Topic: 41 dead beside the road


EdB    -- 06-22-2015 @ 7:42 AM
  From your help in the past, the engine heating problems are cured.

Found a man with a distributor machine and that made a positive improvement in acceleration. Have a new gas tank installed. The hose to the fuel pump is not factory, but hose with clamps at each end.

Last two outings have not gone well. Accelerating from a stop, the engine ‘flutters’ until 20-25 mph or so. Eventually stops after 10 miles or so and will not crank.The car has never 'vapor locked' in the past.

Gasoline visibly squirts in the carb upon moving the linkage, after towing her home and she cools down. Did not look when the engine was still warm.

Perhaps the gasoline has gone sour from being in the tank too long; did not drive the car much during the unusually cold for us winter that we had [central Texas].

Please let me have your advice and comments. She runs great, when she is running.

EdB



TomO    -- 06-22-2015 @ 8:05 AM
  EdB,

Here is my last post to your running problems:

"Don't guess, Check your spark for a 1/2" blue spark when a plug wire is held close to a head nut and the engine is idling. You should have at least 1/4" spark when trying to start the car.

Weak spark can be caused by a defective coil, defective ignition resistor, defective condenser, incorrectly gapped points or a corroded ignition switch.

Low fuel delivery usually shows up first at speeds above 35mph.

To check fuel delivery, you need a graduated 16 ounce or larger container to determine the amount of fuel delivered in a measured time. Disconnect the fuel pump line from the carburetor and direct it into a graduated container. Crank the engine long enough to get 2 ounces of gas in the container and then continue cranking for 15 more strokes of the pump. The pump should have delivered 6 more ounces of gas.

Insufficient fuel delivery can be caused by a vacuum leak, plugged flex line, worn pivot in the pump arm, stretched diaphragm, plugged fuel line or tank pickup, plugged tank vent or wrong gas cap or a worn push rod."

From your post this time, you probably have a weak spark.

Do you have the stock type coil that sits on top of the distributor or do you have an adapter plate and a round coil?

Your distributor points are probably fine, so I would check the voltage going top the coil. The stock coil should have about 3.5-4 volts going to it when the points are closed and 6 volts when the points are open. Check both states by tapping the starter button to turn the engine over a very short distance.

The round coil should have 6 volts going to it under both conditions. If it is less, check to make sure that the ignition resister is bypassed under the dash.


Tom


joe b    -- 06-22-2015 @ 12:36 PM
  Ed. I had the same problem. My '41 was a Flathead on a Flatbed a few times. It turned out to be the condenser. Apparently some dirt and grease got into the bolt hole and the bolt did not penetrate far enough to fasten the condenser tight. After about 20 miles engine heat made the bolt loose and the engine stopped. Once it cooled off she would go.
Sounds similar


fordv8j    -- 06-23-2015 @ 1:13 PM
  FOR WHAT ITS WORTH.I HAVE A 38.AFRAID TO STOP FOR GAS WOULDNT START..I RUN A 48 DISTRIBUYOR WITH A ROUND COIL..TRIED EVERYTHING..CALLED DICK FLINN.MY RESISTER WAS STILL CONNECTED.DICK SAID TO PUT BOTH WIRES ON SAME SIDE OF RESISTER.THIS GIVES THE COIL 6 VOLTS..HASNT BURNT THE POINTS.HAS NEVER FAILED TO START EVEN WHEN HOT


ken ct.    -- 06-25-2015 @ 3:43 AM
  "Havent burnt the points yet" quote. How many miles have you put on it since feeding the coil full 6V.Coils were made to operate on 3-4 Volts NOT 6V. Your points will be short lived and probably cook your coil along with them. ken ct.


cliftford    -- 06-25-2015 @ 6:43 AM
  You can run a circuit to the coil that will bypass the resister and supply 6v to the coil only when starting. It's simple, look back in some of the previous posts.


supereal    -- 06-30-2015 @ 12:55 PM
  If you have a round replacement coil, it usually has a built in resistor. If it is fed thru the stock resistor on the firewall, the voltage is dropped so low that the coil won't fire the plugs when it gets hot.


EFV-8 Club Forum : https://www.earlyfordv8.org/forum
Topic: https://www.earlyfordv8.org/forum/viewmessages.cfm?Forum=18&Topic=8647