Front mount dist coil alignment

[Jeff_G]

Replaced points, dist cap, cond. When I put the coil on the dist cap the spring aligns properly, There is another bent tang, does this go on top of the metal that goes to the center of the cap? Or off to the side? Mine doesn't seem to want to fit and as it is soldered hesitant to bend. 1949 8N, front mount dist

 

[wore out]

Spring tab should sit on contact below it in the cap.

Do you have the coil can distributor cap gaskets in place?

 

[Jeff_G]

(quoted from post at 18:01:52 02/06/23)

Spring tab should sit on contact below it in the cap.

Do you have the coil can distributor cap gaskets in place?

Gaskets are in place. The old cap was all torn up and the tab from the coil wanted to slide past not sit on the contact. I'll just have to carefully bend the tab.

 

[Tim PloughNman Daley]

Not sure I know what you mean about another bent tang. Do you mean p/n 12144? If so, there are two, one on each side and they snap the cap in place tight. Be sure
that the cap has the round cork gasket seal in the groove on the cap. The unit bail is clipped on each side and the coil is spring loaded onto the top very tight. You
have to pull it tight when assembling, use two hands. The cork gasket under the coil is a must. Did you gap points at .015 and set timing per manuals? Test it B4
mounting? Mounting is done only one correct way and if 180 DEG off you will bust the base at power up. Unit cam tang is offset and cam shaft slot is offset. They must
mate correctly. There are four gaskets now. Note the round flat paper dust seal, p/n 12276 was not released until 1949. Use them all. They are meant to help seal dust
and water to some extent. Kit also includes one round cork in cap groove; one paper one bottom of unit to mate to engine; and one flat cork style on bottom of coil.
Also, the coil pigtail must contact the brass contact screw on the points or you will never have a connection. Does this help? MPCs and other manuals are essential.

FRONT MOUNT GASKET KIT - NOTE DUST COVER 12276 WAS NOT RELEASED UNTIL 1949:

FRONT MOUNT COIL w/CONTACT PIGTAIL SPRING 'A' and BRASS POINT CONTACT 'B' 0 MISALIGNED:

FRONT MOUNT DISTRIBUTOR AND CAM SHAFT - NOTE OFFSET TANG AND SLOT:

Tim Daley(MI)

 

[Jeff_G]

On the coil is a spring that pushes on the points screw as you pointed out. In addition there is a tab that rests against the metal contact that goes to the center of the cap. This is what was misaligned. Carefully bent it to match the contact and the tractor starts right up. The old cap was broken on the side inside allowing this tab to contact the side of the contact point.

 

[Tim PloughNman Daley]

If CAP contact tab was broken, it was due to the rotor tab interfering so one or both tabs were bent too far. FORD spec for rotor to cap contact is .006 but you can't
check it any way. I always be sure to bend the rotor tab down when installing it so it doesn't hit the cap tab and break off.


Tim Daley(MI)

 

[Jeff_G]

Once I got that figured out all is OK. Tractor starts right up. The previous owner had really messed things up, reused gaskets, put on aftermarket junk carb (none of the float bowl gaskets available fit). Wrong spark plugs, not properly installed alternator etc. I hate having to fix incompetence.
Thanks for your help.
Next project a MF 135 with Continental engine!