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EFV-8 Club Forum / General Ford Discussion / Boiling My Coil

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Discussion Topic: Boiling My Coil

dolmer

07-01-2011 @ 4:22 PM

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First day of owning a 40 Coupe, and trouble brews. I thought I had turned the ignition off - on off switch wouldn't move and steering wheel was locked - however a short time later the coil is boiling oil onto the floor. I did as much of a test with of the coil (once cool) and found that the battery side is hot even when I had the ignition off. I turned on the ignition, and started the car. It started fine but then wouldn't shut off. A hand over the carb stopped the engine. And, once again, with everything off there was still power to the bat. side of the ciol. Any suggestions as to what went wrong and what I can do to fix it until I have time to attack all the wiring.

dolmer

07-01-2011 @ 5:07 PM

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On - Off-Switch shorted - On all the time???

ford38v8

07-01-2011 @ 5:33 PM

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Dolmer, congrats on your new '40, and con grats if that's the only problem you encounter with it! This is a simple and inexpensive problem as problems go.

Only three possibilities here.
1- The ignition and battery wires are touching behind the ignition switch. This is the classic definition of "Hot Wiring".
2- The ignition switch itself has gone south.
3- My choice, the steering column is torqued, preventing the lock from being moved on or off. Pull the steering wheel against the torque to release the lock.

The coil is toast. It starts when cold, but will fail at a stop sign somewhere out in the boonies. Send it to Skip Haney to be rebuilt. Do not buy a new coil, they are junk. Rebuild the old.

http://www.fordcollector.com/

Alan

Stroker

07-01-2011 @ 6:08 PM

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Dolmer: If you've been around any brand that used a points ignition, the phenomena of "boiling" the coil is something that most of us ancient-ones have experienced in our lives. Ford38v8's advice is
the best.

This is not a Ford problem, but rather a problem with any engine that uses points to time the ignition. I've done this on GMC's, Pontiac's, Chevrolet's, etc. No coil likes to sit for hours with current applied to the primary side.

I would also concur with 38's advice regarding the switch. Since I don't call 911, but rely mainly on my Colt 1911, I've removed the locking collar from my steering shaft, so as to prevent the binding that can immobilize the switch, and to also prevent the possibility of losing the ability to steer if something screws up.

I'm perhaps a little over-sensitive regarding the steering wheel lock, but my high-school sweetheart lost her father when her mother decided to intervene in his "unacceptable" driving by turning off the switch on their 38 Ford. When I picked her up for a date in the mid-fifties,
with my 38 wagon, she almost refused to let her lovely daughter accompany me.

37RAGTOPMAN

07-01-2011 @ 6:37 PM

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if you cooked the coil, I would say the points are also burnt and not trust worthy any more,
once you repair the IGN switch,
DISCONNECT the battery, take the wires off the back of IGN switch, remove the tin cover and examine the brush that swings back and forth and see if the brass contacts are broken, this might be possible,
also send the DISTRIBUTER and COIL to Skip for rebuild,
this will save you YEARS of FRUSTRATION,
I have been there done that,
my 3 cents worth 37RAGTOPMAN

dolmer

07-22-2011 @ 8:29 PM

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Thank you for all the great suggestions. It turns out that the previous owner added a switch under the dash and lead to the coil apparently to put more juice to the coil when starting. No idea why as I don't use it and the car starts fine. I had turned the switch on when trying to find out what it and the 3 other extra switches under the dash are for and didn't shut it off over night.

dolmer

deluxe40

07-23-2011 @ 3:39 PM

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You are likely right about the function of the switch. It probably goes around the ignition resistor (which is attached to the inside of the firewall way up behind the parking brake handle next to the headlight circuit breaker). The resistor drops 6v down to about 3.5 for normal usage. Switching to 6v when starting will sometimes compensate for weak electrical components such as a hot coil or a fading battery. I have accomplished the same thing using a quarter to short across the two poles of the resistor while starting the car (awkward to say the least). If your memory is like mine, it would be worth your while to replace the switch with a spring loaded one that goes off when you let go of it.

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