Re: Fw: IML: 55 ignition problems Update ?(picking up on this thread with a dif ? )

[RandalPark@xxxxxxx]

I once had a similar experience with my '56 many years ago, but combined with a slight tapping noise. I decided that a piece of carbon had broken off the top of a piston, and temporarily became stuck in a valve.

Before I had bought the car previous owners had run it mostly around town. I used the car a lot on the freeway at high speed. When this happened, I had just exited the freeway and was waiting at a red light. I revved the motor a bit and when the light turned green took off. The car smoothed out and never gave any more trouble. Years later I pulled the heads and restored the top end. I never found anything that would have explained the event.

Things like this can be a sign of something bigger that will need doing down the road. You should probably check it out, especially if it happens again.

Paul

In a message dated 9/15/2004 10:55:11 PM Eastern Daylight Time, roger crabtree <rcrabshish@xxxxxxxxxxxx> writes:

> Calling all 55 owners,
>I had a funny problem over the weekend. ?We were
>setting at a idle for about 20 minuets. ?All of a
>sudden my 55 started to act as if it was running out
>of gas. ?The guy behind me said it started to smoke a
>blueish smoke when it did it. ?I revved the engine, it
>hesitated a few times and finally took off. ?The car
>was not hot and it acted like a vapour lock (had a
>stude once). It never missed a lick the rest of the
>weekend. ?Have any of the rest of you had this
>problem?
>RC Billings, Montanaaaaaaaaaaaa
>
>--- Rick Wiselus <rick.wiselus@xxxxxxx> wrote: 
>> I work @ NAU, and we have a manufacturing shop for
>> various labs and unique 
>> equipment for all over campus, and they gave me the
>> Teflon raw material, 
>> and I made if for the replacement of the original
>> plastic part. ?I was able 
>> to remove the distributor, and shook out both parts
>> of the plastic one, so 
>> I knew what to make, and it is perfect!
>> Good luck.
>> 
>> At 12:24 PM 9/13/2004, you wrote:
>> >Rick;
>> >
>> >Thanks for sharing and offering of rebuilding the
>> part. The original part is
>> >only partially there, so sending it to you would
>> not be fruitful. However,
>> >where did you get the Teflon? It sounds as if
>> others with dual points may
>> >run into the same thing eventually.
>> >
>> >Roger D. Casagrande
>> >
>> >----- Original Message -----
>> >From: "Rick Wiselus" <rick.wiselus@xxxxxxx>
>> >To: <mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>> >Sent: Monday, September 13, 2004 11:29 AM
>> >Subject: Re: Fw: IML: 55 ignition problems Update
>> >
>> >
>> > > I had the same problem with my 53. ?I
>> manufactured one out of a piece of
>> > > Teflon, it is better than the original one. ?The
>> insulator into the base
>> >of
>> > > the distributor.
>> > > If you have the original plastic part and want
>> to send it to me, I will
>> > > make you a replacement.
>> > > I later had to replace all the wire inside the
>> distributor too. ?I will go
>> > > w/a petronix electronic ignition if I have any
>> more problems with the dual
>> > > points.
>> > >
>> > > At 07:46 PM 9/12/2004, you wrote:
>> > > >My saga continues with more stories. One has to
>> be careful and thorough.
>> > > >Additional problems were found including a bad
>> coil to distributor wire,
>> >and
>> > > >the latest, a short in the distributor from the
>> coil lead to case. The
>> >short
>> > > >is the result of a bad insulator which allowed
>> the stud to contact the
>> >shell
>> > > >in the shell port. That part of the insulator
>> was missing. So when the
>> > > >points and condensor were replaced and checked,
>> there was no contact to
>> >the
>> > > >shell. I tightened that nut prior to
>> installation into the engine. But I
>> > > >learned today that small movements of the coil
>> wire stud could cause a
>> >short
>> > > >to the shell. So while I believed the checkout
>> was correct, after
>> > > >installation in the engine, the short returned.
>> The insulator has cracked
>> > > >while diagnosing the problem. I now have a
>> plumbing washer and electrical
>> > > >tape around the stud until I can get a more
>> suitable replacement. It
>> > > >probably won't last long with the high engine
>> temperatures generated.
>> > > >
>> > > >Does anyone have a source for this insulator in
>> the distributor for the
>> >coil
>> > > >primary wire?
>> > > >
>> > > >Roger D. Casagrande
>> > > >55 Newport
>> > > >
>> > > >----- Original Message -----
>> > > >From: "Roger Casagrande" <rdc2382@xxxxxxxxxxx>
>> > > >To: <mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>> > > >Sent: Thursday, September 09, 2004 4:14 PM
>> > > >Subject: Re: IML: 55 ignition problems
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > > > Thanks to all who responded.
>> > > > >
>> > > > > I am not home free yet, but the ignition
>> switch was a problem. I
>> >sprayed
>> > > >the
>> > > > > Radio Shack contact cleaner into it and it
>> is functioning well again.
>> >I am
>> > > > > not sure putting the plug to the manifold
>> really is providing a decent
>> > > > > ground to check the spark. I've got to make
>> sure the timing position
>> >is
>> > > > > approximate to what it was after replacing
>> the distributor and using
>> >fuel
>> > > > > poured into the engine to compensate for the
>> car sitting for awhile. I
>> > > >have
>> > > > > not gotten around to that yet bur will this
>> weekend. An update will be
>> > > > > provided.
>> > > > >
>> > > > > Thanks again.
>> > > > >
>> > > > > Roger D. Casagrande
>> > > > > 55 Newport
>> > > > >
>> > > > >
>> > > > > ----- Original Message -----
>> > > > > From: <RandalPark@xxxxxxx>
>> > > > > To: <mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>> > > > > Sent: Tuesday, September 07, 2004 8:24 PM
>> > > > > Subject: Re: IML: 55 ignition problems
>> > > > >
>> > > > >
>> > > > > > If you are really careful, you can bypass
>> the dash and hot wire the
>> >car.
>> > > > > If it runs that way, then you know that
>> there is something wrong in
>> >the
>> > > > > ignition switch or in the wiring under the
>> dash.
>> > > > > >
>> > > > > > I had two '55 Imperials for a while. They
>> both came from the same
>> >place.
>> > > > > The one I kept has always been dependable
>> since I was able to get it
>> > > > > running. The other one had something wrong
>> in the ignition switch. It
>> > > >would
>> > > > > only start if it was hot wired, but would
>> stay running without the hot
>> > > >wire
>> > > > > after it started. I was pretty sure that the
>> ignition switch was at
>> >fault,
>> > > > > but gave the car away before I got around to
>> fixing it. The guy that I
>> > > >gave
>> > > > > it to tracked down the problem and it was
>> the ignition switch, so they
>> > > >can,
>> > > > > and do give trouble.
>> > > > > >
>> > > > > > Paul
>> > > > > >
>> > > > > > In a message dated 9/7/2004 6:48:59 PM
>> Eastern Daylight Time, "Roger
>> > > > > Casagrande" <rdc2382@xxxxxxxxxxx> writes:
>> > > > > >
>> > > > > > >My 55 Imperial has lost its "spark". The
>> car has run from November
>> >2003
>> > > > > when I got to about a month ago. I checked
>> the spark by removing the
>> >#1
>> > > >plug
>> > > > > and with the wire attached put the plug base
>> to the intake manifold
>> >and
>> > > >had
>> > > > > someone turn over the engine. No spark was
>> seen at the plug. I checked
>> >the
>> > > > > coil by putting a plug with a 0.175" gap
>> between the coil output and
>> >the
>> > > > > manifold and got a solid blue spark. I
>> changed the points and
>> >condenser
>> > > >and
>> > > > > checked that the primary wire was not
>> grounded when both points were
>> >open.
>> > > > > > >
>> > > > > > >Another note is that I have the center
>> portion of the dash off to
>> > > >repair
>> > > > > the radio and polish the knobs of the
>> controls. I don't know if
>> >something
>> > > >in
>> > > > > the ignition requires all of the dash
>> controls 
>=== message truncated === 
>
>=====
>RC Billings, Montanaaaaaa 
>
>http://www.imperialclub.com/temp/1955/RogerCrabtree/ 
>
>
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>http://au.movies.yahoo.com
>
>
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