Question for Those Using a Roller Timer…

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MichaelPawelek
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Question for Those Using a Roller Timer…

Post by MichaelPawelek » Fri Oct 22, 2021 8:31 pm

I have always used New Day or Anderson timers on my Model T’s but am now working on one with a roller timer and so far it works wonderfully. I have read articles on the net where the roller type units are filled with grease but this one has flip top oiler on top for oil. Which do you use for best results and least wear? Grease or oil? Thanks….

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Humblej
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Re: Question for Those Using a Roller Timer…

Post by Humblej » Fri Oct 22, 2021 8:47 pm

Do not fill it with grease, use engine oil. The timer has to be removed from time to time and wipe out all the dirty crud.


Alan Long
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Re: Question for Those Using a Roller Timer…

Post by Alan Long » Fri Oct 22, 2021 8:58 pm

I agree with Jeff.
I have always used the Roller Style Timer with great success on all three of my T’s. I too use only oil and it’s either the same 20/50 that’s goes
Into the Engine or Auto Trans Fluid. It is true that they need to be wiped out occasionally and I do mine once a year or before
a tour that is a few days travelling. They tend to get a build up of grey paste inside.
My other preference would be the Anderson or E Timers but haven’t changed to them yet.
Alan in Western Australia


John kuehn
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Re: Question for Those Using a Roller Timer…

Post by John kuehn » Fri Oct 22, 2021 9:29 pm

A mixture of STP and oil works great in a roller timer. Use about 1/2 to 3/4 STP to about 1/4 oil. It adheres to the metal and doesn’t make a thick substance like grease It’s my opinion of course but it does work pretty well. And makes the surfaces really slick.


greenacres36
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Re: Question for Those Using a Roller Timer…

Post by greenacres36 » Sat Oct 23, 2021 11:03 am

I use red grease. Works great. Ford indicated to use Vaseline as I understand.

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Rich Eagle
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Re: Question for Those Using a Roller Timer…

Post by Rich Eagle » Sat Oct 23, 2021 12:26 pm

I hear great things about using grease. I use engine oil with good results. I find the new reproduction roller timers wear out faster than I remember the reproductions from the 60s and 70s. Maybe I'm just driving more miles. I have also had ones where oil containing some metallic particles finds it's way into voids in the terminal insulation and shorts one terminal out. This leaves that coil buzzing all the time even if only slightly and causing the engine to run poorly. To detect this, you can hear that coil buzz in between the others as you crank the engine over.
I have mentioned this before with no confirming or denying comments. By removing the timer terminals and cleaning and adding insulation to any voids the timer will then work well. There may be many discarded timers that could be revived by doing this. Or perhaps the insulating ring wears out before that happens.
I will try using grease and also an Anderson timer when I get time.
Rich
When did I do that?

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Retro54
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Re: Question for Those Using a Roller Timer…

Post by Retro54 » Sat Oct 23, 2021 1:39 pm

Rich Eagle wrote:
Sat Oct 23, 2021 12:26 pm
I hear great things about using grease. I use engine oil with good results. I find the new reproduction roller timers wear out faster than I remember the reproductions from the 60s and 70s. Maybe I'm just driving more miles. I have also had ones where oil containing some metallic particles finds it's way into voids in the terminal insulation and shorts one terminal out. This leaves that coil buzzing all the time even if only slightly and causing the engine to run poorly. To detect this, you can hear that coil buzz in between the others as you crank the engine over.
I have mentioned this before with no confirming or denying comments. By removing the timer terminals and cleaning and adding insulation to any voids the timer will then work well. There may be many discarded timers that could be revived by doing this. Or perhaps the insulating ring wears out before that happens.
I will try using grease and also an Anderson timer when I get time.
Rich
Are good original rollers easy to come by? Also, it there a good resource by which to determine which kind of rollers you have if you have a few laying around?


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Re: Question for Those Using a Roller Timer…

Post by John Codman » Sat Oct 23, 2021 1:48 pm

I do what my Ford authorized lube chart says: "Add a little oil every day - at least every 200 miles."

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Rich Eagle
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Re: Question for Those Using a Roller Timer…

Post by Rich Eagle » Sat Oct 23, 2021 2:58 pm

The roller is not usually the source of the problem. They seem to outlast the insulated ring they run on although I have had one or two come unriveted. I would say an older new old stock timer might give very good service. I have purchased a dozen of the new timers in the last 10 years and all in all they get the job done. Replacing them before they fail would be more convenient for touring. I think John Codman has it right but I don't always remember when I'm near an oil can. Last time I used a plastic bubble from some medication to transfer oil from a petcock to the timer flip top. I don't know what healthy folks do. :)
Rich
When did I do that?

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Humblej
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Re: Question for Those Using a Roller Timer…

Post by Humblej » Sat Oct 23, 2021 3:14 pm

Original rollers have ford script on them, good ones are hard to find. In 50 years of going to swap meets I have found 1, and the seller removed it when I saw and foolishly mentioned the ford script.

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Retro54
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Re: Question for Those Using a Roller Timer…

Post by Retro54 » Sat Oct 23, 2021 5:56 pm

Humblej wrote:
Sat Oct 23, 2021 3:14 pm
Original rollers have ford script on them, good ones are hard to find. In 50 years of going to swap meets I have found 1, and the seller removed it when I saw and foolishly mentioned the ford script.
Are they a 'gold' or brass color too? I recently acquired a few and wasn't sure if they were re-pro's.. or old ones. I might post a separate thread and a picture or two.


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Re: Question for Those Using a Roller Timer…

Post by Allan » Sat Oct 23, 2021 6:19 pm

In my youth I ran original rollers, stuffed full of red grease! When I came back to Ts in the eighties i tried the same trick and it was a miserable failure for some reason? Now I run Anderson flappers in 3 cars, a Truefire in another, but the king of them all is an e timer in my roadster.
My US import Tudor has a distributor. The extra load of the distributor drive gears caused the fibre timing gear to strip the teeth, so if it gives me any more trouble, it will get an Anderson and coils too.

Allan from down under.


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Re: Question for Those Using a Roller Timer…

Post by John Codman » Sun Oct 24, 2021 11:26 am

I purchased my present roller timer from Lang's about six years ago. It replaced the roller timer that was installed on my '27 when I bought the car. As was posted earlier, the rollers were fine, but the insulated surface upon which the rollers contact was seriously deteriorated. The T immediately ran better and continues to run better to the present. I don't know whether the original (to me) timer was original to the car or not. The quality of the Lang's roller timer must be pretty good - I haven't had the cover off since I installed the timer.

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