VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1929-1932 Died while driving

Have not posted in a while.

I was driving my '29 sedan a couple of nights ago when after about 20 minutes of driving she just went dead. She will crank no problem.

I don't think it is a carburetion issue but an ignition. I can smell gas fumes at the exhaust pipe when trying to start.

Is there a good checklist out there to start trouble shooting? I checked the rotor, distributr cap, wiring and they all look okay.

I am looking for guidance such as starting with the coil, points, condensor, etc... What to test and how to test. A good checklist would be nice.

I am on a 12V system and did replace the battery 2 weeks ago with the exact same one. It ran fine before (2 years) and after until a couple of nights ago..

Thanks in advance....Bob

If you still have your original electrolock, check to see if it is grounding out.

Hello Cast Iron Wonder,
Suspect your condenser has bought the farm. I had a similar experience long ago while motoring along and suddenly, whammo dead in the road. This vehicle had points and condenser. It would crank, fuel to carb, air cleaner ok, but no spark. Replaced points and condenser and whammo, engine runs. Worth a try, good luck.

Take off the distributor cap, turn on the ignition switch, remove the coil wire from the center of the cap and position the end of the wire about 1/2" from a nut or bolt head on engine. Now open and close the points using a screw driver, stick or nearly anything else that will be long enough to do the job. Do you get a spark from the end of the wire to metal on engine? If no then short across the points with a piece of metal (screwdriver). Do you now get a spark? If both are no then check to see if you have power to the coil. If not then check ignition switch, connection through ammeter to battery.

If you get spark either time then is does it make a snap sound or just flash? Do you see a small spark at the points when you short across them? Are the point contacts touching? If the intensity of the spark is much greater when shorted versus when open and closed, clean or replace the point set.

Also check to see if you didnt strip the fibre timing gear.

My '31 also died on the road. I failed to turn the grease cup on the distributor to grease the shaft and it froze and stripped the pin off in drive gear. Distributor quit turning. Replaced pin and back on the road. Took awhile to break shaft loose so it would turn.

Thanks guys.

Went out there intending on using your ideas.

Now I have another issue.

Turns out now the two week old battery is also drained.

I will trickle charge over night. It cranked just fine after it died. Something is pulling the battery down now.

No lights were left on.

Any ideas?

Could be the cut out on top of the generator stuck in the closed position , that is allowing current to drain though the generator back to ground.

Does the negative cable spark when touched to the partly charged battery? If so there is something that is drawing current. If you have a good ammeter you can put it between the disconnected negative cable and negative post.

As pointed out the generator cut-out is a suspect cause of the draw.

A slow battery discharge could also be caused by a build up of copper "dust" inside the starter switch on top of the casing.The constant arcing as the moving contact connects with the fixed contact on the casing and the battery cable terminal of the switch can cause over a period of time,a build up of conductive metallic copper dust,and this may? be part of the problem.
It'd probably pay to check all the wiring too.

Jack,

I checked the cut out on the generator. It was hot on one post until the battery completely drained. Should it be hot on one post only while the ignition is off? Or should it not be hot at all when the ignition is off?

When you say HOT is that to the touch or are you checking it with a meter and you have voltage on that terminal.

Sorry, not temperature.

It lights up the meter I use.

On the generator cutout,you will have one terminal with no marking on it(this terminal has the generator output lead which comes through the casing attached to it),and the other cutout terminal has the letters "BAT" stamped on it.This terminal is connected to the battery via the ammeter on the dash panel,and is live all the time,as long as the battery is connected,which is why your test light glows,as touching one probe lead to the terminal marked "BAT" and the other probe lead to the chassis or one of the cutout mounting screws,powers up the test light.
Check to see if the cutout is functioning correctly by removing the cutout cover,starting the engine,then rev the engine up and note if the moving contact arm closes with increasing revs.Then slow the engine back down to idle speed an note if the moving contact arm,moves and opens the contacts.If it doesn't open,the problem lies in the cutout.If it does open,then you have to start checking back from the generator through all the wiring.You may have a small spot of wire insulation just rubbed through that's causing the overnight discharge of the battery.

If you have a multimeter with a continuity buzzer , you can touch both terminals of the generator cutout , and if they are stuck closed you will get an audible buzz from your multimeter.

Otherwise you can disconnect both terminals and use a test light and battery and see if you can light the test light through the cutout.

Going to disconnect the battery and put on a trickle charge overnight.

I will then diconnect the generator terminals and then connect the battery.

I will see if the battery is still draining.

I have a new tune up kit on hand. It might just be time to replace the points, condenser, rotor, distributor cap.

I can also look for where some wiring may have worn down.

The cut out relay I have on the generator is sealed on the generator side so I can not look inside it.

I hope I am not bothering anyone.

Take the whole cutout off and have a good look at it with the cover removed.The cover should just snap on,and not be sealed.

You are not bothering anyone, we like to help solve all these chevy related issues.

Why is the generator cutout sealed? The original has a removalable lid with delco remy Stamped into it?

Jack,

I think because the last restoration before I purchased this '29 was boosted up to a 12 volt system.

This cut-out does not match the original. "The Filling Station" supplier does not carry this model.

http://www.usautoelectric.com/store-products-01000-Generator-Cut-Out-----01000_1097859764.html

I found the cut-out I need as shown above.

This works with my original Delco-Remy 943J generator.

I will get a new cut-out and go from there.

This will be my start.

in parts for sale there is this add
NOS Delco Generator cutout #827843. Part applications are 1929-39 car and 1936-39 truck. $40 plus shipping (US only). seller is dunfire

????

Hey guys thanks for the help.

I have to give it up to the Junkyard Dog. After searching viewing this website this evening on "Electrolock", I decided to check the electrolock. Sure enough, even without the key in the core was popped out thereby draining my battery. As soon as I pushed it in and checked, Ammeter went down showing no drain on the battery. File that under "Lessons Learned".

Now I have to see if it will start tomorrow. I have replaced the generator cut-out and the ballast resistor. I plan on replacing the condenser next.

Changed the condenser today on my'29 sedan. What a chore trying to get the clamp back on the distributor. I did it with the distributor in the engine. I will take time this evening to look at the Service Manual.

Is it normal that the wire lead comes out of the electrolock and connects to the condenser lead?

I had to replace the terminal on the condenser to connect to the lead coming out of the electrolock.

Can anyone provide a picture of their distributor an electrolock? Just curious as to what others look like. Here is the before picture.

Bob

Your condenser has obviously been replaced/repaired several times, I suspect the previous owners did not want to bother taking the electrolock apart at that end and so just spliced the wires. The proper unit comes as a condenser with a single lead with a standard round terminal on the end which fits over the electrolock lead and in among a bunch of washers, insulators, spacers etc. If you decide to disconnect it from the distributor and take end apart, there is a great diagram showing how all the innards go together. Check '31 Chevy site, I think I saw it there.

Thanks so much Gunsmoke. I knew something was not right.

Bob

The diagram is in the MEMBERS area of the VCCA web site --

http://vcca.org/members

Click on Resource Center.
Then go to G&D
Then Articles & Archives
Then after entering the Database,
Search for "Electrolock"

Be sure to read the "description" before opening the PDF. It explains a handwritten error.