1947 convertible

C

cabrioletgalaxie

Senior Member
Question:
New to the V8 world and have been enjoying my '47 convertible this summer.
On a trip Sunday the car suddenly started running poorly, like someone turned a switch. I stopped and found a plug wire had popped off.
Started driving again and it did the same thing but this time the plus wires were fine. I pulled all wires off and crimped them to tighten the fit on the plugs. The car ran well for another 20 mins and then it ran poorly and this time quit.
Upon inspection I could find nothing wrong. It would turn over but and fired once but would not run. I live in Maine and the temps were in the 50s so do not expect vapor lock.
Sediment bowl was full.
I had it towed home. Haven't done anything else to determine cause but suspect it's electrical.
Any suggestions on where to start looking?
 
coil, condenser, wires, fuel pump, fuel filter, pluged fuel cap, restricted fuel line, just a few possibilities.
 
Is it the original coil? Or has someone converted a it to a remote coil. Skip Haney rebuilds coils, search this forum for his info. Also Tubman on this forum sells condensors that should last you a long time.
 
As the other guys have said it's likely ignition. If it were mine, not knowing the past maintenance of the ignition system, I'd have the distributor tuned up and timed, change condenser and check the coil.
 
Will it start now that it has set a while? Coils will start to act up when they are hot and then work again when cooled down (as will condensers). Replacing the condenser would be a fairly easy first check. If that is not the issue I would suspect the coil next. Having the distributor rebuilt and checked out is a good idea as well. Several members here on the Barn provide that service. Not sure, but think Skip might do distributors as well as coils.
 
corvette8n said:
Is it the original coil? Or has someone converted a it to a remote coil. Skip Haney rebuilds coils, search this forum for his info. Also Tubman on this forum sells condensors that should last you a long time.
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47 would be remote coil from the factory.
 
RalphM said:
47 would be remote coil from the factory.
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Yes, remote on the coil and the distributor cap is the "rabbit ears" unless switched to a crab. I'm betting on the coil and or condenser, particularly to J. Seery's question above if it starts once it's cooled down.:rolleyes:
 
Thanks for all the educated thoughts. To answer some of the questions I replaced gas tank (sheets of rust inside and sediment bowl looked like I was running Jack Daniels), blew out fuel line, replace fuel pump and rebuilt the carb though I did not use the reworked Power Valve that Charlie suggests. Bought and installed a rebuilt coil (remote) done by Skip.
Correct distributor. This car had undergone a full restoration but have no specific details.
It did not start after it sat for several hours, turn over yes, but won't fire. I did loosen gas cap and tried it but did not fire.
I think I have a new condenser which I will try tomorrow.
I'll keep you all informed as to how I do.
 
cabrioletgalaxie said:
Thanks for all the educated thoughts. To answer some of the questions I replaced gas tank (sheets of rust inside and sediment bowl looked like I was running Jack Daniels), blew out fuel line, replace fuel pump and rebuilt the carb though I did not use the reworked Power Valve that Charlie suggests. Bought and installed a rebuilt coil (remote) done by Skip.
Correct distributor. This car had undergone a full restoration but have no specific details.
It did not start after it sat for several hours, turn over yes, but won't fire. I did loosen gas cap and tried it but did not fire.
I think I have a new condenser which I will try tomorrow.
I'll keep you all informed as to how I do.
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Just to make sure your carb bowl is full before you try to start. Takes plenty cranking over to pull fuel through and fill the bowl to enable engine to fire up.
I have experienced this problem.
Phil NZ
 
Have you checked for spark to the plugs? If not, just remove a plug wire from the spark plug, attach to a used plug you have laying around (or remove one from the car). While cranking the engine, with ignition on, you should see a spark from the plug when touched to a metal service.
Spark should be bluish. If spark is yellow, you may need a new coil and/or condenser.
If spark is bluish, your problem is probably fuel related. If no spark at all, you may need to look at the dizzy.
Good luck,
 
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If you can organize your trouble shooting in an "elimination" style, then you will know if a certain part is ok and not the cause of your problem. Going in and replacing several parts at once, may solve the problem, but then you will not know if those replaced parts were any good. I would suggest going one step at a time. Enjoy the journey and the satisfaction that comes with solving the mystery.
 
cabrioletgalaxie said:
Thanks for all the educated thoughts. To answer some of the questions Bought and installed a rebuilt coil (remote) done by Skip.

I think I have a new condenser which I will try tomorrow.
Click to expand...

After installing the new condenser, if the 'no start' condition persists, I would check fuel flow. The new tank was a good move but the crud in the old lines may be haunting you.
 
OK, the coil in my car is a Skip rebuild.
I did blow out the fuel line from engine compartment to the end of the line at the tank. Seemed quite open but still worth checking again.
And yes I make only one change at a time and then try to start after each time.
 
FortyNiner said:
Do you have a fuel filter in the line?
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Great question. Also, do you have the original style fuel pump or was an electric installed by the PO? If not, you may wish to install one at some point for reliability. That is, of course, you are not restoring this car to original.
 
Update: Checked for spark at the plug wire and nothing. Replaced coil, no change. Found I had 6V at the ignition switch with switch on, but it dropped to 4.5V at the coil.
Since I had installed a Columbia 2 speed rear this past summer I decided to take the wire connection off the back of the ignition switch just to make sure I had not compromised the wiring. In the process found that red wire terminal on the back of the ignition switch was very hot, hot enough to burn me. It was only hot with the ignition switch in the on position.
I have not got into the distributor yet, that is next. But I am not sure what could be going on in the distributor that could cause this issue.
 
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