Went to a couple antique stores with my girlfriend today, and spoted this in a pile of old tools. It says Ford V8 so I had to have it, and the price I got it at was too good to pass up. Got myself a few other toys too... I think its for setting the timing on flathead V8s with front mount dizzys, but I've never really worked on one so I don't know. Anybody have any details, what engines it fits, how to use it, ect? There are instructions on it but a good portion of them is missing from a rust spot.. Thanks for any info you can add to satisfy my curiosity, Justin
Post what you can see of instructions...I can't quite read them. But...it does timing for '32-41 3-bolt distributor models. It can work to time off of the engine because the offset slot drive makes the distributor shaft a keyed-in extension of the cam...you drop distributor onto the posts with drive slot in the groove, turn it to a line with the pointer, then advance timing on the adjustment scale on side of distributo ti light goes out, which is the timing point. 2 degrees cam, 4 crank. Light bulb is wired across distributor and powered by a jumper to car battery. Other lines are presumably the open/close positions for the two point sets (Mallory style overlapping cycles) for testing dwell separately and together, but I am too tired to think about that. I've got a couple of similar rigs but I've never seen that one, which is a neat simplification of a KRW timing fixture.
Right on, thanks guys! Bruce, your posts are always informative, I think I'm starting to get how this setup works. The instructions read: CONTACT SPACING DIST MODELS 18, 40 .012-.014 DIST MODELS 68, 78 .014-.016 PLACE POINTER ON ANY LIN....................... MOVE BREAKER PLATE UNTIL..............................T LIGHT MUST GO ON BETWEEN........................ SEE INSTRUCTION S......
I have two of these. Not exactly the same, but simular. I think one of them have the directions in the box. Let me see if I can scan them. You need to hook up a loop to a car battery for the lamp to work.
On those other lines...on the early 18--40 types, each point is open 21/closed 24 degrees if checked separately, with both together circuit is open 11 and closed 34. 22.5 and 36 on later group. The overlapping point cycle substantially increases time coil has to build its zap. I think that's right...the Mallory firing cyle hurts my head.
Overlapping point cycles?? Ok, my head is staring to hurt now, but I think I'm starting to get how that works... Guess I'll just have to keep my eyes out for a flathead to play with so I can figure this out That would be awesome, I think I get it but its all still a little fuzzy without a motor in front of me, think I need to see how everything works together.. Thanks everyone, learn something new everyday here!
The way the points work...you have 8 open/close cycles on one cam, and a point can only stay closed so long before it has to get back to work. Coil charges while points are closed...longer is better. With 2 points overlapping, the extra point can close before the point that fires the coil can close, and having EITHER point closed completes the circuit to charge coil. This substantially increases charge time for a hotter spark/higher RPM. The second point to open controls timing, as BOTH need to be open to fire the spark. Either alone can close the cycle. This general idea (and the brake retard system) were Mallory patented ideas, and Mallory designed and was on the patent dox for the first '32 distributor. This design was used on thousands of 1950's and '60's hotrod distributors of all sorts to extend the RPM range of point systems. Ford needed it because with 8 cylinders and a 4,500 plus RPM range on a stocker, the flatty was a serious ignition problem for the coils of the time. All other 8 cylinder and up cars of the day used dual coil ignitions, too damn expensive for a competitive car in the $500 market area. Probably an obsolete idea now because of better coils, but still esoteric and cool. The human head really does need a shop manual firing circle or a distributor to visualize this. It is as easy to figure out as the Enigma machine...which was probably based on a Ford distributor.
Very cool find..... We had a big Ford shop tool display at the Towe Ford Museum in Sacramento, and that timing tool was not among them. Definitely unusual ! 4TTRUK
Cool, I think I got an undertstanding of the theory now, just have to find someting to try it on to see the big picture.. My step father has an old flathead as "yard art" on his property in eastern Co, might have to grab the dizzy off it next time I'm out there. Thanks again for all the info guys.
On figgeringitout...hook up a little battery continuity light to distributor and watch how the points work together.
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