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EFV-8 Club Forum / General Ford Discussion / Water in distributor

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Discussion Topic: Water in distributor

Mark46-48

05-31-2019 @ 11:40 AM

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One sunny, dry, and very hot day last summer I decided to drive my 1948 Super Deluxe Coupe from my home near Detroit to my cottage in Northern Michigan, a distance of about 165 miles. Just my luck, the car died eight miles short of my destination. I had it towed to the local shop where I always have my late model daily driver serviced but the guys there couldn’t figure out what was wrong so I rented a trailer and my son and I hauled it to EMS Classic Car Care in Warren, MI. The owner, Ed Sirocki, is a virtual encyclopedia of antique/vintage car mechanicals.

So Ed did a couple of quick checks of the ignition system and almost immediately found that the coil was fried. End of story? Nope. The car started up with a new coil but clearly it still wasn’t running right. Long story short, Ed removed the distributor cap to check the points — and the distributor was full of water! Not coolant, mind you, just plain water. Presumably, that’s what caused to coil to go bad. But how in the blazes did water get in there? For the life of us, we can’t figure that out.

Has anyone else had that happen? And does anyone know how and why?

alanwoodieman

05-31-2019 @ 2:13 PM

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when was the last time you washed under the hood? go thru any rain storm? big puddle in the road? ford a creek?

4dFordSC

05-31-2019 @ 2:22 PM

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Had you recently added water to the radiator? If so, maybe some sloshed onto the distributor. Just a thought.

Mark46-48

05-31-2019 @ 3:57 PM

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None of the above. That's why it's so perplexing.

05-31-2019 @ 6:56 PM

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Had the same thing happen to a '46. Turned out to be a very fine spray from a defective water pump. Water drained down the spark plug wires and into the rubber boot and then into the distributor. - This, on a 'rabbit ear' type distributor cover....

This message was edited by MG on 5-31-19 @ 7:05 PM

dandy32

06-01-2019 @ 2:08 AM

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I would say its just condensation wipe it out with a clean dry lint free rag put it back together then spray the outside down with CRC 2-26 this is what I do to keep moisture out Hope this helps

42wagon

06-01-2019 @ 3:11 AM

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You don't say which distributor you have. Supposedly the "crab" type 42 distributor is notorious for collecting water that comes through the radiator during a rain storm. Given the location of the distributor perhaps the "rabbit ear" on is subject to the same problem

supereal

06-01-2019 @ 11:54 AM

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Be sure the two gaskets in the distributor are present and in good condition. Your '48 has a gasket between the distributor and the cap, and another between the outer cap where the plug wires emerge, and the actual cap. These gaskets are often missing or damaged, which allow any water at the front of the engine, such as through the radiator, to penetrate the distributor. A good gasket set is available from C&G (800)266-0470, about $8. Ask part number 21A=-12104. for your '48 V-8.

This message was edited by supereal on 6-1-19 @ 11:56 AM

Mark46-48

06-01-2019 @ 3:06 PM

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Thanks to all for the excellent suggestions. I will check all of the things noted above.

croftonfoxes

06-02-2019 @ 11:14 PM

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Yup, same thing happened to my '48... I was cleaning the engine (carefully) but still got water inside of the crab (later found out from the prior owner that the car had rabbit ears originally). Everything was loose and I could move the cap to the side without unstrapping it first. Long story short, got a new distributor body, rabbit ears, internal cap, gaskets, clips, new HT leads and looms, and most importantly, a Petronix module and the car has run perfectly ever since! Often starts now with just a push of the starter button!

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