HELP! My engine won't run & I'm going INSANE!

Texas Tom

Texas Tom

Senior Member
I am at my wits' end with my '36 Ford, and hope somebody has a suggestion about what I should do next.

While on a recent car club tour, the engine abruptly died while cruising down the road. I checked fuel system and found no problems. Checked for spark and there was none. Changed coils, with no effect. I determined that the electronic distributor (Pertronix) had failed, so I removed it and installed another Pertronix-equipped distributor. No change. So I loaded the car into my trailer and headed home.

Here at home, I installed new spark plugs and then put in a rebuilt (stock) points distributor. The car started ok, idled ok, but would cough and stall out the moment I depressed the accelerator any amount at all. NO POWER!

I then installed another stock points distributor and experienced identical symptoms. Then I reinstalled the electronic distributor, and got the exact same symptoms (start and idle ok, then cough and poop out upon the least bit of acceleration).

That led me to recheck the fuel delivery system. I removed, blew out, and reinstalled the carb. No change in symptoms. Then I installed another rebuilt carb, and got the exact same symptoms.

That seems to eliminate fuel as an issue.

This morning I changed the coil (twice) to eliminate it as a culprit. Symptoms remain the same. Then I cleaned the spark plugs (fouled due to all the starting/stalling) and installed a new coil-to-distributor wire. Symptoms remain unchanged.

It seems to me that I've eliminated fuel delivery, distributor and coil as possible culprits.

I have no idea what to do next. Something is wrong, and it's probably something quite minor. But I cannot figure out what it might be, and I am rapidly going insane as a result. This car has always run beautifully until this problem. Now it starts and idles but will NOT run.

If anyone has suggestions, I am all ears.

Thanks.
 
Check the flex line for breaks. Check the line from flex line to tank. You may have garbage in the tank blocking the line . remove the sender unit and look in the tank for debris in the bottom of the tank. Is the diaphram in the fuel pump OK? You seem to have already checked for the usual culprets in the ignition and carburator.
 
Why not try running a supply from a gallon can or similar direct to the pump. If it runs ok then the tank or supply pipes are suspect. If not, you have already ruled out the carb and ignition, so you must be looking for things like fibre gear teeth shredded. Actually as you state it failed suddenly, that would more or less rule out carb or ignition as they normally sort of deteriorate rather than fail suddenly, so a mechanical problem is more likely.
Mart.
 
Hold the plug wire to the head ,Is the spark is yellow or does it drop of while revving ,Run a hot wire direct to the coil from the battery .Report back .
 
what engine??....what carb?....mechanical fuel pump??....if you can get it idling again, shut it off and look down throat of carb and pump the gas hard...should see gas squirt down the throat, from the accelerator pump....could be you're not getting enuf gas to the engine to run above idle.....as others have suggested, suck gas from gas can and see what happens....Mike
 
I don't read anything about voltage checks anywhere, when cranking, on the coil or at the ignition switch, at the resister ( inside firewall ) If you do the jumper, batt to coil, and it starts, pull the jumper off. and what happens ?? Don't leave the jumper on, long... it will smoke the coil .............OLD...BILL
 
This sounds more like an electrical problem than a fuel/spark issue. You need to check the resistor under the dash. It sounds like the current draw heats up the resistor and breaks the circuit. You also should check and clean the ignition lock brush to insure that you get a good circuit. If you have replaced other parts and the symptom has not improved that is not the source of the problem.
 
Sounds like about everything has been covered except a good old fashioned compression check. Don't give up the ship. You'll find the problem if you persists and use sound troubleshooting methods.
 
im with the others, its an electrical problem, but in doubt take the time to pull the top off the carb after you start the engine and it idles for a little bit, turn off engine and then check if the float chamber is full of fuel, if so its not a fuel problem, like was said earlier, run a hotwire, a full 6v to coil, if it keeps running then find out what is wrong from the ignition to the coil
 
I had a similar problem. My engine would only run for a few seconds. I went through and replaced everything: fuel and electrical with no luck. I checked the valve timing. It was fine. I finally disconnected the exhaust from the manifolds and it fired right up. I had a plugged exhaust system. I heard a hiss coming up from the carb top. That made me consider I had a back pressure problem preventing it from running. Mike
 
Problem solved!

PROBLEM SOLVED!

After checking every possible item involving fuel tank, fuel line, fuel pump, carburetor, ignition switch, coil, distributor, wiring, etc., etc. at least five times, the culprit turned out to be horribly retarded timing. The timing plate was set at the midpoint, so I assumed that the car would run decently at that position. Advanced it as far as possible and...problem solved! Car now runs like a Swiss watch.

Proof once again that one should ALWAYS check the easy stuff first. I hope I've learned my lesson this time.

Thanks to all for your ideas and suggestions.

Texas Tom
 
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