Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-12-23
AUTO LESSON NO. 80.
Ford Ignition Troubles.

The ignition system of the Ford
car varies greatly from that used on
all other makes of cars. The Ford
system requires a coil for each spark
plug, and the spark is one of great
frequency, that is, there is really a
great number of sparks at the plug
while, with the distributor system,
only one coil is required, and there is
but one single spark at the plug.
1t might say, however, that a few
makes of distributor systems use a
vibrating coil with separate battery
for starting but only one coil This
will be found to be the case on some
of the Delco systems.
Let us see how to go about hunting
for the cause of trouble in the Ford
system. First of all we must know
what the circuit Of the current from
the source, thru the various units, is
This is as follows:
The current is generated by the
magnetic, which is built into the fly
wheel, from which it goes to the
magnetic current collector plug,
called the magnetic contract from
there to the magnetic terminal on the
coil box, thence to the switch, then
the buzz bar. by which it is dis
tributed to the four coils. From
each of the coils it goes thru the
commutator or timer, and then thru
the metal of the engine and so back
to the magnetic.
The high voltage secondary starts
on the coil for each spark plug, goes
TO the plug and returns thru the
metal of Sle engine TO the primary
wire attached to the timer and so
thru this wire back to the coil.
In the event of the engine failing
10 start, or stopping suddenly be-
cause of lack of a spark. we must
ilrst determine which units in the
system and which wires are common
to all four cylinders, as If the unit
or wire is connected to one cylinder
only, its failure would only cause n
miss in that particular cylinder. We
ma that only the magnetic. the wire
to the magnetic terminal on the coil
box, the switch and the rotor or the
coinmutator are common to all the
cylinders. Thus for sudden stopping
or failure to start these are the units
Whlch must be investigated.
Ihe magnetic seldom gives trouble
II not abused. Sometimes, however.
wires from n battery are incorrectly
connected to the system so as to
draW the magnetism from the mag
nets. This means that magnets
must be remagnetized, or what will
otten prove to cost more, a new
set of magnets installed.
The voltage generated by the mar
neto varies with the speed of the
engine, and at cranking speed is ex-
tremely low, sometimes not being
sufficient to start the engine. For
this reason 1t is a good plan to in
stall battery for starting. This can
be easily done. as all that is neces-
sary is to connect one wire from
about five cells in series, to the metal
OF the car, say the transmission cover.
and the other wire to the vacant
binding post A. as shown in the
illustration. The mistake of con-
Meeting the battery to the magnetic
binding post. b, is often made. Do
ingN this will probably weaken the
magnets of the magnetic
If the vibrator points of the coils
are burned or poorly adjusted start
ing will be made more difficult. 1t is
good plan to watch them, especi-
ally In cold weather
The magnetic contact will often
cause trouble by not making proper
contact. As a rule, cleaning is all
that is necessary.
The switch will also sometimes
cause troublS by being short-cir-