VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1929-1932 29 Coil gets hot

NKY 15 minutes south of Cincinnati. Erlanger

Could it be in the switch??

Do you have a wiring diagram? I have one if you do not and can email it. It would take me a little more than 3 hours to drive to Erlanger from Bowling Green.

I do thanks wiring checks out.

6 volts on positive coil terminal and negative terminal is correct for the '29 wiring. What happens to the coil with the line to the electrolock removed? Does it heat?

The electrolock checked out correctly when I send it back. No power to the center wire and distributor stud with lock cylinder in. Power to distributor stud with it popped out.

Anyway the coil could be defective, a crazy short in it or something ??

And the Car is set up with Negative Ground ?!?

I removed the line to the electrolock replaced battery cable coil stayed cool. Replaced line to electrolock coil gets hot.

that is what I thought replaced coil did not resolve problem.

Sent you a PM. Appears there is some connection from terminal to ground when the switch is in the "off" position.

Did you ever find the problem with the coil heating up?

Not sure yet. I am going to do a couple of tests on the electrolock. It seams that there may be a short between the terminal connection and ground. Am wondering if it might be a conductive grease in the lock mechanism?

It could be possible. I use a special lubricant that is a non-grease and is not conductive.

The rebuilder had a brain f&$!.

The '29 electrolock can be reassembled two different ways. The "switch contactor" (slide with terminal contacts) has a ground contact on one side. If that side is put on the coil wire terminal side then it grounds the coil wire terminal when the lock is pushed in. If assembled properly the ground contact is on the soldered terminal and the center wire to the distributor is grounded.

Another lesson to triple check even if in a hurry to get a part in the mail. Can be expensive if a defective part is used.

In this case a major problem was averted by a thorough mechanic.

The switch contactor has a little tit on one side that goes into a small hole on the back of the lock cylinder. The tit is there to index the switch contactor so that it will be in the correct position when installed in the electrolock housing. However, the switch contactor can still be installed backwards though.

Yah, Yah, I got the tit in the hole in the lock cylinder okay. It was the location of the terminals that I messed up (180 deg. off). Don't know what I was thinking? Maybe the problem was I was not thinking. Would be nicer if the case was marked like the '30-'32 electrolocks.

With at least 8 different electrolocks for those three years it requires a bit of thinking to get them right. There may be more but I have seen 8 so far.

Don't forget that old age has a lot to do with it too!

I hope that this is a learning experience. It was for me. Cost me quite a few $$$ as well.

First that repairing and rebuilding parts of our old Chevrolets can look relatively easy but still have to be put together with the correct parts in the correct places.

Second even the supposed experts can make a mistake.

Third even though it might cost a bit more to have an experienced rebuilder it can be the least costly in the long run.

Also quality rebuilders stand firmly behind their work.

Amen.

Sounds like Chipper may need some Visual Aids :)

How to Diagrams with pictures in color (granted he can see colors) as well as notes. maybe 22" x 34" size laminated so he can NOT spill anything on them and ruin them :/

Wonder how many times a week he puts on his pants backwards ? hoping he wears pants :p

I am glad you were able to diagnose the issue and solve the problem. Great group of guys TONS of knowledge !!