Multi-year Ignition Conundrum
Posted: Mon Nov 01, 2021 7:52 pm
Hi everyone,
Firstly, has anyone seen the $29,000 M37 on eBay right now? That is about the cleanest I’ve ever seen. It’s worth a look. Not for me, however; I’m still committed to my own endless restorations.
As to my ignition problem, I will share two years ago my mechanically near-perfect 1952 M43 ambulance would occasionally leave me stranded. Each time I would take it home and conclude the spark either wasn’t strong enough or not there. If I changed the coil it would start right up and I’d be good for a while. Sometimes after a week or so it would start with the “bad” coil and would run fine. The last time it happened there was no spark at all on a new-to-me used OEM coil. That was two years ago whereupon I got frustrated and garaged it until this past weekend. By the way, it never just stopped running. It only failed to restart after sitting for a half hour or so after shutting it down.
Fast forward, I decided to go to work on it yesterday and what a surprise, it started right up and purred like new on the old coil that left me stranded two years ago. So, I made sure my wife was by the phone and I had my tow bar ready and then I went for a nice long ride. No issues; even hit the siren a few times, what a blast. It even started when it was hot and after I turned it off. It ran well on the two-plus year old gas a well.
So, I’d like to think it is fixed, but I don’t think it is.
I’ve checked all of the distributor connections, the air ventilation system, ignition switch, cap, rotor, etc. - spark plugs are clean. I will mention it has the Pertronix kit in it. I used Pertronix igniters for more than a decade in an old Ford 9N tractor, a 1978 Fiat and three different Unimogs. I’ve never had Pertronix strand me, although I burned one up leaving the ignition on once on the Fiat. I’m thinking about buying a new Pertronix in case mine is failing intermittently, but I’ve never heard of that happening. Can anyone think of something I am missing that I need to check?
I’m thinking that I must be bumping something that fixes the problem when I change out coils and that my coils are all actually fine. In fact, when I test the resistance, all of the coils put out different readings yet they all work fine……from time-to-time.
When it is running, it is so smooth and hits on all cylinders, and fast off the start (for a 1952 M43), no smoke either.
Any advice would be appreciated. Cheers, Jerry
Firstly, has anyone seen the $29,000 M37 on eBay right now? That is about the cleanest I’ve ever seen. It’s worth a look. Not for me, however; I’m still committed to my own endless restorations.
As to my ignition problem, I will share two years ago my mechanically near-perfect 1952 M43 ambulance would occasionally leave me stranded. Each time I would take it home and conclude the spark either wasn’t strong enough or not there. If I changed the coil it would start right up and I’d be good for a while. Sometimes after a week or so it would start with the “bad” coil and would run fine. The last time it happened there was no spark at all on a new-to-me used OEM coil. That was two years ago whereupon I got frustrated and garaged it until this past weekend. By the way, it never just stopped running. It only failed to restart after sitting for a half hour or so after shutting it down.
Fast forward, I decided to go to work on it yesterday and what a surprise, it started right up and purred like new on the old coil that left me stranded two years ago. So, I made sure my wife was by the phone and I had my tow bar ready and then I went for a nice long ride. No issues; even hit the siren a few times, what a blast. It even started when it was hot and after I turned it off. It ran well on the two-plus year old gas a well.
So, I’d like to think it is fixed, but I don’t think it is.
I’ve checked all of the distributor connections, the air ventilation system, ignition switch, cap, rotor, etc. - spark plugs are clean. I will mention it has the Pertronix kit in it. I used Pertronix igniters for more than a decade in an old Ford 9N tractor, a 1978 Fiat and three different Unimogs. I’ve never had Pertronix strand me, although I burned one up leaving the ignition on once on the Fiat. I’m thinking about buying a new Pertronix in case mine is failing intermittently, but I’ve never heard of that happening. Can anyone think of something I am missing that I need to check?
I’m thinking that I must be bumping something that fixes the problem when I change out coils and that my coils are all actually fine. In fact, when I test the resistance, all of the coils put out different readings yet they all work fine……from time-to-time.
When it is running, it is so smooth and hits on all cylinders, and fast off the start (for a 1952 M43), no smoke either.
Any advice would be appreciated. Cheers, Jerry