'73 Chevelle SS Wagon (local find)

[Camar068]

I have a 10 sec video of it idling, but don't have a good way to upload it. Maybe @78C10BigTen can help me out with that again?

Any video's i've put up, I put them on youtube then share/embed that link in my post.

 

[bucket]

yup, seen it a bunch. The cable including the ends look good, but you replace the cable and it fixes the issue. The corrosion will work it's way inside the insulation where you can't see it. Cut that cable you took off and see how far the corrosion made it inside the insulation.

This is what I saw with it installed... looked good:

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But upon removal...

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[bucket]

Did some very quick google-foo, then memories fom the past started coming back. Stuff I learned about when I had my '69 Impala as a DD and and when I was learning about the ignition systems on my old Cub Cadets. This article dumbs it down and makes it simple...

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.mo...ballast-resistor-guide-ballast-blast-off/amp/

I should be fine with 12v to the coil.

 

[Camar068]

This is what I saw with it installed... looked good:

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But upon removal...

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cut the connector off and look for corrosion in the wire, if none, you may be able to repurpose on something else. If you do, cut in 3" increments until you don't see corrosion.

Had I seen your pics, I'd taken a wire brush to it to knock off the rust n stuff and tried again. Don't be afraid to pour some Coca Cola on it....dissolves corrosion.....good to keep in mind when on the road and need a last ditch effort (learned that from my Mom lol).

 

[bucket]

cut the connector off and look for corrosion in the wire, if none, you may be able to repurpose on something else. If you do, cut in 3" increments until you don't see corrosion.

Had I seen your pics, I'd taken a wire brush to it to knock off the rust n stuff and tried again. Don't be afraid to pour some Coca Cola on it....dissolves corrosion.....good to keep in mind when on the road and need a last ditch effort (learned that from my Mom lol).

Once I determine if it's an original '73 cable or not (I don't think it is), I'll investigate how far the damage goes. I recently bought a hammer-type cable crimper, but I have no idea where I put the damn thing.

 

[Turbo4whl]

Ok, so... I put in a 12ga fused hot wire to the coil.

...But, am I going to fry my coil in short order? (1)


Should I run the original resistance wire to the coil and the new 12v wire to the distributor separately? (2)

(1) Yes, it will cook, depends on under hood temps, etc, as to how soon.

(2) Yes, and here is why...

When you crank the engine to start, the battery voltage drops. If the coil was designed to run on 12-14.5 volts it would never get that voltage when the engine is started.

The coil is designed to run the lower voltage that happens when you crank the engine. The coil receives the battery voltage (which is lower) when cranking from the "R" terminal on the starter solenoid. After you stop cranking and the engine starts the coil gets the same lower voltage from the resistant wire.

I hope I explained this clearly.

 

[bucket]

(1) Yes, it will cook, depends on under hood temps, etc, as to how soon.

(2) Yes, and here is why...

When you crank the engine to start, the battery voltage drops. If the coil was designed to run on 12-14.5 volts it would never get that voltage when the engine is started.

The coil is designed to run the lower voltage that happens when you crank the engine. The coil receives the battery voltage (which is lower) when cranking from the "R" terminal on the starter solenoid. After you stop cranking and the engine starts the coil gets the same lower voltage from the resistant wire.

I hope I explained this clearly.

Yes, it does get the 12v signal off of the starter during cranking. I never took voltage drop into consideration. I always just assumed it was to provide a hotter spark upon startup.

 

[wanderinthru]

Yes, it does get the 12v signal off of the starter during cranking. I never took voltage drop into consideration. I always just assumed it was to provide a hotter spark upon startup.

Was playing with this the other day on my motorcycle. Same ish set up, chevrolet points and 2 2.5 ohm coils, with no resistor the coils were awful hot in short order. Can't see them lasting long with the straight 12 volt, no resistor to them.

 

[Turbo4whl]

Just some numbers to think about. Years ago, old coils would do 20,000 to 24,000 volts. With higher compression and wider gaped plugs, more voltage was needed. HEI, maybe 28,000 to 32,000 volts. More voltage is harder to contain. HEI distributor caps are a larger diameter to help with this and better wires.

When Ford (bad word) first had electronic ignition the cap was smaller. With in a year or two Ford had larger distributor cap for their electronic ignition.

Back to your coil. Numbers exaggerated. Say you have 9-10 volts when cranking. The coil maybe designed for 7-9 volts gets a boost when cranking. Resister drops the voltage to 8.5 volts when running and the alternator is putting out 13.5 volts or higher.

So the coil designed for a 12 volt system and regular point ignition always has a resister.

 

[wanderinthru]

Just some numbers to think about. Years ago, old coils would do 20,000 to 24,000 volts. With higher compression and wider gaped plugs, more voltage was needed. HEI, maybe 28,000 to 32,000 volts. More voltage is harder to contain. HEI distributor caps are a larger diameter to help with this and better wires.

When Ford (bad word) first had electronic ignition the cap was smaller. With in a year or two Ford had larger distributor cap for their electronic ignition.

Back to your coil. Numbers exaggerated. Say you have 9-10 volts when cranking. The coil maybe designed for 7-9 volts gets a boost when cranking. Resister drops the voltage to 8.5 volts when running and the alternator is putting out 13.5 volts or higher.

So the coil designed for a 12 volt system and regular point ignition always has a resister.

On the subject. Do you know of a 12 volt "oil can" coil that would run with out a resistor? When jacking with above said motor cycle, added a resistor and lost spark, kinda, found later after buying a motor cycle coil (5 ohm) that the brand new battery had went kerplunk.

 

[bucket]

I haven't messed with the coil situation yet. It's currently running without a resistor and has survived around 80 miles so far. I carried a spare coil with me.

Real world driving has shown that nothing has changed with the stumble. My next move is going to be modification of the accelerator pump linkage. Maybe getting the accel pump running in a slightly different spot in It's bore will help.

 

[Rusty Nail]

Almost time for a Quadrajet conversion!

 

[bucket]

Almost time for a Quadrajet conversion!

I wanted to make the 2 bbl work. It's already there and while the car is obviously not a speed demon, it's no slug either. Plenty good enough to drive around and be enjoyable. Installing a 4bbl would just snowball and get out of hand. That would turn into cam and heads I'm sure.

 

[Rusty Nail]

You say that like it's a bad thing?
LoL

HP jumped considerably to get a 4bbl. (175hp) but i'm teasing you. I support the 2bbl all day. Readin the thread I was thinkin about the accelerator pump adjustment holes on a Quad, no experience with a Dualjet 210.. Sadface. There was one on the C20 when I got her (267) but I threw it away PDQ.

That's what you got right?
Unknown power valve adjustment equivalent for a 210....I wonder if google knows.
Hay Siri.

 

[bucket]

It's a 2GV, just like the one I was always fiddling with on my first car. That one had troubles with a bad stumble too, lol.