shoebox starting issues

pogobill

pogobill

Member
I've been enjoying my '50 Ford for a few years now. Never had much of a hitch with anything until lately.
One issue I've always seemed to have is black oily looking exhaust discharge. It leaves a good mark on the ground if I rev up the engine a little. Can this be a carb issue?
I've also had trouble getting the car running after sitting for the winter. I've tried to fire it up a number of times and although it will seem to eventually fire intermittently, she just won't catch. A blessing in disguise I figure, as I checked the oil again after a few days of trying it , and it seems the oil has been displaced by gasoline!
Never seen this before! Have I just flooded it so bad that the gas has leaked through the ring and into the pan! Can't think of anything else. Any thoughts on these issues would be appreciated.
The majority of my mechanical expertise is in the art of purchasing spark plugs and oil filters. Other than that, I can find these things a bit of a challenge.:rolleyes:
Cheers
Bill
 
Sounds like a carb rebuild is in order, remove the plugs, clean and dry them, them put a small amount of oil in each cyl, replace the plugs, and if your points are firing like they should, it will start right up. It will smoke like crazy for a few minutes, but will clear up, but the discharge you speak of at the exhaust, you might try running it harder and longer.
 
Thanks for the responses. The car is totally original in it's make up. No electric fuel pump or such, still 6 volt and those equipped with those wandering bias ply tires! I figured that the carb may be part of the problem, just can't figure out where the engine oil went!
I have her up in the air right now, so once this snow event has blown through, I'll drain the oil pan and see if I do find some oil in there.:confused: I should try and tune it up and get some plugs and points into it. I also change the oil and filter yearly so that needs to be done as well.... especially if there is gas in the oil.
Seeing as I have your attention.... and I do appreciate it.... Can you guys tell me about the transmission? It's a three speed, no overdrive. where it the world do you check it / fill it, and what goes in it. Do I have to pull the carpet up and get at it through the floor? If I remember correctly, my '54 F100 had some trap doors in the floor for the brakes and the battery.... not sure about the ******.
 
While you are doing the tune up I think it might be a great time to run a compression check on that engine just to check on the status of your rings and valves. It's not a complicated procedure if you have a compression gauge and you are going to be pulling the spark plugs anyway. Experience has taught me that a compression gauge and a vacuum gauge are your friends.
 
Frank Miller said:
Ruptured diaphragm would not pump but if he's running an electric with it that is a good possibility.
Click to expand...
I'm not sure of another way to get fuel into the oil pan. It's is not coming from the carb (at least not anyway I can think of). Not saying there is not another source of the problem, but just that I don't know of another way to get fuel into the internals of the engine . The fuel supply lines should be completely separate form the internal parts of the crankcase except for the fuel pump diaphragm.

Anyone else have any ideas?
 
If gas has been leaking into the cylinders, then the rings will be washed dry
and you won't have much for compression, so before you do a compression
test, pour some oil in each cyl, and turn the engine over by hand a few revs
with the spark plugs out.
Then put the plugs back in, and when you do a compression test, make sure
you open the throttle so it can suck air into the cylinders as you are testing it.









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I wouldn't crank it over anymore till you change the oil and filter and find out why the fuel is getting in there. Anybody think it could be float? If he's been trying to start repeatedly, would it get enough fuel in it so he thought it was all gas?..... Mark
 
flatford8 said:
I wouldn't crank it over anymore till you change the oil and filter and find out why the fuel is getting in there. Anybody think it could be float? If he's been trying to start repeatedly, would it get enough fuel in it so he thought it was all gas?..... Mark
Click to expand...

Nope.
 
Would there be a possibility that the fuel would wash the oil off of the dipstick as I pulled it out? Like would the gas be less dense than the oil causing it to sit on top of the oil?
I use premium gas so that I can stay away from the ethanol crap.... and I put a little fuel stabilizer in it as well seeing that I don't use it every day. Hoping that will keep the carb nice and clean.
 
Might need to drain the oil to see what is really going one. Never heard of premium gas not having ethanol, is that so in some states?

I have seen small bock chevys fill the crankcase up with gas, same problem with the fuel pumps.
 
Well, you know if it's on the internet it has to be correct!:D

Ethanol in Premium Gas?

There is a difference between states on whether premium gas specifically has ethanol in it or not. Or, more correctly, whether it's required to have it in it. Two states in the Union, Missouri and Montana, have specific exemption to allow ethanol-free premium gasoline. So if you live in one of those two states, you can be thankful.

For the rest of us, we are faced with the unpleasant reality that the refineries are all but tied into putting ethanol in premium gas. This is because they have to use the ethanol to raise the octane level of their gasoline blend in order to satisfy the higher octane requirements of premium. This is one reason why you don't get better gas mileage with premium gas, because an essential part of that blend is a component that has less energy and forces the gas mileage down simply by nature.

So don't get fooled into thinking you can escape ethanol's grasp simply by paying more and getting premium gas.

Note: No idea about Canada!
 
The ethanol answer for Canada (I think!).

"Thank you for contacting Petro-Canada Customer Service online."

"Ethanol is only present in Petro-Canada Regular Clean 87 Octane (10%) and Plus Clean 89 Octane (5%). Petro-Canada SuperClean 91 Octane gasoline does not contain any Ethanol."
 
JSeery said:
Well, you know if it's on the internet it has to be correct!:D

Ethanol in Premium Gas?

There is a difference between states on whether premium gas specifically has ethanol in it or not. Or, more correctly, whether it's required to have it in it. Two states in the Union, Missouri and Montana, have specific exemption to allow ethanol-free premium gasoline. So if you live in one of those two states, you can be thankful.

For the rest of us, we are faced with the unpleasant reality that the refineries are all but tied into putting ethanol in premium gas. This is because they have to use the ethanol to raise the octane level of their gasoline blend in order to satisfy the higher octane requirements of premium. This is one reason why you don't get better gas mileage with premium gas, because an essential part of that blend is a component that has less energy and forces the gas mileage down simply by nature.

So don't get fooled into thinking you can escape ethanol's grasp simply by paying more and getting premium gas.

Note: No idea about Canada!
Click to expand...

================================================



J, we have ethanol free premium fuel at many stations in the upper
mid-west states. It is available at many towns in MN.
See a partial listing below:
https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=znsgYoe75Go4.kR1tqRRr2_ls&hl=en_US









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I have 92-octane gas without ethanol available 1/2 mile from here. Only problem is it's $4.00/ gallon.
 
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