QuestionQUESTION: I have a fully restored '31 Model A Ford Cabriolet. Everything worked until one day the lights ( front and back), turn signals, HORN, and wipers just stopped working. I don't know this for sure but someone may have ran it positive to positive, neg to neg not realizing it is a positive ground. I have replaced the generator and the Cut out replaced and none of these electrical things work. Should I be looking at replacing something else?
ANSWER: If the starter works, then the battery cables are good. If nothing at the starter, check the battery and try to jump the cables. They can fool you. The crimps at the ends get loose and you can get big time corrosion inside the crimp that will cause an open circuit. Initially, it sounded like the fuse is blown. Don't know if you have a fuse. The fuse holder that sits on top of the starter can go bad. The little rivets can get loose and break the connection. I just wrote a book on all this and you can read it all on line without buying it. Go to blurb dot com and search for jack bahm. It is called get a horse.
You will have to do some tracing with a test light or volt meter. See where you have power and where you don't. Charge the battery, see how far the power goes into your system, and follow what you see in the first section of my book. Get back to me and we will figure out what is going on.
Will the engine turn over when you push on the starter button?
Are both sides of the coil hot with the key off?
Good luck.
jack
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: I did get a chance to check out your book, which I no doubt will be buying. With the key off, both sides of the coil are hot. With the key on, the passenger side is the only side hot, ( not the drivers side as I think it should be). After a period of about fifteen minutes the coil is physically hot to the touch (probably not a good thing). No power is getting to the cut off and I nor my father ever put a fuse in. Car is all original and he felt it would take away from the car's original state. Car does roll over and runs, but I never go further than a few miles every now and then. Coil?
AnswerA warm coil is not too bad, but a hot one is bad. With the key on and the points closed, or some short, the coil is grounded and will get warm and run your battery down. My guess is that your coil is good. The coil may be turned around or wired wrong, but it should still work OK. Be sure to get the Les Andrews model a handbook. We all have it and use it a lot. $35 from snyders or MARC, or others. It will help a lot.
One side of the cut out should be hot all the time. The yellow wire with the black tracer should be hot at the cutout. Go through the wiring diagram and figure it out. Maybe there is a short in the coil. can you borrow another one and try it? That would be easy, just tape it next to the old one to check it out. You have to drive that car to keep it running good. Good luck and get back to me.
jack
