Coil placement for 42-48 Flathead

Perry Kitson · #1 25-05-12, 22:59

I too, was under the impression that all Canadian carriers used the early Ford engine. It would make sense that all engines supplied to the army would have been kept to the early style(pre '42) to ease supply of spares. Even the parts manual only shows one style of distributor. When I was rebuilding my engine, the rebuilder suggested putting on the crab style distributor. At the time, my father mentioned that he thought that you could not swap out the front cover and fit the crab style distributor because the cam shaft was longer to drive the early style twin cap distributor. The front plate was changed, and sure enough, the crab style distributor would not sit back because of the cam shaft. Maybe someone with more flathead expertise could chime in. I would think that it is a good idea to keep the coil away from the heat. I have relocated my coil on the twin cap distributor to rad shroud to get it away from excess heat.

Perry

Jordan Baker · #2 25-05-12, 23:41

never thought of it mounting on rad shroud. That might just work for me and still keep the modern coil out of most sight lines.

Lynn Eades · #3 26-05-12, 01:23

Perry, I think the cam stays the same. It would be the dizzy mounting plate, that changed. you should be able to mount either dizzy on the same motor, with the appropriate plate (two bolt mount or 3 bolt mount)

Jordan, you can mount the coil anywhere you like.

We have had it pointed out previously on this forum, that even a NOS ford coil may be u/s. They were unreliable because of the insulation.
(search the many postings by Tony Smith (not the real one))

Jordan Baker · #4 26-05-12, 16:31

Even if you change over the front plate, the 42-48 flatheads have the cam head sitting back a bit more then the 37-41 flatheads. Although I have seen a small adaptor spacer you can buy and it then allows you to have the diversbell distributor instead.

Tony Smith · #5 28-05-12, 04:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jordan Baker

Even if you change over the front plate, the 42-48 flatheads have the cam head sitting back a bit more then the 37-41 flatheads. Although I have seen a small adaptor spacer you can buy and it then allows you to have the diversbell distributor instead.

Other way around. The 42-48 cam is LONGER, the 37-41 cam is SHORTER.
If you want to put a 42-48 "Crab" distributor on a 37-41 engine (221ci), besides swapping the front cover plate, you need ONE OF THESE. If you want to put a 37-41 "Diver's Helmet" distributor on a 42-48 engine, you need ONE OF THESE.

If you want to keep a Diver's Helmet distributor, but want to move the coil away from the front of the engine (or convert to 12v), you want ONE OF THESE

Virtually all of the electronic distributors require converting to a 12v system.

Bruce Parker (RIP) · #6 26-05-12, 16:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lynn Eades

Perry, I think the cam stays the same. It would be the dizzy mounting plate, that changed. you should be able to mount either dizzy on the same motor, with the appropriate plate (two bolt mount or 3 bolt mount)

Jordan, you can mount the coil anywhere you like.

We have had it pointed out previously on this forum, that even a NOS ford coil may be u/s. They were unreliable because of the insulation.
(search the many postings by Tony Smith (not the real one))

I'm with Perry on this one. There is a different cam (and front cover). I have an adapter that allows the short cam to be used with the other distributor but it obviously won't work the other way around.

Mac's auto has now Ford coils that are cosmetic duplicates of the old but without the 'tar' insulation problem.

Lynn Eades · #7 26-05-12, 23:28

O.K. I'm a learner. I have one of those little round adapters as well. I wondered when it was used.

If I hadn't made the comment, a lot of us would never had learned about it, on this valuable forum (Is it true we have 5000 members, and only 50 of us have helped to keep it going?)

I guess it is also good to have noted the difference between "New Old Stock" and "New Stock" (will Macs give us a discount for the advertising?)

My apologies Perry

Jordan Baker · #8 27-05-12, 01:22

Thread hijacker......

Anyway, I made up a mounting bracket for the coil so that all of the needed wires would reach it and so that it was in the air flow.

I believe it turned out rather well.

Stew Robertson · #9 27-05-12, 02:07

If you are going to do it do it right
when you spend all the time and money on a restoration and make it it look so good
why not do it right
Just my opinion and you can shoot me down any time at all
of the carriers that I have done including the later T16 they all had the helmet style ditributor
If someone has an original carrier with claw style caps I would like to know for my own information
Stew