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#1612112 09/27/2026 7:22 PM
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O
'Bolter
'Bolter
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If I shake or jostle my coil (in my hand , not on installed), I can hear the oil in it sloshing around. I've never noticed this before on any other coil. There aren't any leaks and everything appears to be working properly so it probably doesn't matter.

If it does, let me know.


1950 Chevrolet 3100 (Ol' Roy)

1939 Packard Standard Eight Coupe (The Phantom) | 1956 Cadillac Coupe de Ville (The Bismarck) | 1964 Ford Galaxie 500 coupe |1966 Ford Mustang (Little Red) | 1969 Pontiac GTO (The Dishpit) I 1979 Ford F-100 | 1976 Ford F-150 (Big Red) | 1995 Ford F-150 (Newt)
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H
Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer)
Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer)
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Virtually all can-type coils are oil filled. If you can feel the oil sloshing around, the coil has lost some of the volume of oil it was manufactured with. I'd be prone to have a replacement unit handy to keep from getting stranded when (not if) it fails.
Jerry


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'Bolter
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Gotcha.

I've never heard that sloshing before so I thought it was unusual.

There hasn't ever been any evidence of oil leakage from the coil, however but I will order a new one


1950 Chevrolet 3100 (Ol' Roy)

1939 Packard Standard Eight Coupe (The Phantom) | 1956 Cadillac Coupe de Ville (The Bismarck) | 1964 Ford Galaxie 500 coupe |1966 Ford Mustang (Little Red) | 1969 Pontiac GTO (The Dishpit) I 1979 Ford F-100 | 1976 Ford F-150 (Big Red) | 1995 Ford F-150 (Newt)
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M
'Bolter
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I had a coil explode and it blew oil all over the place.
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1956 3100 three speed 6 cyl. Stock with a few upgrades.
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'Bolter
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Holy Schneikes!


1950 Chevrolet 3100 (Ol' Roy)

1939 Packard Standard Eight Coupe (The Phantom) | 1956 Cadillac Coupe de Ville (The Bismarck) | 1964 Ford Galaxie 500 coupe |1966 Ford Mustang (Little Red) | 1969 Pontiac GTO (The Dishpit) I 1979 Ford F-100 | 1976 Ford F-150 (Big Red) | 1995 Ford F-150 (Newt)
Joined: Jan 2022
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B
'Bolter
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A little Bondo should get that coil working again.


'57 GMC 102, Original 347 V8, HydraMatic, 3.08 rear gear, added A/C, disk front brakes, HEI, AFB carb, '98 Honda Black Currant paint. T-boned and totaled 10/12
'52 GMC 152 Stake Bed, Original 228, SM420, added A/C, HEI, disk front brakes, '67 Chev 3.55 rear gear. Gets used as a real truck.
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Housekeeping (Moderator) Making a Stovebolt Bed & Paint and Body Shop Forums
Housekeeping (Moderator) Making a Stovebolt Bed & Paint and Body Shop Forums
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Originally Posted by Bill Hanlon
A little Bondo should get that coil working again.
No! No! Use Duct Tape. grin


Kevin
1951 Chevy 3100 work truck
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Moderator - The Electrical Bay
Moderator - The Electrical Bay
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Please keep this thread on topic so I don’t have to move it to the spoon.

And it’s DUCK TAPE


Another quality post.
Real Trucks Rattle
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'Bolter
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Micky, what was the cause of the failure?


1950 Chevrolet 3100 (Ol' Roy)

1939 Packard Standard Eight Coupe (The Phantom) | 1956 Cadillac Coupe de Ville (The Bismarck) | 1964 Ford Galaxie 500 coupe |1966 Ford Mustang (Little Red) | 1969 Pontiac GTO (The Dishpit) I 1979 Ford F-100 | 1976 Ford F-150 (Big Red) | 1995 Ford F-150 (Newt)
Joined: Feb 2019
Posts: 4,491
AD Addict & Tinkerer
AD Addict & Tinkerer
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The failure was caused by an overheated ignition coil. When the coil overheated, it transferred excessive heat to the surrounding oil, causing the oil to expand and subsequently leading to the coil failure.

This overheating could have been triggered by the ignition switch left in the "on" position while the engine was not running. If the points just happen to be in the closed position, this would result in a continuous dead short. This sustained electrical draw causes the coil to rapidly overheat. Alternately, the coil itself may have had an internal failure or breakdown in insulation, causing it to draw excessive current and overheat during normal operation.

Last edited by Phak1; 10/07/2026 12:47 PM. Reason: Typo

Phil
Moderator, The Engine Shop, Interiors and Project Journals

1952 Chevrolet 3100, Three on the Tree, 4:11 torque tube
Updated to: ‘59 235 w/hydraulic lifters, 12v w/alternator, HEI, PCV and Power front Disc Brakes
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'Bolter
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Originally Posted by Otto Skorzeny
Micky, what was the cause of the failure?

Phak1 was correct.

Otto I had been working on something and forgot and left the ignition key in the ON position. Didn't discover it until the next morning.

Last edited by MickeyP; 10/07/2026 3:18 PM.

1956 3100 three speed 6 cyl. Stock with a few upgrades.

Moderated by  Jon G, Rusty Rod 

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