Ford Thunderbird 1958 User Manual

1-52
GROUP
1-POWER
PLANT
LESS
TENSION
BREAKER POINT TENSION
SPRING
MORE
TENSION
17-20
OUNCES
FIG.
16
Spring
Tension
1773-A
11
69-
A
FIG.
17
Spring
Tension Adjustment
misalignment
of
the point
surfaces
will
cause premature
wear,
overheat
ing
and
pitting.
Turn
the cam so
that
the breaker
points
are
closed and check the align
ment.
(Fig.
14).
Align
the
breaker
points
to make full face
contact
by
bending
the
stationary
breaker
point
bracket (Fig. 15). Do not bend the
breaker
arm.
After the
breaker points
have
been
properly
aligned,
adjust
the
gap
or
dwell.
BREAKER
POINT
SPRING
TENSION
Correct
breaker point
spring
ten
sion is
essential
to
proper
engine
operation
and
normal breaker
point
life.
If the
spring
tension
is
too
great,
rapid wear
of
the
breaker arm rub
bing
block
will
result,
causing
the
breaker
point
gap
to
close
up
and re
tard
the
spark
timing.
If
the
spring
tension
is
too
weak,
the
breaker
arm
will
flutter
at
high
speed,
resulting
in
an
engine
miss
at
high
rpm.
To
check the
spring
tension,
place
the
hooked end
of the
spring
tension
gauge
over the
movable
breaker
point,
then
pull the
gauge at
a right
angle
(90)
to the
movable
arm
until the
breaker points
just
start
to
open
(Fig. 16).
If
the tension
is
not
within
specifications
(17-20
ounces),
adjust
the
spring
tension.
To
adjust
the
spring
tension
(Fig.
17),
disconnect the
primary
and con
denser
leads
at the breaker point
assembly
primary
terminal.
Loosen
the
nut
holding
the
spring
in
position,
then
move
the
spring
toward
the
breaker
arm
pivot to decrease tension
and
in
the opposite direction
to
in
crease tension.
Tighten the
locknut,
then check
the
spring
tension.
Repeat
the
adjustment
until
the specified
spring
tension
is obtained. Install
the
primary
and
condenser
leads
with
the
lockwasher
and
tighten the nut
se
curely.
CAM
LOBE ACCURACY
Worn cam lobes
will
cause
the cor
responding
cylinders to
fire out
of
time and result
in
a
loss
of power.
Install
the distributor
on a test
set
and check
the
accuracy
of
the
cam
lobes
following
the
instructions
of
the manufacturer. If
the test
indicates
that
any
lobe is
worn,
replace the cam.
DISTRIBUTOR SHAFT
END
PLAY
Remove the
distributor from
the
engine.
Place the
distributor in the
holding
tool
and
clamp
it in
a
vise.
Push
the
distributor shaft upward
as
far as it will
go,
then
check the end
play
with a
feeler gauge placed be
tween the
centrifugal
advance
stop
plate and the
top
of the
bushing.
The
end
play
should be from 0.022-0.030
inch. If
the shaft end
play
is not to
specifications,
check
the location of
the
collar.
CONDENSER
A
capacity
test,
a
leakage
test,
and
a
series
resistance
test
should be per
formed on
the condenser.
The tests
can be
made with
the
condenser
in
stalled in
the
distributor
or with
the
condenser
installed on a
test unit.
Use
reliable
test
equipment
and
follow
the
instructions of
the
manufacturer.
The
capacity
is
0.21-0.25
microfarads,
leakage
should not
be
greater
than 5
megohms at
room
temperature,
and
series
resistance
.should
be 1
ohm
or
less.
The
condenser
should be
re
placed if it
does
not
meet
the
above
specifications.
DISTRIBUTOR
OVERHAUL
The
dual
advance
distributor is
mounted
at
the
front of
the
cylinder
block.
DESCRIPTION
AND
OPERATION
The
distributor
(Fig. 1
8)
has
two in
dependently
operated
spark
advance
systems. A
governor-type
centrifugal
advance mechanism is
located below
the
movable breaker
plate (Fig.
19),
and
a vacuum operated
spark
control
diaphragm
is located on
the
side
of
the
distributor
base
(Fig.
20).
The
centrifugal
weights
cause
the
cam
to
advance
or
move
ahead
with
respect
to
the
distributor
drive
shaft.
This
action
causes
the
cam to
open
and
close
the
breaker
points
earlier.
The
weights
turn
the
cam
by
means
of a
stop
plate
that
has
two
slots
which
fit
over
pins
in
the weights.
The

Ford Thunderbird 1958 Specifications

General

Brand	Ford
Model	Thunderbird 1958
Category	Automobile
Language	English