I love getting packages.

Even when I have ordered something myself, I am like a kid at Christmas waiting for the postman or delivery driver to come bearing a fat envelope or cardboard box with my name on it.  Given I had to order parts for Dixie from a variety of vendors, it was quite a treat waiting for everything to arrive!

As I mentioned in Part 1, we got Dixie to start.  Once.

First order of business was getting the right electrical current to run through the system to create spark.  The battery was old, so we bought a new 12-volt battery from a local auto parts store with new wires, as the old ones were not in good condition. 

Check.

The battery connects to an ignition coil.  The coil is a mini-transformer that takes the energy from the battery and converts it to an electric spark, transferring that spark to the spark plugs.  The coil in Dixie was old, and was matched to a 6-volt battery.  A new coil was ordered and a package was on the way!

Check.

The spark plugs, spark plug wires, distributer cap, and distributor cap rotor all needed replaced as well.  The spark plugs were worn and had black carbon build-up on them.  The wires looked terrible.  Given we were replacing everything else, it seemed logical to replace the distributor cap and rotor as well. 

Removing the distributer cap revealed the ignition points and condenser.  These too would need replaced.  Removing them revealed engraving in the distributor that told the brand and model number of the distributor.  This is very handy information when ordering parts!

After a bit of research, some local shopping, and Internet shopping, a pile of boxes and parts started to grow.

I have a side note about local shopping. 

I went to a big auto parts store in my area to look for the ignition points and condenser.  As the counter worker had his head in the computer, he told me he could order me parts, and he said, “I think this is what you need”. 

That was not good enough for me. 

On my way home, I stopped at a very small shop set on the side of the road, a few miles from town.  I walked in, and the man working the counter asked me what I was looking for.  I told him.  He called another man over, referring to him as a “walking parts catalogue”.  I told him my story.  He went back into the parts area, and emerged a few minutes later with a tiny box.  He opened the box and asked if the part he held looked like the one I had removed. 

Yes!

Now when I need a part I think I can get locally, I stop at that store first.  Lesson learned.

We spent an afternoon removing the old parts and replacing with the new.  How much fun to work under the hood of that old truck and have room to visualize everything and move the tools around with minimal restriction. 

A far cry from vehicles built today.

If you have never done so before, look under the hood of your vehicle.  I guarantee you will find a jam-packed engine compartment.  You will likely NOT be able to see the ground below the vehicle.  Now, try to find one wire or pipe, and trace the course from start to finish.  Most vehicles today require the mechanic to plug it in to a computer to begin to diagnose a problem.  So complicated!

I like the simplicity of the old engine and being able to do the work at home.

New battery, ignition coil, distributor cap, rotor, ignition points, condenser, spark plug wires, and spark plugs.

Check!

We turned the key, stepped on the starter button on the floor, and she started.

Victory!

The barn started to fill with gray smoke.

Then there was MORE gray smoke.

Next lesson:  The carburetor.