Adjusting Coils(and other factors as carb adjustment, and mechanicals) and Vehicle Performance

[Been Here Before]

Over the years both on the old and new Forum there has been discussion on improving the enjoyment of the Model T. A vehicle that was to bring cheap transportation to the world.

Most discussion has been the induction coil. Now that resourceful individuals have up graded the alignment and test equipment for the coil, this all for the improved joy of driving. And yet there are still those who scratch their head and ask "Is my car performing up to it's full potential?"

Well, to those much smarter than me, what is a properly function (performance) Model T? What should a current and new owner be looking for to know that their car is performing well?

Does it matter if you use a computer chip to notify you to adjust a coil or the old method of reading the factory handbook and measuring gap settings on the coil?

[Steve Jelf]

Does it matter if you use a computer chip to notify you to adjust a coil or the old method of reading the factory handbook and measuring gap settings on the coil?

The old method of notifying you to adjust a coil was the HCCT. While using it, or the Strobo Spark, or the ECCT, then you adjust the coil. Adjusting without a tester, it seems to me, is a shot in the dark.

[DanTreace]

Performance IMO includes, easy start, motor idles with no miss, low engages smooth without jerking stumbles from engine strain, good acceleration, pulling hills without engine miss or spit and smooth running down the road, coil box ticking over with sweet sounds of all 4 cylinders working as a team.

On maintenance, spark plugs show visibly clean from good hot spark, without signs of soot from poorly adj. carb.

Believe a lot of poor performing Model T's lost their coil boxes and timers to those dang dizzies from the owners refusing to do what Ford recommended in Ford Owner's Manual



1922 Ford Manual:

[Norman Kling]

Two important things about coils VS distributors. One is a good capicitor which will increase the likelyness of a strong spark. Both have capicitors, however there is only one in a distributor but with coils, each coil has one. The other thing to consider is spark timing. With a distributor, the timing is dependent on the opening of the points, which should be the same for each lobe of the distributor and usually is unless the bushings are worn out. With the coils, you need to adjust them to spark at the same current flow for each coil. This can be done with a buzz box which has an ammeter. But is easier to determine by using a coil tester. The final test is to see if you get a double spark.
I have many coils which I have purchased at swap meets. Many of them are good, but the seller has replaced with a distributor. My final test is to install in my coil box and take the car for a spin. If it runs smoothly, I keep those coils and use them in my cars.

It has been interesting to me that on tours, the cars which seem to have the most trouble are those with "improvements" such as distributors, or alternators. With coils I just keep a couple spares in the car and if it misfires I place one in my coil box. Same goes for spark plugs. I just keep a couple spares along. And I keep a spare timer. I can also help other drivers if they are running with coils. Those with distributors or alternators, are on their own. If they carry spare parts they might not fit the other drivers' cars.
Norm

[Mark Gregush]

RE distributor; Run the car using the Model T coils, then you will have 3 spares and you could still use the magneto. Sure condensers go bad, but up to the modern ignition, Model A's up had a condenser and a single coil as did most all the cars on the road. Now if people are using the original condensers such as were installed in the Atwater-Kent LA or Bosch unit I could see them as being an issue. Most people that rebuild T coils are not going to leave the original condensers in them, they are going to install new ones, even if the old ones tested good.
Running a roller type, if the spring breaks, you would still be dead in the water as most would not have a spare spring, been there. Sure you could limp home on 3 cylinders, not fun as that is a big drop in HP, been there. I have run both coils and distributors and there are +/- with both. (Before I pulled the Chevrolet overhead off I was running coils of the magneto)

[Ron Patterson]

A single point distributor ignition system and the four coil ignition system used by the Model T are fundamentally the same.
For each individual function in one system there is an equivalent function in the other.
To say this another way the two systems are fundamentally the same the only difference between them is the parts are organized differently.