36 Flathead Troubleshooting

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CRAIGTERRY

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Looking for a sage to provide some schooling

Engine ran fine, pulled due to slipping clutch, replaced clutch and reinstalled engine. Engine runs like crap, clutch works great.

Idles fine but have no power. Pretty sure we’re not firing on all cylinders. Will check by pulling plug wires one at a time and see if it impacts the idle.

Vacuum gauge says we have either late valve timing or vacuum leak. Not even sure where to begin.

Would really appreciate any constructive suggestions.
 

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Ordered some new plugs, recently rebuilt carb. I’ll check it out as well. Have you ever hooked up a remote starter switch, I tried today and couldn’t get it to work. Seems simple enough, hooked a lead to each side of push button solenoid and nothing.
 
Switch has to ground the solenoid. I was thinking of my 39, 36 may not be the same.
 
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Do you have the firing order correct? Are your points set ? Guessing you’re still 6 volt pos earth . Since you rebuilt the carb Id check that first , possibly a vacuum leak or blocked jet .
 
'36's don't have solenoids from the factory; they have a "step-on" direct contact starter switch on the floorboard.
 
There isn't a right way. You need an electrically operated solenoid. Then the remote switch can pull in the starter.
 
Have you checked your fuel line connections? When you pulled the engine to get to the clutch - you had to disconnect the electrical and fuel.
If the engine now runs but badly, it could be that you have air leaks in the fuel connections.
That could be your "idles fine but have no power"
 
I’ll check the carb. It’s really weird since she was running fine, just a slipping clutch plate. Pulled the engine, replaced the entire clutch assembly, reinstalled and now she’s running like this. The only change made, put in pilot bearing, was missing. Now plugs are fouled and vacuum gauge is in the red.
 
Did you leave carb and distributor on the engine when you pulled it? If so, maybe float in carb got hung up? If distributor removed, changed timing?
 
Following up on neslb01, the flex line from the hard line from the tank at the cowl to the fuel pump? Those have been known to develop air leaks. The existing one had to be disturbed/handled during the R&I and it could be part of what you're experiencing. Got a spare one of those to try?
 
VeryTangled said:
Following up on neslb01, the flex line from the hard line from the tank at the cowl to the fuel pump? Those have been known to develop air leaks. The existing one had to be disturbed/handled during the R&I and it could be part of what you're experiencing. Got a spare one of those to try?
Click to expand...

Yep left everything in place, just pulled radiator and disconnected wires.
 
VeryTangled said:
Following up on neslb01, the flex line from the hard line from the tank at the cowl to the fuel pump? Those have been known to develop air leaks. The existing one had to be disturbed/handled during the R&I and it could be part of what you're experiencing. Got a spare one of those to try?
Click to expand...

I’ll check it out - it’s new, replaced last year.
 
You can just jump the starter. The stomp starter is just a manual switch vs a solenoid. You just have to tap the lead to it to wire in a solenoid temporary, if you want a button.


I usually read what people say and disregard it. Then post another thing to see what happens.


Are we talking about a bank of cylinders? Left/right? Or random?


Could be distributor or cap, probably not timing.
 
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If running on the outer two cylinders on one bank and the middle two on the other bank it points to carb problems, probably a blockage in the jet.
 
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