Dead Cruiser at Cahaba

[BamaPaul]

I have had an ignition go out in a Ford where it was turning enough to supply power to the crank circuit bit not enough to supply power to the distributor circuit. I ended up finding it by putting a push button on the circuit for testing and seeing that everything started fine. I am not saying that's your issue but before buying parts make sure that you have 12 volts coming out of the ignition switch like you're supposed to.

 

[Godwin]

I mean... how can a distributor go bad on one of these???

I have killed two 3FE distributors, but from having the clean air port on the dist cap plugged, well actually the filter the port plugged to.

I had the filter in the firewall exposed for a few weeks and I think an insect plugged. I get the Cruiser running again and about 6 months later the distributor konks out; the electronic stuff under the rotor is heavily corroded. But I purchase a new distributor from Scott Tate. This was back in the LCML days and he was the on-list parts guy that gave discounts. Four months later the new distributor gives up the ghost and since it's under warranty I send it back and receive a new one. It was also heavily corroded internally. In the interim I install a used distributor, which is still in the truck and working fine, and reroute the distributor filter line and cap it with a small fuel filter.

What I think was happening is that by having the external line plugged the vacuum in the distributor cap was pulling gases from the crankcase thus leading to the corrosion and distributor death.

One of the dead distributors lives on as an oil pump drive for oiling rebuilt F engines.

 

[matt32]

Well one of the lines coming out of the top of the cap wasn't connected to anything. It was still connected to the cap but just hanging free. I reconnected it to the charcoal canister (I think). It was the only place that looked like a hose should be hooked up to and wasn't.

On the distributor then I should feel reasonably comfortable buying a used one then? I don't have the dollars right now to buy new.

 

[bhmmapping]

Have you tested the resistance like Jon Held's instructions say to?

 

[matt32]

I have tried to but don't get any readings off of it. Well more correctly it just sits a 1. It is in an awkward position to test the resistance.

I suppose that I could actually pull it and test it that way but I haven't done that.

 

[Godwin]

Well one of the lines coming out of the top of the cap wasn't connected to anything. It was still connected to the cap but just hanging free. I reconnected it to the charcoal canister (I think). It was the only place that looked like a hose should be hooked up to and wasn't.

On the distributor then I should feel reasonably comfortable buying a used one then? I don't have the dollars right now to buy new.

Can you take a photo of where you hooked it up? Neither line should be connected to the charcoal canister.

These distributors almost never fail. My issue with killing distributors was unusual. You can buy used with fairly good confidence and any 3FE distributor will work. The one that I currently have in my engine, which is from an '88 FJ62, came from a FJ80.

 

[matt32]

I will when I get home.

 

[Land Speeder]

These distributors almost never fail. My issue with killing distributors was unusual.

This was kinda my point from a thousand foot view...

Can you take a photo of where you hooked it up? Neither line should be connected to the charcoal canister.

Had me head scratchin on that one as well!

 

[matt32]

This hose is coming out of the cap and that was the only place I saw that didn't have a hose connected to it.

 

[Godwin]

These photos should help.

Top of the distributor cap has two nipples, one goes to a clean air source. In this case I have the left one routed to a small fuel filter mounted high on the firewall. The other nipple is connected to a vacuum source, which is a port on top of the air filter housing (the large black hose). These photos are from a '88 3FE out of a 62 and I am assuming (could be wrong) that the same source for vacuum is used on the FJ80.

 

[matt32]

Okay actually got the coils to read after I removed the air box to give myself a little more room. The NE coil reads within spec and the G coil is open so I think I can timidly say that the distributor is bad.

I will say that while removing the air box I can across several vacuum lines I think that went nowhere or at least no where I could see. One of them was even plugged with a 5/16" bolt and washer.

After I get the BFB back to starting and running at least like she was I think a desmog may be in order.

 

[matt32]

Thank you that will help when I start piecing her back together.

 

[matt32]

So how many bananas am I looking at when I put a new to me distributor back in the BFB. Like so many other things I have never set or adjusted the timing on a car.

 

[Land Speeder]

So how many bananas am I looking at when I put a new to me distributor back in the BFB. Like so many other things I have never set or adjusted the timing on a car.

It took me about 2 hours to set timing on Catty once.... I threw the timing light away after 30 minutes, and just started driving it around slightly turning until it "fluttered" perfectly. It's actually how I got the ole 3FE to get such great acceerleration. Best I'd ever had a rig.
Now. To get it even close during an install... it'll need a timing light to get you close, then it'll be a "by feel" from there.

 

[matt32]

Any pro tips for spinning the crank to find TDC?

 

[bhmmapping]

I always just turned the power steering pulley by hand

 

[matt32]

All plugs out or just plug 1. The reason I ask is I just tried to spin it after finding the view port and I can't move it. Haven't removed any plugs yet.



I can bump it using the starter bump can not turn it by hand.

 

[bhmmapping]

Just one iirc

 

[matt32]

Should've added that I did pull one after bumping it with the starter and it still doesn't spin free. I asked in the 80's general forum do I need to be in neutral?

 

[bhmmapping]

Park I think, but neutral should work too.