Hopefully not a serious goof up....

Sixoh · October 8th, 2006, 05:10 PM

I'm in the middle of restoring the distributor for my 394 and putting in the electronic ignition.

What happened was - I replaced the old, brittle distributor to coil wiring in the dist. The short wire inside is secured on one end around a screw that holds the vac. advance in place. The other end was mashed into a connection that is fixed onto the plate in there that the advance moves.

Here's the problem - that connection that the end of the wire fits into came off the plate. It wasn't screwed down, or soldered on. It looks like a hot electrode was used almost like a spot weld to hold it on.

Has anyone else had that pop off? What did you do to get it back on???!?!
It's the little things that *@!&#*#$

!!!

Oldsguy · October 9th, 2006, 07:36 AM

I think if you install an aftermarket electronic ignition it doesn't matter anyway because the points and condenser will be replaced.

Sixoh · October 9th, 2006, 07:34 PM

Well, I was trying to figure out how to add a picture to the gallery but didn't find a gallery option. Anyway, this wire that I mentioned is the short jumper wire in the distributor and connects on one end to the coil wire (which exits the dist.) and the other end is fixed into a terminal end that is somehow fixed to the vac advance plate by a heat fusion somehow. It isn't a solder joint.

Oldsguy · October 11th, 2006, 12:36 PM

You should be able to go to the very top menu bar and select "Oldsmobile Photo Gallery", then from there get to "My Photos" in a menu bar about halfway down. I still think that if you change to an aftermarket electronic ignition conversion that it should give you directions and wiring for it's installation. For the wire for the coil you can use direct 12 volts, most aftermarket kits require this and probably even include some terminals to be used. It sounds like the wire you are talking about "fused" when it touched ground. Your car wasn't running before all this was it? If it is/was then I am confused as to which wire it would be. A picture would sure help, I hope you can get one set up. Good luck in that.

Sixoh · October 11th, 2006, 09:20 PM

Well, nice. I got the pic in the gallery, but it isn't uploading properly to the big window. If you squint, you can see where I'm pointing to!

Oldsguy · October 12th, 2006, 07:39 AM

Oh, then I couldn't help you with the size of it, I am computer ILLITERATE. Checking the picture though.....

ok, checked it out and can't tell

. I asked a friend and he said the picture needs more detail in it, you should take a picture with higher resolution if that is possible with the camera that you have. Hope this helps.

October 8th, 2006, 05:10 PM	#1 (permalink)
Sixoh Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 26	Hopefully not a serious goof up.... I'm in the middle of restoring the distributor for my 394 and putting in the electronic ignition. What happened was - I replaced the old, brittle distributor to coil wiring in the dist. The short wire inside is secured on one end around a screw that holds the vac. advance in place. The other end was mashed into a connection that is fixed onto the plate in there that the advance moves. Here's the problem - that connection that the end of the wire fits into came off the plate. It wasn't screwed down, or soldered on. It looks like a hot electrode was used almost like a spot weld to hold it on. Has anyone else had that pop off? What did you do to get it back on???!?! It's the little things that @!&##$ !!!

October 9th, 2006, 07:36 AM	#2 (permalink)
Oldsguy Hot Rodder at heart Administrator Join Date: May 2004 Location: Lees Summit MO Posts: 5,315	I think if you install an aftermarket electronic ignition it doesn't matter anyway because the points and condenser will be replaced. __________________ Dan '77 Cutlass Supreme '46 2 door "The rocket 455.....it's a sledgehammer approach to a thumbtack world" LuxBlue of HAMB.

October 11th, 2006, 12:36 PM	#4 (permalink)
Oldsguy Hot Rodder at heart Administrator Join Date: May 2004 Location: Lees Summit MO Posts: 5,315	You should be able to go to the very top menu bar and select "Oldsmobile Photo Gallery", then from there get to "My Photos" in a menu bar about halfway down. I still think that if you change to an aftermarket electronic ignition conversion that it should give you directions and wiring for it's installation. For the wire for the coil you can use direct 12 volts, most aftermarket kits require this and probably even include some terminals to be used. It sounds like the wire you are talking about "fused" when it touched ground. Your car wasn't running before all this was it? If it is/was then I am confused as to which wire it would be. A picture would sure help, I hope you can get one set up. Good luck in that. __________________ Dan '77 Cutlass Supreme '46 2 door "The rocket 455.....it's a sledgehammer approach to a thumbtack world" LuxBlue of HAMB.

October 12th, 2006, 07:39 AM	#6 (permalink)
Oldsguy Hot Rodder at heart Administrator Join Date: May 2004 Location: Lees Summit MO Posts: 5,315	Oh, then I couldn't help you with the size of it, I am computer ILLITERATE. Checking the picture though..... ok, checked it out and can't tell . I asked a friend and he said the picture needs more detail in it, you should take a picture with higher resolution if that is possible with the camera that you have. Hope this helps. __________________ Dan '77 Cutlass Supreme '46 2 door "The rocket 455.....it's a sledgehammer approach to a thumbtack world" LuxBlue of HAMB.

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October 9th, 2006, 07:34 PM	#3 (permalink)
Sixoh Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 26	Well, I was trying to figure out how to add a picture to the gallery but didn't find a gallery option. Anyway, this wire that I mentioned is the short jumper wire in the distributor and connects on one end to the coil wire (which exits the dist.) and the other end is fixed into a terminal end that is somehow fixed to the vac advance plate by a heat fusion somehow. It isn't a solder joint.

October 11th, 2006, 09:20 PM	#5 (permalink)
Sixoh Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 26	Well, nice. I got the pic in the gallery, but it isn't uploading properly to the big window. If you squint, you can see where I'm pointing to!