Ford COUGAR 1968 Shop Manual page 433

PART 9- 1
-
General Ignition Ser vice
Hold the adapter approximately 31 16-
inch from the exhaust manifold and
crank the engine, using
a
remote
starter switch. The spark should jump
the gap regularly.
3. If the spark intensity of all the
wires is satisfactory, the coil, con-
denser, rotor, distributor cap and the
secondary wires are probably satis-
factory.
If the spark is good at only some
wires, check the resistance of the
faulty leads.
If the spark is equal at all wires.
but weak or intermittent, check the
coil, distributor cap and the coil to
distributor high tension wire.
SPARK PLUG TEST
Inspect, clean and gap the plugs
following the instructions in Sections
2 and 3. After the proper gap is ob-
tained, check the plugs on a testing
machine. Compare the sparking effi-
ciency of the cleaned and gapped plug
with a new plug. Replace the plug if
it fails to meet 70% of the new plug
performance.
Test the plugs for compression
leakage a t the insulator seal. Apply
a coating of oil to the shoulder of
the plug where the insulator projects
through the shell, and to the top of
the plug, where the center electrode
and terminal project from the insula-
tor. Place the spark plug under pres-
sure with the tester's high tension
wire removed from the spark plug.
Leakage is indicated by air bubbling
through the oil. If the test indicates
compression leakage, replace the
plug. If the plug is satisfactory., wipe
it clean.
DISTRIBUTOR CHECKS
tributor or camshaft gear, or exces-
sively worn gears.
Distributor Shaft End flay
If the shaft end play is not to
specifications, check the location of
the gear on the shaft (6-cyl. engine
distributor) or the distributor shaft
collar (8-cyl. engine distributor).
6-cyl. Engine Distributor. 'The shaft
end play can be checked with the
distributor installed on the engine.
1. Mount a dial indicator on the
distributor so that the indicator tip
rests on the top of the distributor
shaft.
2. Push the shaft down as far as
it will go and set the dial indicator
on zero.
3. Pull the distributor shaft up-
ward as far as it will go and read the
end play. The end play should be
within specifications with the distrib-
utor removed or installed.
&cyl. Engine Distributor
I. Remove the distributor from
the engine.
2. Place the distributor in the
holding tool and clamp it in a vise
with the gear end up.
3. Push the distributor shaft up-
ward as far as it will go, and check
the end play with a feeler gauge
placed between the shaft collar and the
distributor base. The end play should
be within the specified limits. If the
shaft end play is not to specifications,
check the location of the distributor
shaft collar.
DISTRIBUTOR TESTS-
ROTUNDA ARE27-44
WELL TESTER
Distributor Gear Backlash
Test Connections
The distributor gear backlash can
not be accurately checked on the
dual advance or centrifugal advance
distributor.
1. Mount a dial indicator on the
distributor so that the indicator point
rests on the rotor, 518-inch from the
center.
2. Turn the rotor as far as it will
go and set the indicator on zera.
3. Turn the rotor in the opposite
direction and note the reading on
the dial indicator. This is the back-
lash.
4. The backlash should be 0.003
to 0.005 inch. If the backlash is not
to specifications, it indicates an in-
correct number of teeth on the dis-
1. Disconnect thc distributor pri-
mary wire at the coil. Connect a short
jumper wire to the DIST terminal
of the coil and the distributor pri-
mary wire. Connect the red lead to
the jumper wire.
2. Connect the black lead to a
good ground on the engine.
Dwell Angle Check
1. Connect the tester.
2. Turn the test control knob to
the set position.
3. Adjust the set control knob un-
til the needle on the dwell meter
lines up with the set line.
4. Start the engine and let it idle.
5. Turn the test control knob to
the 8 CYL position for eight cylin-
der engines or to the 6 CYL position
for 6 cylinder engines.
6. Read the dwell angle on the
dwell meter and compare the read-
ing to specifications.
7. Turn off the engine.
8. If the dwell angle was below
the specified amount, the breaker
point gap is too large. If the dwell
angle was above the specified amount,
the breaker point gap is too small.
If the dwell is to specifications,
turn the test selector knob to the
OFF
position and disconnect the
tester leads and jumper wire.
Dwell Angle Adjustment
If the dwell angle is not within
specifications, proceed as follows:
1. Remove the coil high tension
lead from the distributor and ground
it.
2. Remove the distributor cap and
place it out of the way.
3. Disconnect the brown wire
(I terminal) and the red and blue
wire (S terminal) from the starter re-
lay.
4. Loosen the breaker point as-
sembly retaining screw near the
breaker point contacts.
5. With the ignition on, crank the
engine with an auxiliary starter switch
connected between the battery and S
terminals of the starter relay and ad-
just the gap to specifications.
6. Release the auxiliary starter
switch and tighten the breaker point
assembly retaining screw.
7. Since the adjustment may have
changed when the retaining screw
was tightened; crank the engine again
with the auxiliary starter switch and
check the dwell. When the dwell is
properly adjusted, remove the jumper
wire, auxiliary starter switch and
tester leads and install the distributor
cap, coil high tension lead and start-
er relay wires.
DlSTRlBUTOR TESTS-
ROTUNDA DISTRIBUTOR
TESTER
Mounting Distributor
A RE-236 Tester
1. Adjust the distributor support
arm in relation to the distributor
shaft length.
2. Set the distributor in the sup-
port arm and enter the lower end of