Re: Typographical error or intent?

Posted by HH56 On 2023/8/3 16:13:29

Don't believe it is as much the coil as the points that would be the issue. I speak from experience that if the key is on in the ign position and you sit listening to the radio, when the engine stopped if the points were in closed position current will still flow thru the coil and the points will overheat. When you try to start the car, depending on how badly they overheated or burned the car will run very poorly or will not start at all.

No idea what kind of ign switch the car you are inquiring about has but sounds like it may have been similar to Packards. Packard until the 23rd series 49s did not have an accessory position. The key only turned to one other position so the points and coil were always in the circuit even if engine was not running. Once the switch added an accessory position then if turned to the left, everything would still be energized EXCEPT the coil and points. You could play the radio until the battery died (which was another whole issue) but presuming some juice was left in the battery the car would still start and run.

I had often wondered why some prewar Packards had the radio always powered directly from a hot source and that could be the reason. Don't believe Packard was alone in that either because a scene from the movie In Harm's Way has John Wayne arriving at his quarters to find his housemate's radio in a parked and empty Ford convertible playing. Just like headlights, guess it was all too easy back then to drive in, park and forget to turn something off only to come back and find a dead battery.