Re: [MV] M38A1 Starting problem
Amikesomm@aol.com
Wed, 10 Feb 1999 19:28:14 EST
Hi Bob!
I assume you checked for .035 sparkplug gap, and then for .020 point gap, more
or less?
When it quits and you have no spark the first thing to do is to unscrew the
wire leading to the distributor body and read the voltage with the switch on.
If you had 24, you knew you had a dist problem. If you didn't, the problem
was upstream, towards the ign switch. Cleaning up 24v distributors is pretty
easy and straightfoward, by the way. Check out the recent article in MV
magazine. Staying 24v is actually easier since the parts are always
available and the manuals clearly cover most problems you could ever face,
including this one. Yep, you might've killed the coil, but you could have a
cruddy connection, a corroded wire, a spotty coil which opens up as it heats
up (no kidding), the inside of the cap might've been cruddy and the rotor
picked up enough to stop working, well, you get the idea.
As to why the coil worked backwards, the way coils work is to pass 24 through
the primary wiring to ground when the points close, jumping up the 24v to
30,000v or more in the secondary wiring which feeds out the top to the spark
plugs through the rotor button, and the wiring is such that it should work
more or less with the primary wired backwards. Try coil #1 again, after:
confirming 24 to the distributor, clean connections, and acceptable parts
condition. If you have 24 but no spark, borrow a coil from somebody else.
Also, verify that the engine is properly grounded to the frame. No good
ground could mean no spark, although it shouldn't crank very well either. If
no 24 to coil, quick check by running alligator clip jumper wire to
distributor from batteries - Make one from old MV wire if you have one, or buy
the CORRECT size crimp on male and female ends from an auto store and then you
will always have a 24v wire to test stuff with. Well worth having. Anyway, I
have also had ign switches that were old and failed occasionally, another part
of troubleshooting! I'd like to know what you find, and congrats on your
M38A1, I've been looking for one myself. Mike in VA
'62 M151A1
'51 M37
'43 WC62
and assorted project and parts vehicles.......which I'll never get around to!
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