VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1929-1932 Distributor or electrolock problems

Hello all,
I am hoping my questions isn't a stumper for all of you like it has been for us. We are ready to start up our 1931 Chevy Independence. But we are running into an electrical problem at the distributer. The problem we are having is that when we engage the electrolock and step on the starter the starter tries to turn over, the rotor in the distributor spins but we are not getting spark to the spark plugs. When the contact points are open there is no problem. When the points touch there is a short back to where the electrolock comes through the distributor housing and ends up frying the points and melting the insulator.

Does anyone have any idea what could be causing this?

We have replaced the contact points on the distributor, the condenser, rebuilt the electrolock (to the best of our knowledge and what we could find online), and replaced the spark plug wires already.

I suspect you have an short in the electrolock assembly. What technical information did you use? Skipper and I have rebuilt probably 100 electrolocks. It is necessary to put them together correctly or there can be a short.

Sounds like you have a short in the wire that goes down the inside of the armored cable of the electrolock. The old cloth covered wire needs to be replaced.

Chipper is right.....we have restored a lot of electrolocks. In the last 29 years have done about 200 of them for customers.

Sorry Skipper under estimated the number. Should have written hundreds rebuilt.

Ha ha! Ya, I have done a lot of electrolocks over the years. Just did three of them, along with the distributors, in the past three weeks. And, I have gone though many, many 100' coils of wire for the electrolocks in the past 29 years as well.

One of JYD's happy customers is right here. One of the three he just finished was mine and it is BEAUTIFUL! It's the third one he's done for me, if I remember correctly.

All the Best, Chip

You have a short in the coil windings. If the electrolock cable were at fault, it would happen with the points open. I would suggest wiring another coil in, in place of the old one and power it externally to run the engine. Then you can look for a replacement coil.

Thanks Junkyard Dog. Would you be willing to rebuild the electrolock for us? How much would you charge for the rebuild?

I have sent you a PM.