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39FORDPU
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-- 09-28-2013 @ 4:07 PM
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I'm having trouble starting my 40 Ford, I bought it in june and drove it twice. It will crank and crank but no go. Today I got my wife to push the starter button and I had blue spark on the forward left plug and no spark after that. I took the Ign switch apart and it looks good. I have gauges when I switch it to on. I'm getting gas. I don't know what to check next, I don't want to start buying a coil, condenser, or other parts I don't need now if I don't have to. Is there any checks I can do with my multimeter? Thank You.
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supereal
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-- 09-28-2013 @ 9:58 PM
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Intermittent spark is usually connected (no pun) to the distributor, often one or both of the point sets. Connect your meter between ground and the input side of the coil. When you turn on the ignition, you should see about 3.5 volts. If not, check the ballast resistor and the ignition switch. If that checks out, use the ohms part of the meter to check the lead from the coil to the distributor by removing the wire from the coil and placing the meter leads to that wire and ground. Run the starter and watch the meter. The needle should rise and fall as the engine turns, showing that the points are making good contact. If so, replace the condenser. It isn't expensive, and a weak or open condenser will cause your problem. If your coil is an original, I would replace it, or have it rebuilt, to make your car reliable, all old Ford coils are weak, and will fail sooner or later.
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39FORDPU
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-- 09-29-2013 @ 4:30 PM
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Thank You, I'll try this and see if works.
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william2271
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-- 09-29-2013 @ 4:55 PM
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My 40 is doing the same.I have no spark.I have 3.5 volts going into my rebuilt coil and rebuilt distributor I have double checked the spacer on the end of the cam.I had a miss when went check the points 6 weeks ago and have not been able to start the car since.
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supereal
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-- 09-29-2013 @ 6:15 PM
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I suggest you have the distributor checked on a machine. It is important to remember that one set of points makes the connection, then the other set breaks it to kick the coil. If either set has failed, there will be no spark. Be sure that the terminal post on the distributor is not grounding. That is a common fault. If the voltage at the coil input stays at 3.5 as the engine is turned over, there is a short in the distributor, or the condenser has gone short. When the points are open, you should see battery voltage, about 7 volts.
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39FORDPU
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-- 10-06-2013 @ 2:11 PM
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I just got to check your suggestions (retired, but less time now than when I was working 10-12 hrs a day), anyway I have 2.8 volts between coil and ground. My ohm meter goes up and down from coil to ground so the points look good. I'm going to send for a resistor tommorow, I see some have ceramic and some look like just metal is one better than the other? I'm also going to buy a new switch body and brush. Thank You.
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supereal
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-- 10-06-2013 @ 4:30 PM
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With the engine not running, and the points closed, you need a minimum of 3.5 volts for starting and operation. With less than that, when you figure the draw from the starter, there isn't enough power to provide dependable starting. If you haven't seen it, I can post a diagram of the starting booster. As to the resistor, the purpose is to provide a steady supply as the system level increases. The correct type is nichrome wire on a ceramic core, covered by a metal shield. Avoid cheap repos. We buy ours from C&G. Let is know how you are coming with the problem.
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42wagon
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-- 10-07-2013 @ 3:27 AM
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I had a similar problem just last week with my 42. I had let it sit since last spring while I worked on other projects. When I tried to start it, it would turn over alright but wouldn't fire. I checked by pulling off one spark plug wire - no spark. So I tried recharging the battery. Now it runs fine. Apparently the battery can have enough charge to spin the engine but not enough to spin the engine and provide a spark. Try charging the battery before you start pulling things apart.
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39FORDPU
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-- 11-02-2013 @ 2:28 PM
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After a month of working on and off on the Forty I just got it to start. First I replaced the battery it had one dead cell, replaced the switch body, the old one looked new, put on a new condenser, still no start, put on new coil, no start, put a jumper wire on the resistor and it fired up as soon as I hit the starter button. The resistor looked like it came with the car, put on a reproduction resistor from C&G and it started right up, I saw a little smoke and thought I burned up some thing, shut it off right away and checked my connections everything looked good, started it back up and let it run and warm up. no smoke and it ran great. I felt the resistor and it was warm is that normal?
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trjford8
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-- 11-02-2013 @ 4:47 PM
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Resistors do get warm. The smoke you saw was the resistor coil burning off the small amount of oil that coats the resistor at the time of assembly. You're good to go.
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39FORDPU
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-- 11-03-2013 @ 8:59 AM
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I was hoping that's what it was. I did the resistor last because that was the hardest to get at. Thank You
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