M37 Distributor and coil

[farvufarm]

I have a 1954 M37, stopped running, i believe its the coil.
I am concerned about the gunk that i found in the distributor coil area when i removed the distributor cap.
This must come through the vent lines. Is it OK to leave the vent lines off the distributor and just connect them together rather than running them through the distributor. I do not run in mud or water. Any suggestions on best way to handle the two openings left on the distributor?

Thanks

 

[Stan]

I've been told this airflow is also needed to help cool the coil.

 

[JasonS]

The coil is cooled by convection and radiation from it's case; not by the vent lines. A drawback of the vent lines is that they can allow oil mist inside of the distributor which is detrimental to point life. NAPA has a pipe thread breather which can be screwed into the distributor. This is what I did on my M35.

 

[farvufarm]

Thanks to all

 

[farvufarm]

I have an ignition problem, symptoms were the engine runs great for a few minutes then shuts down, no sputtering like its running out of fuel. Seems there is no way to get a coil tested if it malfunctions because of heat. I installed a new coil and with a wire from the coil to the engine block i get a nice white spark at least a 1/4 inch. when i put the dist cap back on i get nothing thru the spark plug wires.
Can a condenser cause a problem like this? Again this engine was running perfectly up to now and always started very quickly.

Thanks

 

[knattrass]

Not to contest previous information, but I was told that the coil needs the cooling provided by the 2 vent tubes as well. The 2 tubes also have specific ends over on the carb throat. One vent has a little pitot tube that is aimed away from the air cleaner (vac) and the other one is aimed at the air cleaner(positive). This way when the carb sucks air, the upstream vent is positively ventilated and then the downstream vent draws out the air from the dist. We pulled the distributor, removed the coil, cleaned everything and install an e-ignition from Charles at M-Series. At his recommendation we also removed the RF filter and ran the positive coil wire thru the distributor to the ign wire connector. Charles says this provides a hotter spark - but if you plan on a radio - you should keep the RF filter. A hot coil is a problem in the making.

 

[farvufarm]

Thanks for the input, my truck was a radio truck so i know i have the filter but i do not plan on having any radios so i thought i would eventually by pass the filter. This e-ignition, who do i contact to get more info, maybe i should consider getting an electronic version? what kind of cost? Is it OK to use electrical cleaner on the dist in the areas that are below the plate that the rotor is on top of?
I plan on pulling the distributor, so far i am working on it with the cap off trying to trouble shoot the problem. Could a bad condenser cause symptoms like i mentioed above?
Input appreciated, Thanks

 

[Stan]

Check out midwestmil.com and talk to John.

 

[JasonS]

Not to contest previous information, but I was told that the coil needs the cooling provided by the 2 vent tubes as well. The 2 tubes also have specific ends over on the carb throat. One vent has a little pitot tube that is aimed away from the air cleaner (vac) and the other one is aimed at the air cleaner(positive). This way when the carb sucks air, the upstream vent is positively ventilated and then the downstream vent draws out the air from the dist. We pulled the distributor, removed the coil, cleaned everything and install an e-ignition from Charles at M-Series. At his recommendation we also removed the RF filter and ran the positive coil wire thru the distributor to the ign wire connector. Charles says this provides a hotter spark - but if you plan on a radio - you should keep the RF filter. A hot coil is a problem in the making.

The M37 ignition is a bit different than the M35 but I still believe that the case of the coil will dissipate more heat than the two vent tubes. I just don't think that you will get that much airflow through the tiny vent tubes. I don't know who is supplying Charle's ignition module but it looks like Pertronix. If it is Pertronix's standard Ignitor, you need to make sure that you don't exceed the maximum current.

 

[knattrass]

Charles Talbert at <mseriesrebuild> has a very nice kit and instructions. It is a Pertronix part which you could find otherwise - but there are very few things that I found I was able to purchase from Charles in exchange for his tons of great support!

 

[rosco]

The vent lines don't have anything to do with "oil Vapors" in the distributer!. If there is gumk in there, its probably, 1st - 50 some years of accumulation, * 2nd, its coming up from the crankcase from around the distributer shaft. Clean it thouroughly. Brakleen OK. If you have the original shielded spark plug wires, they can drive you nuts!!!! The problem is probably in the wires. Spark plug wires require replacement in Civi distributers, occasionally. Ive had my M37 near forty years & fought that stuff. Clean thouroughly, the distributer, & put new shielded wires on it. I would also consider the Pertronics stuff. Keep the vent lines.

I want mine to be "stock" - my kind of "4 wheeler". Even the Kids recognize the difference between it and their plastic toys.

Lee in Alaska

 

[farvufarm]

Thanks to everyone for the additional input, i am pulling the distributor tonight to clean and try to further analyze.

 

[farvufarm]

Got my distributor tuned up and installed back in truck. engined is timed and it really runs nice.
I have a question regarding the seal on the distributor where it contacts the engine block cavity.
the original seal was made of cork. Several guys told me to replace with o-ring. There is a taper surface on this cavity where the distributor mounts. I ended up using a combination of two different o-rings sizes and it appear to have a good seal. However i also noticed a small port hole at the top of this cavity where the o-rings are fit. Is this a hole that would have engine oil circulating through it. It appeared that the original cork seal partially covered this hole. I would like to know what that hole is there for and if i need to be concerned about my o-ring fit over that hole. If anyone has an actual o-ring size that they have successfully used that would be good to know also.

Thanks

 

[rosco]

A new cork gasket is hard to beat!

Lee in Alaska

 

[farvufarm]

do you know where i could buy a new cork seal?

thanks

 

[rosco]

Not offhand. In the old days, it would have been simple, but now, you would probably have to buy the whole gasket set to get one. I'll look tomorrow in some old sets/left-overs, in the shop.

Lee in Alaska

 

[farvufarm]

Thanks

Farvufarms

 

[amanco]

My truck, since I have had it, has not had the vent lines to the distributor hooked up at all. The ignition has never given me any problem what so ever except for one time the points needed re-gaped. I would have to agree thru experience that the convection of the distributor case is cooling enough for the coil. Or maybe I am just lucky. If it wasn't for bad luck I wouldn't have any luck at all so I doubt it is luck.

 

[mildoc]

I'm having the same issue as farvufarm. It died when I was moving it. It is getting fuel. I changed the coil out. I am getting flashes on the test light at the negative on the coil when I turn it over. But, I am getting no spark at the end of the plug wires. Even checking it with a test light.

Any ideas? Could this be the condenser?

 

[NDT]

If you get a hot spark with the cap off, but no spark at any of the plugs with the cap on, the cap has a hairline crack where the electricity is jumping through to get to ground.