Technical Flathead help

I have a 1946 Mercury eight that is all original. I've never dealt with a flathead and am looking for someone to offer advice. Can someone let me know someone to talk to about engine issues?

 

What are the issues?Or are you just needing car,engine info.

 

You might want to check out the Ford Barn. The members of that sight have a world of flathead knowledge

 

Don't be shy. A lot of knowledge and mentors in the Hamb too. What would you like to talk about?

 

Use the search feature over on the ford barn,9 times outa ten it's happened to someone else!

 

Post your questions here and you will get answers. Bruce Lancaster or Charlie Stephens seem to have all the knowledge you need.

 

These forums are a great place for information. Post your question here and on fordbarn.com. Some hopefully knowledgeable person will give you their best answer. Several hundred people will see the answer and if it is wrong correct it. If it is only partial they will expand it. Of course if you can find a local expert to drop by and listen to an engine that is best but if you are communicating via phone/email it is probably better to post the question.

Charlie Stephens

 

Thanks for the replys. In a trade I got a 1946 Mercury eight. I was told the plugs, points, wires were all changed. A new single barrel carb was also added. The motor fires right up but until it gets warm it backfires through the exhaust. Once it's up to temp, it drives fine in first and second. Once it gets in third and hits 40 mph, it wants to quit and begins to backfire and loses power. I'm also interested in what kind of motor this is. I have a 46 chev with a 216 in it. The old oil slinger. 45 mph and your looking for another gear. Is this flathead capable of cruising? Until it's drivable, I'm not sure what I have.

 

Take a compression test to get a baseline on how efficient the "seal" is in the 8 cylinders.No flathead that I know of(except stock32 Ford 1 barrel.) has a one barrel carb;should be a two barrel or else it's not for a Ford.Try more advance in the timing(advance is opposite direction of dist. Rotation).I have never had muck luck with the stock,dual point setup,but points should be in the .013-.014 range.When taking a compression test,make sure engine is relatively warm and throttle is block wide OPEN to maximize intake of air.

 

A pick perhaps ?
A -46 merc engine is nothing different from ford.
And not just to turn the dizzy on it.
It has to be setup out of the car if its the original dizzy.

 

Coupla simple checks for common problems first: When you get to the backfiring in high, keep going and slowly pull out the choke. If things get better, you have a fuel problem, probably crud from sitting around.
Also, still in high if check #1 produces no diagnosis, does the problem get worse and worse if you keep going? If so, you have a bad coil (or possibly condenser) that cannot take heat.

 

Thanks I'll give those a try