]

Hi every one .Rooky at this living in UK.Have Oldsmobile 6 cylinder 1926 using as a wedding car.Think its aTourer. Engine numberER657 Chassis NumberXH01056 believe to have been sold at Hershey PA Auction presented by RM AUctions in2011.

Am looking to fit electronic ignition in Delc-Remy Distributor.Any help would be gratefully recieved and any history of vehicle or Model.Came to me on Log Book came from New Zealand.

[Mark Shaw]

Pertronix Ignition Catalog (pertronixbrands.com)

 

[Stude Light]

The last thing I would do to any of my pre-war cars is to fit an electronic ignition system. The points and condenser system is much simpler to diagnose and will not leave you stranded without options. Most piston engine aircraft are still using magneto, points and condensers for their predictive reliability. 

[Old buicks 2]

Read what Stude Light just wrote.   The Pertronix units are unpredictable at best on older cars.   I probably receive 2 calls per month from people that installed a unit and can't make it work.   They are frustrated and are switching back to the original points etc

 

Old buicks    the ignition parts guy

[DFOXY]

Thank you all for your help .Some very wish people out there.Put Accuspark electronic pick up on the 6cylinder didn't seem to work put back to points and fired up straight away.Unfortunatlly my apprentice in his joy gave it a good rev and distributor roseup due to clamp being broken Dissy spun round and condenser hit copper fuel pipe.Now coughing back through carb.Any help as desparate son's wedding in a week.was going to start with new condenser.And try and find TDC to see if Dissy has jumped a tooth.Distributor mounted on back ofDelc Remy dynamo 6V

 

[Stude Light]

You will need to retime the distributor.

 

Remove number one spark plug and put your thumb over the hole. Hand rotate the engine in direction of rotation until you are on the compression stroke (pressure under your thumb). Continue to slowly rotate until that piston comes up to top dead center. I'm pretty sure the spark plug is over the bore/piston so you can just use a wooden dowel down the hole and rotate until it comes all the way up and just stops moving.

 

Now reinstall the distributor until the rotor is pointing at number one spark plug wire on the cap. Assuming nothing else moved this should get you on the right gear tooth alignment. The rest of the timing you can do with a continuity tester, by ear or a timing light. Good luck.

[DFOXY]

thank you for reply Stude Light will let you know how i get on.

[Hubert_25-25]

DFOXY, 

    Photos of what you have would help.  1926 Oldsmobiles are extremely rare.  I am only under the assumption that many parts are similar to what Buick was using.  In 1926, Buick was using a pot metal distributor.  The potmetal grew over time.  This may explain why the distributor was not held in place.  Long term, people with 1926 Delco distributors replace them with 1930 Buick series 40 distributors.  Model 640 Delco distributors. 

      As Stude light says, find compression on number 1 cylinder, then rotate until you have the TDC mark in the timing inspection window.  On a Buick, TDC is the 1-6 line.  Then you can set the distributor location based on when the points just open.  Attached are instructions on setting the timing statically, and then using a timing light.     Hugh          

 

[Stude Light]

I volunteer at the RE Olds Transportation Museum so I grabbed some info for you today while I was there.

 

Photos of the engine in 1926 roadster in the museum 

And some information on the ignition system 

Edited March 20 by Stude Light (see edit history)