| 1934 Ford | -- 02-21-2010 @ 9:12 AM |
|
I’ve had this problem and experienced improvement temporarily many times. Car starts best, but not great when cold and battery is freshly charged. When I restart it, it cranks real slow. Acts like a dead battery and barely wants to turn over. This happens both hot & cold. This has not cured the problem but temporarily helps: #1 New battery #2 New starter floor mounted starter switch #3 Cleaned 00 cable ends and terminals #4 Rebuilt Starter with new fields I hate the thought of going to 12 volts, but I would like it to turn over better and not act like it isn’t going to start. We do lots of touring and starting when hot cold or cool is important. But this problem doesn’t seem to be heat related. Any Suggestions???
|
|
| deuce_roadster | -- 02-21-2010 @ 9:52 AM |
|
Clean, check and tighten all grounds. Also remember "new" doesn't always equal "good". I chased a similar problem far longer then necessary because I assumed the new parts were good (I got a defective new battery). Test all parts, even the new ones.
|
|
| 39Fordfan | -- 02-21-2010 @ 9:57 AM |
|
I had a similar problem with my '39. Taking the cue I learned from the guys on this forum, I replaced the battery cables, with heavier gauge cables, and made sure to ground the system extra. When I got the car it had 4 gauge cables for 12 volt systems even though I have a 6 volt system. I got 00 cables and a 00 grounding braid from Little Dearborn. Though other vendors should stock them too. The 00 gauge battery grounding braid grounds to the engine block. I also added another grounding cable from the battery to the firewall. These came as a kit. There is also another cable that I believe went to the starter. I made sure to thoroughly clean and scuff up the contacts for the ground of any paint or other imperfections for the best contact. I also swabbed on some dialectic grease on all of the contacts. That was the end of any slow turning starter issues.
|
|
| ford38v8 | -- 02-21-2010 @ 10:12 AM |
|
34Ford, Cleaning the old cables is not always productive, due to the internal corrosion from battery acid that you don't see. I was stopped dead cold once with no continuity at all, due to a braided cable that looked perfectly good. Another common cause of your problem is your generator and cutout. I assume that you keep your battery on charge between tours, so check the battery at the start of the tour, and again before you attempt to restart it. This will likely show that you aren't charging properly. Alan
|
|
| Pauls39 | -- 02-21-2010 @ 4:39 PM |
|
I agree with the other posts. Check and re-check all the ground conections. Be sure the starter mounting surface, and the block, is free of paint and corrosion where they meet.You would be surprized how a little bit of paint can insulate a starter. Corrosion can hide inside the wire insulation or under terminal ends.New wires may be in order. Changing to 12 volts will just mask the problem.
|
|
| 37 Coupe | -- 02-21-2010 @ 4:55 PM |
|
Exactly where a lot of my slow starting problem occured,because of overdoing the paint job on the starter,after I cleaned paint off mounting surfaces sure helped or cured. Also I like the cables from John Brillman,check out www.brillman.com.Heavy cables . To see if it is a grounding problem,run a ground cable from positive post to somewhere on the engine block or a bellhousing bolt,bet it spins then. Restoration and our thinking everything needs heavy coats of paint is the problem
|
|
| 1934 Ford | -- 02-21-2010 @ 5:24 PM |
|
Progress Report: I crawled under the car and removed the main ground cable to the frame. I took my grinder and made the frame shine like new. No paint, no rust. Then I replaced the cable and the car started with a seemingly fresh starter speed. But it ran awful! Seemed like about 4 or 5 cylinders. @!#%*%! This distracted me from my starter problem. I thought, now what? Electrical? Ignition? Carburetor? Then with it running I discovered the fuel pump was blowing bubbles back into the gas filter, so I need to install another fuel pump before I get to my initial problem. Tomorrow! I was amazed at how rusty and nasty the frame got behind my ground cable in only 6 years. Those who suggested that the ground was the culprit, were right. Thanks. I guess I cleaned up the battery, switch, and starter connections and ignored the frame ground. It has something to do with not liking to roll around on the floor at age 64. The next garage will have a lift because I saw lots of other stuff under there that needs some attention too. I'll post again after I get the fuel pump on and can test it warm & hot & cold, but I'm encouraged.
|
|
| trjford8 | -- 02-21-2010 @ 6:35 PM |
|
34Ford, it doesn't hurt to run extra grounds.One from the body to the frame and one from the engine to the body. Good grounds for your headlights and tailamps will also make them brighter.
|
|
| 51f1 | -- 02-22-2010 @ 9:56 AM |
|
"I hate the thought of going to 12 volts" I hope everybody that ever considers going to 12-volts reads this. Unless you are loading down your car with lots of modern accessories, 12-volts is not necessary. Fix the problems, and everything will be fine. Richard
|
|
| supereal | -- 02-22-2010 @ 10:25 AM |
|
We always install a cable from the ground strap point on the engine or body, to one of the starter mounting bolts. A 12 volt cable with eyelets on each end is OK. An Optima battery is also great for old cars, as it supplies over 800 cold cranking amps, and eliminates the acid corrosion of cables, terminals, and battery boxes. Lightly or seldom used conventional lead-acid batteries develop sulfation and high internal resistance from long periods between charging, resulting in loss (voltage drop) under high loads, such as starting.
|
|
| supereal | -- 02-23-2010 @ 8:41 AM |
|
A simple diagnostic tool is a voltmeter, even a cheap one. Just place the probes on each side of a part of the circuit and read the voltage when the circuit is energized. The result is the voltage lost in that section. It is called "IR" drop, the product of the current thru, and the resistance of the link. At 6 volts, it takes only one place to render the circuit defective.
|
|
| 1934 Ford | -- 02-27-2010 @ 9:18 AM |
|
Extra grounds were sugggested. This is one reason the problem was hard to find. I have a braided engine ground strap to the frame and a battery ground strap to the frame. I had a false sense of being grounded when the old enemys of the 6 volt system, Rust & Corrosion, got to me with the battery ground. Now if I can find the air leak in my fuel line I'll be ready to take the car to Texas fore the 2010 AACA Sentimental Tour.
|
|
| BrianCT | -- 02-27-2010 @ 3:37 PM |
|
Very nice. I have wondered about those fender skirts. They are plywood ,aren't they? Could a fairly competent woodworker make a usable set?
|
|
| 1934 Ford | -- 02-27-2010 @ 6:40 PM |
|
Not ply wood, but Gar Wood. Gar Wood made these Aroflo Fender Guards of steel and made wooden speed boats, so maybe he was a competent wood worker too. "Aroflo Fender Guards" sold new in 1934 for $8.00 a pair.
|
|
| BrianCT | -- 02-28-2010 @ 7:38 PM |
|
Thanks. I had never seen a pair and knew he made the wooden boats , so jumped to a wrong conclusion.
|
|
| EFV-8 Club Forum : | https://www.earlyfordv8.org/forum |
| Topic: | https://www.earlyfordv8.org/forum/viewmessages.cfm?Forum=18&Topic=835 |