34 flathead runs need some expert opinions

34 fordor owner

34 fordor owner

Senior Member
Good afternoon, I had a previous post of me chasing a no start issue. I finally got it to start after figuring a little order of operations:
No throttle, quick full throttle out, catches on and starts, shove throttle back and play with pedal to keep it running.

I am linking a video below for anyone to watch and come back and let me know what y’all think. It hasn’t started in 20 years so I was expecting it to be very rough. It backfires at times when trying to start it and if you watch the video close a bit of smoke comes out of the carb at initial start. I think the exhaust is clogged somewhere because for it to be sitting so long and not smoke out of the tail pipe doesn’t seem right. It might not be firing on all 8 either.

https://youtube.com/shorts/IoX2yrhBzO8?feature=share

Watch the video for me and come back and give some position on what to attack next.

Thank you all!!
 
Check your fuel pump screen on top of fuel pump. Open tank fuel cap, blow air back through fuel line/carb cleaner into tank. Make sure you have fresh fuel. Carb is probably dirty also. If that doesn't help, check compression in all cylinders. Make sure all plug wires are good, you have spark, need fuel and compression to go. Good luck
 
This problem could be several things but do make sure your exhaust pipe and muffler are not clogged up first. Remove several spark plugs and see if they are wet with fuel. If not wet then there might be a fuel delivery problem. Check spark at a couple of plug leads by taking lead off spark plug and hold 1/2 inch away from a head stud nut (not the plug terminal) and crank over, should have a strong blue spark. Laid up cars can have distributor contacts corroded some what and dist would have to be removed to check on these. Of course your carb could be gummed up from old fuel residue, might need a dismantle and check over. Better if someone who knows these carbs does this job and same with the distributor which needs special knowledge. Testing is the key to isolate this fault. Do one thing at a time. Regards, Kevin.
 
Neat car! Put some load on it. Drive it for a bit. Engines don't like to sit and they loosen up a bit with load. You can't tell much about a car idling in a garage.


Might just need to loosen things up. Sticky valves sitting. Look up pouring mmo down the carb and driving the crap out of it. It will loosen things up. Oh course if you hear knocking stop. Use your best judgment. There will be other things for certain.



Nice car!
 
it was suggested in your earlier thread to do a compression test...Have you done this?
 
Check the compression before and after driving it for a bit. There is no magic bullet. It will take time. Drive it would be my suggestion now. You can bench test an engine sitting in the garage. You will eventually need to drive it. By no means an "expert" but have had a few.




.
 
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Listening to the video sounds like you've got some stuck valves. Upon looking back at your previous posts, you were told last year to do a compression test. You ask for 'expert ' opinions, yet fail to take notice of the excellent advice you've been given. Performing a compression test will immediately tell you so much information, which you can then report on here and get the 'expert' advice you seek...
 
Brian said:
Listening to the video sounds like you've got some stuck valves. Upon looking back at your previous posts, you were told last year to do a compression test. You ask for 'expert ' opinions, yet fail to take notice of the excellent advice you've been given. Performing a compression test will immediately tell you so much information, which you can then report on here and get the 'expert' advice you seek...
Click to expand...


Compression test results are as followed:

1:33
2:32
3:34
4:30

5:32
6:none
7:34
8:30

This was a dry and cold reading. Number 6 cylinder had no compression at all, dead. This where it’s backfiring I’m guessing and why it’s sounds a little rough. Was not expecting that at all.
 
Probably a stuck valve in #6. With compression that low in 7 cylinders, you will being doing well to get it started at all. If you can get it started, slowly drizzle a pint of MMO down the carb throat while jazzing the throttle to keep it running. There is a fair chance that will unstick the valves. However, after running without firing, the plug in #6 may be fouled so that it will not fire, even if compression is restored.



Try this after the MMO treatment. Let it run at slow idle and with a screwdriver short each plug to ground. Each time you should hear the rpm drop off just a little. If any plug does not cause that rpm drop, that cylinder is not firing. Be sure you actually have spark to that plug by removing the wire from the plug and see if it will jump a blue spark about half in inch to ground (cylinder head). If the spark test is good, replace the plugs on non-firing cylinders with new clean ones and try again.



Once you get it running on all 8, take it out and run it pretty hard. If that goes okay, recheck the compression, hot. If the compression on all cylinders is above 65 PSI, you can drive it. If not, you will soon need a ring and valve job. Clicking or tapping noise is okay, rapping or knocking sound upon accelerating means drive as easy as possible to the garage where you can pull the engine.
 
34 fordor owner said:
Yeah I guess so. Wasn’t looking forward to a full rebuild right now could there be any chance I could run it some and get it to come to life or anything?
Click to expand...

"This car has been sitting since 2001 and I’m trying so hard to get it started!!"

Given that it has been sitting idle for 21 years, if you can keep it running for awhile, you should drive it and it should free up some for you...

Do the MMO drizzle as described above...
 
drolston said:
Probably a stuck valve in #6. With compression that low in 7 cylinders, you will being doing well to get it started at all. If you can get it started, slowly drizzle a pint of MMO down the carb throat while jazzing the throttle to keep it running. There is a fair chance that will unstick the valves. However, after running without firing, the plug in #6 may be fouled so that it will not fire, even if compression is restored.



Try this after the MMO treatment. Let it run at slow idle and with a screwdriver short each plug to ground. Each time you should hear the rpm drop off just a little. If any plug does not cause that rpm drop, that cylinder is not firing. Be sure you actually have spark to that plug by removing the wire from the plug and see if it will jump a blue spark about half in inch to ground (cylinder head). If the spark test is good, replace the plugs on non-firing cylinders with new clean ones and try again.



Once you get it running on all 8, take it out and run it pretty hard. If that goes okay, recheck the compression, hot. If the compression on all cylinders is above 65 PSI, you can drive it. If not, you will soon need a ring and valve job. Clicking or tapping noise is okay, rapping or knocking sound upon accelerating means drive as easy as possible to the garage where you can pull the engine.
Click to expand...


I do have spark to #6 I checked this before trying to start yesterday. I believe the cylinder is not moving at all but I will try this MMO trick. I already have fresh plugs in all eight cylinders and all are pretty foul just from about 3 mins running yesterday. #6 plug though does not look like it has fouled at all.
 
34 fordor owner said:
I do have spark to #6 I checked this before trying to start yesterday. I believe the cylinder is not moving at all but I will try this MMO trick. I already have fresh plugs in all eight cylinders and all are pretty foul just from about 3 mins running yesterday. #6 plug though does not look like it has fouled at all.
Click to expand...
I would ALSO add at MMO to the gas tank, IF you have a full tank I would put at least 1/2 a bottle of MMO in the gas (maybe the whole bottle the first shot). Once (and IF) the motor starts to free up, I would run another, at least 1/4 of MMO on the next fill up of gas. From then on I would keep a bottle of MMO and each time you put fuel in I would estimate at least a cap full of MMO per gallon of gas every time!!!! The initial pour of MMO I would let sit a day or 2 before you run it again....be prepared for smoke when you do!!!!
 
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rockfla said:
I would ALSO add at MMO to the gas tank, IF you have a full tank I would put at least 1/2 a bottle of MMO in the gas (maybe the whole bottle the first shot). Once (and IF) the motor starts to free up, I would run another, at least 1/4 of MMO on the next fill up of gas. From then on I would keep a bottle of MMO and each time you put fuel in I would estimate at least a cap full of MMO per gallon of gas every time!!!! The initial pour of MMO I would let sit a day or 2 before you run it again....be prepared for smoke when you do!!!!
Click to expand...


Put MMO in the gas tank and the carb and let it run and I could here a miss in the exhaust let it run and feed MMO to it in intervals and the miss started to clear up some. Sounds better today than it did yesterday. Still backfiring some but that comes from the stuck valve. Let this MMO do it’s job and I’m sure it will be good. Also started today on first try no fight. I will post the videos for everyone to see shortly!
 
Hello! I'm very pleased to hear the old girl running. To be honest, it doesn't sound too bad.
First thing I would say is that your compression reading sound like a misreading or wrong method used. If they were that low I don't think it would run at all.
It might be worth removing number 6 plug and observing the valves a the engine is cranked over. If it is the exhaust valve that is open, it might be possible to carefully tap on it to close it. The exhaust valve is the one under the plug hole. If the inlet is open then it might still be possible to get it to move. It depend on if it is stuck or STUCK.
Second observation is that the engine only fired when you released the start button. This might be an indication that your battery is low or the voltage to the coil is being pulled lower than normal during cranking.
Last suggestion. Please post your video in landscape and not as a short. The content of the other videos that come up as shorts are not something that appeals to me.

You've done great, though, just getting it to run at all is a great achievement.
As other have said, being able to drive it would do it a lot more good than just running it in the garage. Is that possible?

Well done.

Mart.
 
I have had good luck using an allen wrench thru the spark plug hole to drive a stuck valve down. Soak it good with your favorite juice, try to drench it so it will get down the stem, and try to hit the valve in the center of the head so as not to bend it. Not too violent, repeat several times and may come to life. Your motor is worn out, but firing on all 8 might make it more fun to play with now
 
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