Hot Rods HELP: FLATHEAD Won't Start...What is the IDIOT Forgetting???

OK, I am having total brain fade on this today. When I got the '40 it started fine. After it sat waiting for brakes the 6v battery that was in it was dead and wouldn't take a charge. All I did was replace the battery and now it won't start. It's positive ground and is hooked up that way. It turns over but with no signs of spark/life. Using my spark plug tester it has spark when the starter is turning over. It was low on gas so I added a few gallons, but even with starting fluid-no start.

I am not familiar with the early flathead ignition/distributor/coil setup so I'll post pics of the parts that hate me today.

What is the dummy (me) forgetting?


What is this and why isn't it connected?

 

separate ignition switch maybe?

 

Kirk,
You didn't say how long it had been sitting waiting for brakes, weeks,months or years?
I thought this shit only happened to me! I would check the plugs to see if they were wet from cranking, before the starting fluid. Usually a engine will start on the starting fluid but I'd go easy with that stuff. I switched to wd 40 years ago. Is the spark a strong blue or a weak yellow? If your cheap like me- pull the plugs and clean them. Try a little of your wd40 WHILE cranking the engine. If it doesn't encourage you by trying to start it's back to the basics. Good Luck and watch your fingers

 

I last started it about 5 weeks ago at most.

 

you need four things to make an engine fire spark fuel ,air and compression
and some momentum helps to

so lets see
you have spark and you have momentum provided by your new battery

my forty always needs a little juice dribbled down the carby when i get home from being at sea the fuel pump dosent like to fill the dry carby on cranking speed

compression could be helped by half a tea spoon of oil down each spark plug hole but only it it is a very tired motor

timming: could some one have knocked or lent on the generator

forcing it down on to the dizzy knock ing the timming out
points closed up or burnt out theres a few things that can bite you good luck with your project Ian

 

put a wire from battery to dist, make it hot all the time, see what happens

 

Your screwed...... But I do have a SBC I'll trade you for that boat anchor.

Just kidding. good luck. I'm curious how this one comes out.

 

Next stop, the float. It just started and idled. As soon as I gave it gas, it died and won't start again. Now the battery is draining.

So it's on the charger and I'll be checking the float.

 

Checked the float. Not stuck. The bowl was nearly empty. Checked the fuel line and it's pumping strong after the filter (right at the carb).

 

Pumping strong might not be pumping volume!! Which is a blockage , or a short fuel pump pushrod....shouldn't have changed while sitting for five weeks though.
The float may well be free but the needle could still be stuck in the seat from gum and varnish formed when the fuel in the bow evaporated over the lay over... What carb? If it is a 97 you can just take the needle and seat out of the carb from the outside , 94 will require the top to come back off!!.

The loose wire in pic 1 is only a radio noise suppressor.

 

What will happen? ........ it will fry the points, the hot wire goes to the ignition side of the coil........distributor is a ground switch.

 

x2, good call

 

I was starting to think stuck needle as well.

 

Kirk
The accelerator pump (leather) is shrunk from sitting dry. Give it some time, it will come back (it likes to be wet )

 

Needle seems to move fine.

 

Back on the charger for the night.

 

my car did the same thing, turned out to be to much dirt in the tank clogged the pickup tube inside the tank. it would suck enough gas in the line to run for a few minutes, then it would clog up again and die.

 

It seems like if it was a clogged line it would still start with starting fluid in the carb.

 

how dose the motor turn over, if it turns slow the battery could be low or you could have a loose connection in your starting circuit,robbing voltage to your coil. i have a 36 ford truck that had a loose connection in the starting cir, tightened it up and solved all my trouble

 

ahh i thought you said it started now. sorry. have you checked the points? someone mentioned earlier that they might have gotten some buildup on them. also maybe when you changed the battery it fried something? ever think about converting it to external coil? speedway sells a kit.

http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Flathead-Coil-Adapter-Kit,12950.html

 

Most prefer to use spray carb cleaner...and yes it should start or try to run with a squirt of that. A second person there could actually keep it running on small squirts, even if the line was plugged.

So is it just cranking too slow to fire, or maybe needs the points cleaned to get a better spark? Can you pull a couple of plus to see if they spark good enough?

 

sand your points,

 

Try replacing or if possible, test the coil. I had a '38 Ford that had the same type of coil and they are known for breaking down internally. Symptoms would be the car running rough, or the car wouldn't start. I would install the coil, and the car started right up. Check your plugs. If they are black/soot colored, then you'll know for sure. I always kept a spare coil with me, just in case....

 

I had a model A that wouldn't start I changed everything still wounldnt start. Then i loosened the dist and wiggled it then tightened it up and it started on the first crank. Check all connections. Even if you get a spark it might be too weak.

 

I second the "check all connections" and don't forget the ground connection between the engine and the firewall.

 

Try bumping the starter with a 12v battery,
just use some jumper cables and tap the positive onto the starter positive post,
or onto the starter solenoid there.

Sometimes the 6v just doesn't have the turnover speed and the spark needed for a start,
especially if it's been sitting, they just get cranky,
and especially if its the old 450 ca (cranking amp) battery.

If it does start easier with the temporary 12v,
than get an Optima 6V red top battery-

They kick ass and last forever,
with 800ca/1000cca it gives the juice needed.
(tear up the old battery and make a fake cover out of it if you want to go resto-rod)

After that i'd invest in one of those mallory dual point ignitions,
they allow you to actually time the engine without removing the distributor,
and they are just a real solid piece, especially in a 6volt system.

Hope this helps.

TP

 

The condenser that is not connected looks like a radio noise suppression condenser that just helps get rid of radio interference not really needed to run the engine. Worry about it later if you have engine noise in your radio.

 

From your post it sounds like you are getting spark, is that correct? If so, I would start looking at fuel/carb as the problem. I've got a new in the box early fuel pump and a new 97, as well as some built 94's. If you want to start replacing some things let me know and I'll send them to you to try.

Doc.

 

Yes there is spark at the plugs. There is also fuel at the carb. It's spraying fine.

 

Is the framus aligned correctly?