F1 Flathead Won't Start

E

Eagle43

Senior Member
I've come to the point where I want to run the motor for the first time and park it outside so I can work on the box and the rear fenders. I had this motor running before putting it into the truck but now it just won't go. Some details. This is a 1952 F1 with a 1951 V8 flathead.
1. I installed a 8BA carburetor which I cleaned and rebuilt. I installed a hard line from distributor to the carburetor.
2. I installed a 6 Volt inline electric fuel pump as backup. I have a new mechanical fuel pump that worked previously.
3. I briefly run the electric pump to fill the fuel line and carburetor.
4. I tried starting it with 6 volt battery but it cranked over slowly but wouldn't fire.
5. I could get it running briefly using a 12 volt battery and pouring some gas down the throat.
6. I went for a tea break and when I returned the coil had blown up. I'm pretty sure I had left the key off.
7. I installed a new coil. Won't fire even with 12 volt boost and gas down the throat. Mechanical pump doesn't seem to be pumping any gas. Can an electric inline pump wreck the mechanical pump on a 239?

I'm fresh out of ideas. Any advice would be welcome and appreciated.
 
"I installed a 8BA carburetor which I cleaned and rebuilt."

Sounds like the fuel mixture screws may not set correctly. About one full turn on each will usually get it running. You have fuel in carb and spark, only one left is air (mixture). I believe that it has to be a carb issue. BUT....
I couldn't get my 239 running with a new distributor and after a few days I realized I had put the distributor in 180 degrees out. Fired right up and ran great for years after I reset it. DUH! "Enjoy the adventure". Please keep us posted. Chap
 
I don't think it's the carburetor. It started and ran briefly before the coil blew up. I turned the screws 1 1/2 turns out as recommended. It could be the new coil being defective or I have it wired wrong. Positive ground confuses me. I have the wire from the ignition switch on the minus post and the wire to the distributor on the plus.

My fuel pump is still not pumping and I wonder if running the inline electric pump broke something inside. It's a new pump that worked when I ran the motor on a stand before putting it in the truck.
 
I've switched the wires on the coil and it now starts with a 12 volt battery and runs for a short time until it's out of fuel.

I've taken the fuel pump off and confirmed that it does not pump by manually operating it. I've taken it apart and I can't see anything amiss. The diaphragm seems to be intact. I didn't take out the valves as I'm not sure how to do that or what to look for.
 
One way to do this from the top of a tin is syphon the gas hold you thumb over the end of the hose push is over your nipple on the pump or carb ,
 
I have the fuel pump out and have come to the following conclusions.
1. Installing the inline electric was a bad idea. I have them in my other two cars, a 1926 Chev Touring and a 1929 Whippet. They work well and have saved me a number of times but they have the vacuum cannister fuel pumps and there are no one way valves to worry about. I had an extra pump and thought it was a good idea to use it.
2. The fuel pump is broken somehow by forcing fuel through. The electric pump is able to fill the carb in seconds and then the carb leaks. Unless I can somehow fix the pump I'll need a new one. Does anyone know how to get the valves out to check them?
3. For those who are interested, the attached picture shows what the parts of a coil looks like after one blows up. What's missing is the black waxy substance that was splattered all over the fender.
 

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I wouldn't try to pull the valves just check that you have no cracks in the diaphragm ,reassemble and check the push rod travel should be 2 /10 ths or just over 1/4 " gap between the oil fill lower flange when cranked over .
 

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Thanks for the helpful responses. I took another close look at the pump and I think I figured it out. When I thought I was manually pumping I was not really moving the diaphragm which was bolted in too tight to move. The diaphragm is a pretty substantial piece of rubber and fiber material that has no stretch in it at all. So when I thought I was moving the diaphragm up and down I really was not pumping at all. To fix it I put in the bolts loosely, moved the lever up and down all the way to put some slack in the diaphragm. I then tightened the bolts. Now I can hear the pump sucking and blowing so I'm pretty sure it will work. Tomorrow I will install it and hope it pumps gas.

I don't know why it didn't work in the first place. I found a picture of my setup in November 2019 when I had the motor running on a stand and it was sucking gas out of a jug sitting on the floor so I know it was working then and I don't remember taking it off in between then and now.
 
often the length of the draw will affect performance just because it works on the beach doesn't mean it will work when installed 3foot is a lot different to twenty foot also check the installed height on the pump stand this can be a ***** if its wrong if its to high it will short stoke low flow and pressure its to low you can actual damage the pump and stand/cam as it will run out of stroke and bind up
 
I have the pump installed and it's working. It took a lot of cranking before the gas finally reached the carburetor. In an F1 the gas line is relatively short and not a lot of lift is required. Here are some pictures of the truck. I plan to start work on the box, the rear fenders and the running boards next week.
 

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Eagle43 said:
I have the pump installed and it's working. It took a lot of cranking before the gas finally reached the carburetor. In an F1 the gas line is relatively short and not a lot of lift is required. Here are some pictures of the truck. I plan to start work on the box, the rear fenders and the running boards next week.
Click to expand...
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