VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1929-1932 1929 Electrolock Reassmebly

Working on putting my Electrolock Back in my 1929. Got the Tech Sheet with all the parts, order of Assembly and instructions.

Questions i Have:
1- Does Item 6, which looks to be a split lock washer go inside the Ferrule number 5 or does it sit up against the ferrule.

2- Item 7 Slip Fiber Bushing, looks like it goes through the wall of the distributor to isolate the electrolock shaft from grounding out. does it go into the ferrule end as well or does it but up against the split washer from question 1 ?

I have all the pieces to assemble but does not seem to go all back together tightly. right now Item 7 Slip Fiber Bushing sits against teh Ferrule and slides in through the Distributor. I align the pin on the ferrule to the hole in the distributor.

Electrolock Assembled

Electrolock Parts Disassembled
This is what i took apart, I added in the second lock washer Item 6. The Spacing is where the Condenser, Distributor, and Points go.[color:#333333][/color]

The eyelet of the condenser wire goes up through the slot of the terminal cup and it is located between the #10 split washer and the small metal washer. The next flat washer that you show in the photo does not belong as part of the assembly.

Between the end of the terminal cup and the distributor body should be a special large lock washer. With that special lock washer in place, when you tighten down the 10-32 nut the assembly will be tight against the distributor housing, both on the outside and on the inside. The terminal stud insulating bushing should be flush with the inside of the distributor body when the large lock washer is in place.

Thanks JY Dog...

ok, that is an extra fiber washer that was in there. will remove it.

so the Fiber Bushing Goes into the end of the Ferrule/ Terminal Cup, need to fix that as it is super tight trying to get it in there. that means the Split washer should go around the OD of the Fiber Bushing.

is this an off the shelf split washer, or make your own ??

I have never found an off the shelf split lock washer with the correct dimensions. I use a die grinder with cylindrical burr to remove some metal from an available split lock washer. It results in a washer that duplicates the original.

In many electrolock restorations I use an internal tooth star washer of the correct size between the terminal cup and the distributor body instead of the special large split washer. Also, with the internal tooth star washer it is easier to tighten down the assembly with the 10-32 nut.

Thanks Guys, that strange feel I had this morning must been the brain waves from JY Dog, plus the scratching :)

I took an 3/8 internal tooth washer and used my flat file and put a notch in the one side. this is to accommodate the pin in the ferrule. i went this route because it was THIN and looks like the original ones i seen in picts. The standard 3/8 split washer would need to be ground/ thinned some.
Custom Washer for Electrolock Item 6

Looks good. Depending upon the O.D. of the internal tooth washer, you may have to grind a flat spot on the top of the washer so that it doesn't protrude above the distributor body thus keeping the distributor cap from seating.

How Tight do you tighten the Nut ??
Hand tight, wrench it, or enough to pull it all together ??

Distributor points and related parts need an excellent connection for less resistance. The distributor and electrolock also move back and forth when the spark knob is pulled out and pushed in. So, which of the above three choices would you choose?

i would say tighten till snug, then 1/4 turn to secure

Cool! You were able to reason it out and come up with the right answer.

Thanks JY Dog... I just did NOT want to over tighten and strip or break anything.

Ok here is a step by step picture by picture of my attempt to reassemble the electrolock in my 1929... Hopefully guys on here with knowledge and experience will correct me on anything i have done wrong (I hope)

This is where I started, here is the Threaded end of the Electrolock that goes into the Distributor. I Cleaned up and chased the threads. Distributor End of Electrolock

Took and placed the Fiber Washer (No Item Number, so Item 0) up to the face as far as it would go. Fiber Washer (Item 0) w/ Serrated Hole

Then placed on the Steel Spiral Lock Washer (Item 1) all the way to the Serrated Hole Fiber Washer. Spiral Lock Washer (Item 1) Installed

Next placed the Fiber Bushing (Item 7) in the End of the Ferrule (Item 5), and ensured that it would install flush on the inside of the Distributor.
Fiber Bushing (Item 7) Installed and Test Fitted
Validated Flush Fit inside Distributor

Install the Fiber Washer (Item 4) into the Ferrule (Item 5) and make sure it is flush against face of Ferrule. should also center up around the Fiber Bushing (Item 7) Previously installed. Fiber Washer (Item 4) installed

Placed the Flat Steel Washer (Item 3) in the Ferrule (Item 5) centered and up against the Fiber Washer (Item 4). when trying to do this i found it a LOT easier to sit the Flat Steel Washer (Item 3) on the center of the Threads of the Electrock Cable. Steel Washer (Item 3) in Ferrule

Slowly and gently slide on the Ferrule Assembly from above onto the end of the Electrolock Shaft, DO NOT slide it all the way on, just barely onto the threads. so you can look in the slot of the ferrule (Item 5) and see the Steel Washer (Item 4) to the right, and the Split Lock Washer (Item 1) to the left. You will have to slide the condenser connection in between if you used a Split/ Fork Type Connector, if using the Ring type, you will slide that on the Electrolock Shaft BEFORE sliding on the assembly from above. Assembly ON Electrolock Cable You can see the gap and Washers Clearly.

I then slid in the Condenser Wire Connector (Item 2), this HAS to go in between the 2 Steel Washers, Item 1 and Item 3. Condenser Wire Installed. No matter what Style Connector you use on the Condenser, this is what it should look like so far.

I then slid on the Custom Made Washer (Item 6) this is simply a 3/8 Internal Tooth Washer that I used a file to made a slot for the Ferrule Pin to go. Washer (Item 6) Installed Notice the Pin fits in the slot I made on the washer.

This Assembly now should go into the Distributor, made sure the Pins is aligned with the slot in the Distributor Wall. The Fiber Bushing (Item 7) should go through the hole and mount flush, the Electrolock Shaft should go all the way through.
Electrock Cable Assembly and Pin Lined Up
Assembly all Together
Note Pin lines up and Goes into Hole in Distruibutor

Now install the Fiber washer (Item 8) I made it out of Rubber Gasket Material, as it is NOT Conductive and easy to cut. This must cover the leg of the Points and keep it from touching the Distributor wall. make sure it is on all the way against the Distributor Wall. Fiber Gasket (Item 8) Installed

Next installed the "L" Shaped Fiber Gasket (Item 9) onto the shaft against Fiber Gasket (Item 8) with the leg down on on the Plate. This Gasket seems to keep the Nut and Washers from touch the plate and grounding out. Fiber L Gasket (Item 9) Installed

Then install the Steel Plate (Item 10), make sure you install so the curvature matches inside the the Distributor Wall. this goes up against the 2 Fiber Washers (Item 8) & (Item 9) Steel Plate (Item 10) Installed

Now Install the Points (Item 11), make sure the Arm is against the Fiber Gasket (Item 8) and (Item 9). Points Installed (Item 11)

Install the final part, the Nut (Item 12) I have a standard #10 Nut, lot easy to get on and off and NO special Tools Required. Nut (Item 12) Installed

All left to do is tighten up the nut to secure the cable and parts in place. I tightened it up till snug, then a 1/4 turn to secure in place.
Completed Install 01

Let me know what i missed or messed up... thanks !!

Everything looks good. However, you should never use a spade connector on the end of the condenser wire...always use a ring connector instead so that the ring connector will slide onto the terminal stud. That is what was used originally. The Filling Station sells the correct, long case condenser for the 1929-32 distributor and it also has the ring connector on the condenser wire as original.

Also, in one of the photos it appears as though the top of the internal tooth washer is above the edge of the distributor body. As mentioned in a previous post the internal tooth washer must not protrude above the distributor body or the distributor cap will not sit down flush on top of the distributor body as it should. A flat spot should be filed on the internal tooth washer so that the top of the washer is either flush with or slightly below the top edge of the distributor body.

Thanks JY Dog... I fixed the Tooth Washer, it has a Flat Spot on the top edge to be safe. I will do test fit the cap to make sure it will seat. Thanks for your info and feedback. Figure this might serve as a good guide on how to put one back together if anyone ever needs it, I'm a picture guy so seeing it helps explain it better for me. Plus after doing this several times I figured I would share what I have learned :p a lot shorter to explain what to do vs what NOT to do!!

We need to make sure this info is available to younger and newer people that come along :)

Photos, like the detalied photos that you posted, are always an excellent tool to use when explaining how something goes together or how something is installed.

Great info to document. I wish the photos were posted on this site rather than linked somewhere else. That way they will be available later for people to see rather than finding dead links like the photobucket mess.

I agree with canadiantim. Thanks for the pictures. Well documented.

Bob

yeah was going that route, but i have THOUSANDS of photos, and do NOT want to overload the VCCA server with that.

Google already screwed up the links once with the change from picasa.

Other thought was to document it and load up the document with pictures. that way it was all together :)

Could you give us a quick note about picasa. I thought I had a good safe one.

great pictures do something good with them very good instructions roger

JY Dog, here are a Few Close Ups of the fit of the cap, it seems to sit Flush and the Key locks into the Distributor nicely. No visible Gap :)

Distributor Cap Close Up 01
Distributor Cap Close Up 02

Thanks for the Guidance and Feedback, GREATLY APPRECIATED !!
Saving a for ya

Yep. The distributor cap fit looks good.

It’s great how many here do such great work and share it on the forums. Jerry is a younger guy who does quality work, is a perfectionist, and I’m sure will be adding more things like this in the future. Guys like him is what the old car hobby needs more of!

I really appreciate all of Jerry's photographs. It would be nice if this forum had a like button (like facebook)so I wouldn't have to take up space. I have put a lot of Jerry's photos on my thumb drive to help with the restoration of my 29.