Will a Starter Heatshield Help?

I feel confident that the starter is in good shape - The engine when hot takes more current than when cold -- I re-read the last post from Vic Piano and he says that he hasn't seen a slow cranking motor ( hot or cold) not fire if the coil was OK.......Today I measured the voltage to the coil (a modern day 6 volt coil mounted on the intake). I had 4.5 volts going to the coil after passing through the under dash ballast resistor. When cranking the hot engine the coil voltage dropped to around 3 volts and I had little or no spark to the plugs.

For now I have by passed the resistor and have the full battery voltage going to the coil. This evening when starting a hot 200 degree engine and although it will barely turn over she will fire right up!

41Ford: The engine history: It was so called "overhauled" in the early 60's installed in the car fired up and driven around the farm for a few laps. The car sat in a barn until 2005. I pulled the engine down and although the cylinder bores had some light rust everything looked good. We cleaned the block up. honed the cylinders re lapped the valve seats - replaced a few that had rusted. Polished the crank - resurfaced the heads and deck areas. The guy that did the machine work checked the piston to bore sizes and I reassembled it. I don't know what the piston / bore clearance was.

I am running 30 weight oil.

Maybe I'll lighten up on the oil and put some miles on it as you suggested.

Thanks all.


Tom
 
Doesn't seem related but when things are hot and at the're most expanded due to heat the torque requirement to turn over will increase. This normally won' cause your slow turn issue unless you have a conductivity issue. You won't notice when cold as everything is at it's most contracted state and will turn easy as you have proven with your torque test, minimal ground will suffice.When hot the old fords always have grounding issues. I know you've cleaned locally but take it all the way back to your basic grounds. First rule you cannot have too many grounds. Check & clean from battery to chassis, same from fire wall to engine. I found a ground on one of my transmission mount hardware. They want a good grounds.
 
30 weight oil should do. As Tony suggests double check the grounds. There is a possibility the solenoid is going bad. It will take two people to test it. Hook up one end of jumper cable to the starter motor terminal. Attempt to start the car and have the second person touch the other end of the jumper the the BAT side of the solenoid. If the starter speeds up you have located the problem.
 
Back in "the day" when it was common to overhaul and engine, utilizing limited machine work experience/facitities, i.e. seat of the pants shade tree fitment, it was very common for the overhauled engine to be very hard starting when the engine was well warmed up.
An overhauled engine was generally ran for 500 miles using a light weight break-in oil at speeds not to exceed 35-40 mph. The break-in oil was then drained and refilled with 30w oil. This whole procedure was repeated when the engine had 1,000/1,500 miles, with the maximum speed limited to 45-50 mph..
I would submit that the problem herein is actually and engine that is set up a little tight. The problem will resolve it's self in a few miles.
In 1954 my wife to be had a '46 Studebaker Champ that blew a rod.. I pulled the engine, had it rebuilt by a local shop. I re-installed the engine, it ran great, however, after the engine warmed up it would not crank over.. Let the car sit for an hour or so, it would start right up.. My girl fried needed the car to get to work. It would start right up in the morning and in the evening at the end of the work day.. If she stopped on her way home from work the car would not start under it's own power..
After several weeks of being stranded my girl friend was at her wits end.. I finally traded cars with her. I drove the Stude to work for weeks, it slowly got better. We resorted to taking the car for long weekend drives.. By the time the engine had close to 4,000 miles, it would start right up hot or cold..
The problem here-in could be one of those.. If it ain't broke, don't fix it deals..
 
I'm with 41ford1 on the fresh engine issue. Experienced the same thing on my rebuilt 59AB until I got through the break-in period. Actually had to park on a hill after warm up to ensure it would start again. Also, I'd describe shut down when warm as "stopping in a heap", meaning it shut down quickly when the ignition was turned off vs. now when I'd describe the shut down as "normal". I went through the "replace the starter" routine to no avail.

Drive it at normal speeds. Try to avoid too much stop and go during the break-in period. Change the oil at 500K, and I'm betting your starter issue will be history!

Dick.
 
Oops!! Meant to say "change the oil at 500 miles"....at 500 K you will have rebuilt that engine several more times!!!

Dick.
 
Hi Tom,
I have experienced the same symptoms on my 35 recently. I found that the starter switch was faulty. I replaced it with an nos one and my starter 6 v flys along now. Check it out it may be a cheap fix. IMO
Dave h
 
A foot note about fixing my girl friends engine..
As it turned out, I not only fixed her car, I found she needed chassis work, so I fixed her "wagon"... Five kids later and 58 years she is still putting up with me and my '36 Ford, which I bought three years prior to the two of us getting together... :cool:
 
Blucar, I also love your story and the fact you've kept your Ford for 63 years....and even better that your wife still supports your hobby. My wife was the catalyst in getting our '39!!!

Didn't mean to steal your thread, Tom, so drive that car up and down the Silas Dean Hwy. there in Weathersfield CT and get those break in miles behind you!!!!!

Dick.
 
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