1935 Ford Cranks Doesn't Start

H

Henry Ford IV

Member
It did start about 5 times. Then, the next day it didn't start. i replaced the coil with a known good one from Third Gen. I got a new condenser from Third Gen. Here is my question. Do you think it won't start because I have no ground at the engine? When I touch the coil wire with a multimeter and then put the other end of the multimeter anywhere on the engine or frame there is no voltage. If I get a long wire and touch the coil wire and starter switch on the floor in the cabin I get 6 volts.
 
Do you have voltage at the coil and condenser? You could check to see if the points are opening and closing with your voltmeter if it is analog style. You should see the needle bounce. Kind of a PITA with the helmet style distributor. Your condenser should ground to a bolt on the timing cover.
 
I must have voltage because the coil wire is live, but only when I check it by grounding it to the starter switch in the cabin. If I check it by touching any part of the engine or frame it doesn't show any voltage.
 
first thing...i would go over, in my mind, everything that had been done to the car in the intervening five days, and if anything even remotely was done to anything involving electricity to the car...that's where i'd start looking for the source of the problem.
 
It could be a bad connection in one of the leads from your battery. Try using your jumper leads and connect black lead to the ground side of your battery and the other to a good ground on the engine.
If that doesn't work connect red jumper lead to both ends of the other battery cable.
 
If the engine had no ground there would be no spark. The voltage at the coil terminal varies from battery voltage to about 3.5V depending upon if the distributor points are closed or open=6.5V
If you suspect no ground add a temporary ground wire (#12 AWG) to the engine and see if you then have voltage on the coil terminal and spark.
The battery + is connected to the U-joint cap bolt.
 
I don’t believe the starting motor would crank if there wasn’t a ground to the engine block.
 
Henry Ford IV said:
I must have voltage because the coil wire is live, but only when I check it by grounding it to the starter switch in the cabin. If I check it by touching any part of the engine or frame it doesn't show any voltage.
Click to expand...
This does not make sense to me.

At the floor starter switch, where are you touching your probe? Are you touching the body of the switch? Or the outgoing cable post to the starter? Or the incoming hot cable post, which then would be feeding voltage to the coil.
 
69a (And Terry and Zeke) THAT WAS IT!!!!! I ATTACHED A GROUND FROM BATTERY TO ENGINE AND IT STARTED RIGHT UP!!!!!!!!!!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!
 
I don't know. I had the ground running to the transmission bolt. It always cranked. Started at times too. The trouble all began when I cobbled together a new resistor/fuse holder. Made it out of rubber with metal inside, some sort of gasket something or other. Direct short! I looked up and everything was smoking. New wiring. It did start after that. When I finally got the temerity to look at the wiring weeks later it was all bare near the resistor, burned cloth cover. I taped the wires and then my problems began. Sometimes power, sometimes not. Started. Wouldn't start. Replaced the distributor and condenser. Didn't start and that is where I am at. Long story, ends up I goofed it up of course.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top