Hard Starting 1940 85 HP V-8

mike42

mike42

Well-known member
New starter.....new plug wires.....converted to an alternator.....new carb.....fuel pressure regulator with electric fuel pump......when cold or it has sat for a half hour.....immediate start with half crank of engine. Purrs like a kitten and is really a nice running ride !

Stop and turn it off.....even after a short ride of 5 minutes.....not over heated......try to restart.....will crank but will not fire. Let sit for 1/2 hour.......bam....starts immediately....purrs like a kitten and a sweet ride.

What the hell ?

I've heard it may be condenser, coil....points, whatever !

Any ideas or has anyone had this problem before.

Many thanks

Mike Mead
 
Ted....I ordered condenser, coil adapter kit and coil along with all that is need to tune up.

It runs so sweet that I know the points are okay as well as rotor and distrib caps, but I bought everything anyhow. Just to have at the ready.

I thank you for your reply and will have condenser by end of the week.

The adapter kit eliminates the "old" coil built into distrib. When you unbolt old coil ....does it just pull out ?

Thanks again Ted.

Mike
 
The old coil does pull out after you unscrew the 3 screws and condenser bolt or screw, Skip Haney rebuilds the stock coils .Thank you also for your show of gratitude ,
 
Last edited:
OK......took out the old coil and condenser. Installed an adapter that let's you use the "round cylinder" type coil. Installed a new resistor. Still a little hard to start until it cools down a bit, but it's a lot better. Anything else I can change ?

It's so strange, as when it's running it's really smooth !

Thanks

Mike
 
next time, change one thing at a time to try and alleviate the problem. would have tried the coil first and then if same symptons, then would have tried the condensor. wouldn't have taken the both off at the same time. makes it harder to diagnose what the problem is..
 
Send your old Ford coil to Skip and put that part of out of the way. Also get a IH-200 condenser from Napa. Sounds like it may have been the coil but it could be the float level or power valve flooding the engine. A bad coil causes a weak spark which makes it harder to ignite the gas, the hotter the coil gets the weeker the spark becomes. Try a few squirts of starter fluid next time it happens. Starter fluid will fire a little better with a weak spark than this new gas. G.M.
 
I had a problem with mine same thing.
I found that when changed over to 12 volt( I guess your running 12 volts)
They forgot to remove .5 resister under dash at 2 amps x.5 you lose 1 volt under dash.Some thing to check.
 
Thanks to all of you for responding. I am still running 6 volts. The Carb is a rebuilt I just bought from Carpenter. I'm mailing out the old coil to Skip tomorrow for rework. Also....I will buy some started fluid today.

Again...thanks to all who are helping me out with this.

It's driving me nuts !

Mike
 
When Skip gets through with your coil you can not get you finger off the starter button fast enough. I've had him do alot of them for me and what a differance. Walt
 
Thanks Walt.........I hope that does the trick now. I'll know in 10 days. Packaged it up today and mailing in morning.

Mike
 
ok-ok......starts right away when cool either in the morning or when it sits for 10 minutes or so. Took it out today......75º weather ...drove 20 miles and turned it off. Will not start ! Waited about 10 minutes and it started and I took off for home. 15 miles into getting home it "COMPLETELY" quit running and I pulled off to the side of road. Lady Sheriff stopped to help and we talked a bit.....hit the key and it fired up and got her home. (The car...not the Lady Sheriff) Any possible ideas at all ?

Thanks

Mike
 
Mike it sounds like the same problem as the one I have been dealing. Starts good when cold but after driving for a while and shutting it off she doesn't want to start back up very well. Yesterday I had to have my kid bro tow me home because she would not start at all. but while he was towing me I put it in 3rd gear and she fired right up but would only idle. If I touched the throttle she would die. This has been driving me nuts. I dont trust to drive my car any where any more. Ill keep my eye on your post and maybe I can get mine figured out also.
 
Bige386.....I have replaced almost everything I can think of. I just put on new coil and carb. When it starts up cold it really runs great ! I have the same feeling.....don't want to go to far away anymore. It's a bummer, as it's such a nice ride !

I'm having the old coil updated by a guy in FLA. We'll see what that does.

Mike
 
Tinker.... he said it may also be a condenser too, so I bought the one he recommended which is a IH-200 from NAPA. It's already installed. Storm going through right now so I'll check it out later. Coil is sent and it will be back next week he said. Geo. Haney in Punta Gorda.

Lucky Ford Guy.....what was your final resolve on yours ? What did you change out ?

Thanks all...

Mike42
 
Two years ago had persistent trouble starting and continuing to run at idle. Replaced the usual parts with little improvement. Bypass of the resistor, which was new, helped. Went to my collection of distributors and picked a crisp candidate and cleaned it up. Timed it with the two ruler method recommended by Ford for later two bolt units and my troubles were over. You may have the diving bell style. Car now runs quiet and sure with 87 octane and just enough retard to take the shimmy out of the advance. Good luck: Fred A
 
Last edited:
thing to check if it happens again and won't start.....is it cranking, but not firing??....check spark....if no spark, then my guess would be condensor....maybe coil.....hopefully Skip will have the answer for you....good luck....Mike
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top