The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay Distributor wiring question

Can someone please tell me where the wires go to the coil and distributor for a 216? I want to start the engine straight from the battery.

Battery positive to the positive (+) side of coil.
Negative side of battery goes to engine block.
Minus (-) side of coil to distributor.

regards,
Leon

Where does the other wire on the distributor go? Is that a ground wire?

I looked at the wiring diagram for a 42 pickup --
http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/electrical/wiring/pdf/42truck.pdf

I see the problem. You have a polarity reversing switch between the coil and the distributor.
The minus side of the coil goes to the polarity reversing switch, which I believe is on the starter.
( https://www.chevsofthe40s.com/detail/5958.html )
The two wires form the distributor also go to the switch. I've never seen one of these switches, so I can't tell you which terminal is for the coil wire.

I hope its marked well.

regards,
Leon

I do not have this switch.

Currently, the battery is connected to the pos on the coil and the neg on the coil is going to the distributor post that connects to the points. On the other side of the coil is another post that I have connected to ground. I'm just making sure this is correct. I do get a spark.

stotman,

Did you mean to say "on the other side of the distributor is another post I have connected to ground". This grounds the breaker plate on a distributor that previously was setup for a polarity reversing switch.

The coil only has two small terminals and your post indicates they are wired correctly.

Stuart

I just finished the wiring on a 41 and did not have an extra wire from the distributor. Is this wire on the same post as the wire that goes to the - side of the coil? If so it must have been added for a tachometer. If it is a wire attached to the body of the distributor then it must be an added ground. The reversing switch (i did not use) is located at the starter and is connected to the + side of the coil. It sends full battery voltage to the coil when the starter is enguaged. You should have only 1 wire from the distributor (except spark plug wires) and it should connect to the - side of the coil. Any other wiring to the distributor was added after market.
Not to make things more difficult but are you using a 6 or 12 volt battery? If you are using 12 volt you will need 12v points (NAPA has them) and a voltage droping resistor that hooks to the + side of the coil then you hook up the battery (ignition switch) wire to the resistor.

Atomarc, we must have posted neer the same time. I have seen this reversing switch labled in a wiring diag. but have only found an additional post on my starter that produces battery voltage when the stomp starter is applied. It dosn't switch polarity as I have seen it labled. Am I missing a switch? It is important to me that mine is correct.

OK, I am more confused than ever.

I have added pics and I will tell the whole story.

When I got the truck home, it had a 6 volt battery and a 12 volt coil.

I went to NAPA and bought plugs, wires, a 6 volt coil that says no resistor required and a new 6 volt battery.

The wiring is currently as follows: Hot wire from starter bolt to + side of coil. - side of coil to the side terminal on distributor. Then there is a red wire on the other side of distributor that grounds to engine.

ok, here are my questions:

1) Is this wired correctly?
2) What the heck is this reverse polarity switch that I do not have? Do I need it?
3) Are there 6 volt and 12 volt points and condensors? How do I know what I have?

Here are the pics, you can click on them to make them larger.

www.216coil.blogspot.com

I think you've got it right.

I don't know the rationale for the PR switch. We'll have to wait for someone else to chime in.

Points and condensers work on either 6 or 12 volts.

regards,
Leon

This is a temperary hook up RIGHT???!!! The way you have connected this will work but you can't turn it off with out cutting the wire from the starter to the coil. Also if you leave this connected for any length of time with the battery hooked up some stuff is going to get really warm. Use a wire with alligator clips on each end just to be safe. And make sure it is not hooked up when not running.
You have a stomp starter but I don't see the linkage for it to work. My guess is that you are pushing the button with your finger. Anyway look at the starter and where the battery cable connects, there is a little bolt that sticks out of the side. That is where the reversing switch would connect. IT IS NOT NEEDED!
Chances are that you have 6v points but if you have 12v points its ok (wont matter) they will be ok on a 6v system but 6v points burn up too fast on a 12v system.
You don't need a resistor for 6v only 12v systems need a resistor.

Thanks!!!!

This is a temporary set up just to see if the engine will run.

If it does, I am going to pull the engine and complete my restoration.

I found it.
It's on page 12-27 and 12-28 of the 1942 shop manual.
http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/shop/1942/42csm1227.htm

There's a good wiring diagram that shows that if you don't have the switch, one of the distributor terminal should connect to the coil (-) and the other should connect to ground.

The purpose of the switch is to reverse the current flow across the points each time the truck is started, to equalize wear.

regards,
Leon

stotman,

The distributor for a polarity reversing distributor has its breaker plate insulated and finds its ground through the reversing switch mounted on the starter. If you disconnect the reversing switch, then you have to ground that second post...just as someone has already done. If not done this way, the engine won't run.

You can leave the wire, or tear the distributor apart and put it back together with the breaker plate screwed to the housing and grounded. Clear as mud huh!

Stuart

Here are articles about the polarity reversing switch.

http://1954advance-design.com/Web%20images/CSN-Oct-47-Polarity%20Reversing%20Switch.jpg

http://1954advance-design.com/Web%20images/CSN-Oct-48-Polarity-Reversing-Switch.jpg

Hmmmmm!!! I have no reversing switch and my distributor is not grounded except for the distributor shaft to engine block. It runs great. Wonder if that distributor advance mech. will make for a bad ground over time and cause me to have a no ground problem in the future???? NOTE TO SELF; INSTALL A GROUND TO THE DISTRIBUTOR BODY.