Cold Blue Posted March 15, 2019 Report Share Posted March 15, 2019 Just got a new set of plug wires for my 48 Plymouth 218. Un-snapped the dizzy cap to start replacing the wires. The cap was held in place by something, though. Then saw something I have NEVER seen before. A previous owner, who rewired the car to be a 12 volt system, had wired up the dizzy by drilling a small hole in the side of the dizzy cap, and running the white wire shown in the photo, to the points. That white wire then goes to the negative side of the coil. The red wire below it is connected to a small screw on the side of the dizzy, and then goes to the negative pole of the battery. I cannot begin to envision how this works, but it does. For sure, running a wire thru the side of the dizzy cap is unorthodox... Can anyone enlighten me on how this works???? And how to fix it so I don't have a wire running thru a hole in the dizzy cap? Also the rotor button fits so loosely on the dizzy cam shaft. I can rock it back and forth several degrees, I am sure. The timing on a 218 must be very tolerant! I think it has the wrong rotor button installed on the dizzy. I am completely amazed that the 218 runs as well as it does.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouthy Adams Posted March 15, 2019 Report Share Posted March 15, 2019 while ma mopar did try to make these idiot proof...there are those that MUST test these boundaries..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cold Blue Posted March 15, 2019 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2019 3 minutes ago, Plymouthy Adams said: while ma mopar did try to make these idiot proof...there are those that MUST test these boundaries..... Plymouthy - damnest thing I have ever seen! A hole drilled in the dizzy cap to run a wire? Now I have to find a way to run the wire thru the metal dizzy body. Right now, I have to cut the white wire to remove the cap...holy crap. And what I cannot envision is how the dizzy is getting juice to it..the white wire goes to the negative side of the coil, and the red wire goes to the negative pole of the battery...two negatives? Where's the positive????????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maok Posted March 15, 2019 Report Share Posted March 15, 2019 The coil will function when connected incorrectly. Not as effectively but still works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cold Blue Posted March 15, 2019 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2019 41 minutes ago, maok said: The coil will function when connected incorrectly. Not as effectively but still works. Thanks Maok - I am thinking that I should reverse the wires going to the coil. The red wire shown in the photo goes from the external resistor to the plus side of the coil, while the white wire goes from the minus side of the coil to the points in the dizzy. Is that a good idea or should I leave it like it is? Signed, a rank amateur electrical guy.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouthy Adams Posted March 15, 2019 Report Share Posted March 15, 2019 as pictured or revered as long one post gets power and the other is taken to ground through the points...you will have spark, the polarity at the speeds this engine operates will not have a deterring effect. The biggest difference one will see in polarity is what side of the point contact will be the sacrificing metal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cold Blue Posted March 15, 2019 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2019 3 minutes ago, Plymouthy Adams said: as pictured or revered as long one post gets power and the other is taken to ground through the points...you will have spark, the polarity at the speeds this engine operates will not have a deterring effect. The biggest difference one will see in polarity is what side of the point contact will be the sacrificing metal. So you are saying just leave it as is? The motor runs just fine the way it is wired now. Would you have any idea how I could get that white wire into the dizzy without going thru that hole in the dizzy cap? There doesn't seem to be any holes in the dizzy body. How was the points wire routed originally? I looked in my manual and it shows nothing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouthy Adams Posted March 15, 2019 Report Share Posted March 15, 2019 normally the distributor has a through feed in the body....very clearly shown in the book in the ignition section and what appears to have the very red wire on your dist. body....but I do not have a clear clean shot of your distributor to truly make that call....I think you a victim of one of them folks that clearly did not understand how things work and had trouble making it work so devised a workaround for some reason or another... got any clearer pictures of your distributor.....the ear sticking out on the side of the dist. is a direct lead in to the points and condenser connection whereas the ground is the act of the points closing... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merle Coggins Posted March 15, 2019 Report Share Posted March 15, 2019 Your coil is wired correctly for a Negative ground system. Since you stated your car has been converted to a 12v system I would venture a guess that it was also converted to Negative Ground. The red wire screwed to the body of the distributor was likely added to ensure that the distributor has a good ground, as you state that this wire goes to the Negative post of the battery. That is assuming that the screw mentioned is screwed into the housing and not the screw/stud that is normally connected through an insulator where the coil wire normally connects. Is the original insulated terminal still in the distributor housing? The coil wire should be connected to that, and the inside would have a small wire going to the points. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cold Blue Posted March 15, 2019 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2019 Plymouthy and Merle - I got under the car for a good look at the dizzy and I found that the red wire is screwed to the stud/screw at the insulated port. I took a photo of it. It looks like I need to move the red ground wire (I think I will replace it entirely with a BLACK wire!) to a good ground on the dizzy body, then connect the white wire from the coil to the insulated port, and install a new short section of wire inside the dizzy body that would connect the insulated port to the points. What do ya'll think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kencombs Posted March 15, 2019 Report Share Posted March 15, 2019 Without seeing the points closely I can say this: with the 'normal' wiring only one wire is needed. The red one is wired c orrectly +from the battery, to switch, to resistor, and to coil +. the - side should be a ground to the engine through the points fixed side. There shoud be a path wired to provide 12v directly to the + side of the coil when the start is engaged. That connection is to improve starting by boosting the primary voltage, and thus the secondary. Perhaps the white wire was attempt by the amatuer sparky to do that. Again, without seeing exactly where the white is attached in the distributor I have no idea what its' actually function is , or isn't Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cold Blue Posted March 15, 2019 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2019 53 minutes ago, kencombs said: Without seeing the points closely I can say this: with the 'normal' wiring only one wire is needed. The red one is wired c orrectly +from the battery, to switch, to resistor, and to coil +. the - side should be a ground to the engine through the points fixed side. There shoud be a path wired to provide 12v directly to the + side of the coil when the start is engaged. That connection is to improve starting by boosting the primary voltage, and thus the secondary. Perhaps the white wire was attempt by the amatuer sparky to do that. Again, without seeing exactly where the white is attached in the distributor I have no idea what its' actually function is , or isn't The white wire and the condenser wire are both connected to the fixed side of the points. I looked at the + wiring, and it is wired as you have described. It looks to me as everything is fine! I just have to correct the poor wiring issue where the white wire runs thru a drilled hole in the dizzy cap!!!! Thanks Ken. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merle Coggins Posted March 16, 2019 Report Share Posted March 16, 2019 Your wire from the coil should be going to that side terminal, where the red wire is now. The distributor body should be grounded through the mount, and the engine block. If you need 2 wires then something else is wrong. Verify that the inside of the distributor is wired properly and remove the red wire completely. Connect the white wire from your coil (-) post to the side terminal on the distributor and see what happens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cold Blue Posted March 16, 2019 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2019 1 hour ago, Merle Coggins said: Your wire from the coil should be going to that side terminal, where the red wire is now. The distributor body should be grounded through the mount, and the engine block. If you need 2 wires then something else is wrong. Verify that the inside of the distributor is wired properly and remove the red wire completely. Connect the white wire from your coil (-) post to the side terminal on the distributor and see what happens. I agree Merle. The white wire from the coil should go to the side terminal. I am going to pull the distributor out of the engine and install an internal wire (that is missing!) and goes from the side terminal to the points. I am going to get rid of the red ground wire completely as, like you, I do not see its purpose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.