Dwell on this

[_shel_ny]

...

Edited September 16, 2011 by shel_bizzy_48

[Normspeed]

Does your dwell have a zero adjustment?

As point gap closes up the dwell increases but if you're around .020 that dwell reading looks off.

[Norm's Coupe]

Shel, is the tach a 12 volt or 6 volt tach. A mechanic friend of mine said you can't use a 12 volt tach on a 6 volt system. That was why I bought the old Penske analyzer that works on either one by switching the switch. That could be why you are getting those readings.

[Normspeed]

Be interesting to see what the points are at.

One nice thing with a dwell, you can still get a good reading even if the points are pitted. Or, if the pits are pointed as well.

[Norm's Coupe]

  shel_bizzy_48 said:

Norm, have no idea 6 or 12. only switch is to select tach or dwell.

How far would .002 or .003 error on gap send the dwell?

'48 starts fine and runs well, other than a bit of a rich indication on the plugs.

Shel, your asking the wrong person that question. I have no idea. In fact I was going to use my hand held 12 volt tack/dwell meter until my friend told me it wouldn't work right. So........I only know what he told me, and now you know as much as me, which isn't much on the subject. However, you don't need to make a large investment to buy one of the old analyzers like I bought. I only paid $7.00 plus shipping for it off ebay.

[greg g]

In the earlier post on the tach dwell meter Don C suggested reversing the leads. Perhaps the different polarity is effecting the reading. Just a guess.

[Norm's Coupe]

Shel, usually the seller will say if it works on 6 or 12 volts, or both in the description. You can also tell by looking at the front of the unit if they put a close up picture in the description. Here's what the one I bought looks like. Maybe that will help you search.

[Norm's Coupe]

Greg, the meters don't care if the car is positive or negative ground, just the voltage. However, you do have to hook it up accordingly.

[splat1955]

Now you got me thinkin' Shel. About 3 years ago I got this cool tach/dwell meter....actually it does a bunch more. I bought from a guy off the bay. It is a craftsman, and it's definitely not a hand held, but rather sits on a bench. It came with a bunch of wires and hookups for the front. I've only used it twice when I had the Jeepster and it worked great...but it was 12V....I'm gonna have to go out and see if it's 6 Volt too. It's gotta be from the '70s or so. It's in like new condition and runs off a 9V battery. I didn't get the instructions with it, but it's pretty cool...I'll try to remember to take a pic of it tomorrow and post it in this thread. Just gotta go see if it'll work on Peg!

[Lou Earle]

You said

"'48 starts fine and runs well, other than a bit of a rich indication on the plugs."

If you mean soot on plugs that usually indicates timing is off not fuel problem. she is firing either early or late- and the gas is not getting completely burned.

Lou

[Don Coatney]

Are you sure you dont have a dual point distributor? I get 46-48 degrees dwell with my dual points gapped at .017". First picture is dual points. Second picture is single points.

[BobT-47P15]

If that meter is some brand currently made (or maybe even if not), you might try looking on the internet for operating instructions. Or correspond or call the maker if still around.

[Norm's Coupe]

  splat1955 said:

Now you got me thinkin' Shel. About 3 years ago I got this cool tach/dwell meter....actually it does a bunch more. I bought from a guy off the bay. It is a craftsman, and it's definitely not a hand held, but rather sits on a bench. It came with a bunch of wires and hookups for the front. I've only used it twice when I had the Jeepster and it worked great...but it was 12V....I'm gonna have to go out and see if it's 6 Volt too. It's gotta be from the '70s or so. It's in like new condition and runs off a 9V battery. I didn't get the instructions with it, but it's pretty cool...I'll try to remember to take a pic of it tomorrow and post it in this thread. Just gotta go see if it'll work on Peg!

I didn't get an instruction book with analyzer I bought off ebay either. However, after I received the analyzer I posted the make, model number and a picture of it on the forum and ask if someone had one like it with the instruction book. I lucked out because another member here in Wisconsin had the same one. He was nice enough to make a copy of his book and mailed it to me. Thanks again Ken. So, start a new thread and make a similar post. If I or someone else has the book we can make you a copy. The book is a real help because it goes over all the different things you can test and how. For example like when Greg G's generator went out. There's a test for the generator, starter, etc. It will test just about anything electrical in the car. Makes it faster and easier to trouble shoot without pulling the parts off the car. Mine even shows how to repair the meter if needed.

Don't know if you can read everything on my analyzer from the picture. But.......that Penske brand was sold by Sears. Sears name is right in front of Penske. I wouldn't doubt your Craftsman analyzer is the same one. Take a close look at the knobs, meters, etc. and see if they look like yours.

By the way, I didn't forget you on those light bulbs. I just didn't see the guy. He was probably in the section of the swap meet I didn't get to because my knees gave out. I missed a good third of the swap meet because of that.

[Lou Earle]

That plug really looks like bad timing to me be sure the gap is right on the plug- 35 I believe. I run r 45's and they do well

Also run that car 5 miles then check the plugs when hot

Lou

[Tim Frank]

Shel,

If you close the gap down from .026 to .020, I would expect the dwell angle to increase. I would not have "hung up" the meter.

There was a good thread not long ago about dwell angle and using that instead of gap as the best way to set points.

I think it might have been Don Coatney.

Having cut my teeth on British cars (and my knuckles and fingers ), you needed to change/or adjust Lucas points as often as you would change underwear....dwell was the only way to go.

Why not adjust to the spec'd dwell and reset timing and see how the beast runs?

Rgds,

Tim

[Tim Frank]

And how old are the points?

[norrism1]

Shell,

Make sure the meter face is not magnetized. I remember dad's would swing when passing your hand just off the face. Had to demagnetize before it would work correctly.

[Tim Frank]

Shel,

Just an additional thought~ could you disconnect the coil-distributor wire, and then run the dwell meter off a 12 volt battery just to check the dwell?

I would not think that you would damage the condensor with a quick test.

Anyone disagree strenuously?

Tim

[Normspeed]

Tim, I don' t think it would work with a dwell meter. My dwell meters only have 2 wires, one is ground and the other clips to the coil terminal that goes to the points.

That method does work fine with my 12 volt timing light though.

Actually if your points are at .020 when on the high spot of the distributor cam, you really don't need a dwell meter. I just use mine as a quick check between tune ups, to check up on the point setting without popping the cap and rotor.

[Normspeed]

Norris, do you recall how he demagnetized it? I was tinkering with the one I picked up, and I can do that. Just by passing my hand over it I can move the needle way up the scale. It's weird.

  norrism1 said:

Shell,

Make sure the meter face is not magnetized. I remember dad's would swing when passing your hand just off the face. Had to demagnetize before it would work correctly.

[Normspeed]

Not being one to leave things be, I had to look inside my swap meet tach dwell. Pretty neat, I didn't expect to see real wire and stuff. Almost looks like a heathkit type of construction.

It was missing a knob so I got a pair at Radio Shack for a couple bucks. I'll have to ugly 'em up a little bit.

[Norm's Coupe]

Here's another handy little Dwell Indicator. This one can be used with the distributor out of the car, on the workbench. Picked mine up an a rummage sale several years ago. Never used it, bought it for the shelf. Did put batteries in it to check it though and it does work. It came with instructions for setting the Dwell on all cars up to 1960. I've seen a couple of these on ebay over the years too.

[Normspeed]

That's neat Norm. I've never seen one like that.

[Norm's Coupe]

  Normspeed said:

That's neat Norm. I've never seen one like that.

I had never seen one of those either until I found it at the rummage sale. Showed it to my mechanic friend and he said they use to use those all the time in the shops years ago. So, there are probably a lot of them floating around or hidden away someplace.

[Jim Saraceno]

I have an old Craftsman Automotive Analyzer that I bought 40 years ago. The only thing I ever use on it is the dwell and tach and it works just fine on 6 or 12 volts.