Early Ford V-8 Club Forum

EFV-8 Club Forum / 1940 Ford Discussion / Funny looking distributor

Reply to Discussion | New Discussion << previous || next >>

Posted By Discussion Topic: Funny looking distributor -- page: 1 2     o2bnkc 04-06-2021 @ 4:21 PM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 48 Joined: Mar 2021 Thanks for all your replies. This discussion has morphed into two threads on here. I am going to keep it on the other thread under "Car is running rough". Please go there and school me. I need the advice. Thanks. A Proud Navy Vet This message was edited by o2bnkc on 4-6-21 @ 4:22 PM TomO 04-06-2021 @ 7:28 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 7243 Joined: Oct 2009 Let's start over. Have you checked the spark for about 1/2" of blue spark at idle when the engine is at operating temperature? if you have good spark, you might have some debris in the fuel tank. Check your fuel delivery. Use the procedure below as it will show most deficiencies in fuel delivery. To check fuel delivery, you need a graduated 16 ounce or larger container to determine the amount of fuel delivered in a measured time. Disconnect the fuel pump line from the carburetor and direct it into a graduated container. Crank the engine long enough to get 2 ounces of gas in the container and then continue cranking for 15 more strokes of the pump. The pump should have delivered 6 more ounces of gas. If you don't get the additional 6 ounces of fuel, the most likely cause is the flex line, followed by the line from the tank, plugged pickup in the tank or weak fuel pump. If the car passes these tests in the driveway, then take it out for short drives around the neighborhood. If it acts up, pull out the choke half way to see if it improves. If it does improve, you probably have debris in the tank. If it does not improve, check the spark while the car has the problem and also operate the accelerator linkage while looking down the throat of the carburetor to see if you get 2 strong streams of fuel from the accelerator nozzles. One of these tests should point you in the correct direction. Tom ford38v8 04-05-2021 @ 5:21 PM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 2735 Joined: Oct 2009 Your coil adapter conversion looks funny, agreed, but as you have replaced both coil and condenser without improvement, let's move on to fuel supply for the moment. Sooty plugs can indicate a rich mixture, but you've had to use the choke to keep it running at times, which shows the opposite. Two opposite conditions, and maybe some trial and error solutions gone sour! Start from scratch on fuel: Check your gas cap for venting. You may create a vacuum in the tank that prevents fuel flow. If not sure, just leave off the cap altogether and see if the issue continues as before. Next, what sort of fuel filter do you have? If a glass bowl as part of the carburetor, that's all you need. Additional filters may restrict flow. Open the fuel pump to check for debris that can clog the check valves. This entails removing the top and looking inside. Replace the top, carefully preserving the gasket, and snug the screws without excessive torque. If a glass bowl filter, that cork gasket is critical also, must be wetted with oil to soften, and gently tighten the bale to prevent air intrusion. There will usually be a couple of tiny pieces of debris, but not much more. Lots of debris indicates rusty fuel tank. A tank with less than 1/4 full will have a tendency to offer up debris from the bottom. Top it off for a temporary solution if that's the case. You may blow air through the line back to the tank to dislodge debris within the line. While on fuel pump, replace the flex line leading to the pump. It may look good on the outside, but deteriorated on the inside. Get a fuel resistant flex line from Bob Shewman, who advertises in the V8 Times. Get the one with no check valve. Check fuel delivery from the pump by removing the line to the carburetor, directing flow to a Qt bottle, ignition OFF, crank the engine: You should get a good strong stream/off/stream/off... into the bottle. Enough for now, do nothing anywhere else, as to do so may confuse the issue with differing symptoms. Alan o2bnkc 04-05-2021 @ 2:02 PM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 48 Joined: Mar 2021 I found the resister on the firewall, but I don't see any wires going to it. My coil has 6.37 volts going to it with the key on. A Proud Navy Vet This message was edited by o2bnkc on 4-5-21 @ 2:19 PM alanwoodieman 04-05-2021 @ 1:29 PM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 864 Joined: Oct 2009 your carb float is stuck or your power valve is leaking, take the carb off , put it on a block of wood with a paper towel underneath, then fill carb full of gas thru the vent hole-watch to see if gas leaks out. o2bnkc 04-05-2021 @ 10:11 AM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 48 Joined: Mar 2021 Ok, here's what I did. First I ordered the same setup as is on there now. The adapter kit with the remote coil. I installed the new remote coil and the new condenser. It still didn't fire up. I replaced the sooty plugs and it fired right up. I took it for a short spin. After about 15 minutes of cruising around town it did the same thing. Sputtered and died. It did this for a few times and finally it wouldn't start at all. My friend came down and we towed it home. I finally got it started, but I had to hold the choke out to keep it running. I usually don't even need the choke to fire it up. When I pulled one of the plugs to see if I was getting a good spark, (I was) it seemed pretty black for a plug that had just a couple of miles on it. It fired right up this morning. I have the original style (new) coil that is sitting on my bench. I was going to use this as a backup. I haven't checked the points yet. Do I have to do anything special before I pull the distributor off and check them? Do I have to do anything special before I put the distributor back on? Another thing. I bought the car in Los Angeles, but I live at 5500 ft. Could it be the carb setup? Thanks. For some reason I have this going on two discussions here. Sorry about that. A Proud Navy Vet ford38v8 04-04-2021 @ 11:37 PM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 2735 Joined: Oct 2009 OK, we need to pull all this together now. You've posted your picture of the aftermarket coil adapter, you've said you have a new coil coming from C&G, you ask about resistors, and we out here are a bit confused as to exactly what you have installed currently. Our advice is only as good as our understanding of what you are working with. Please update us with currently installed equipment and currently experienced problem. Alan ford38v8 04-04-2021 @ 10:39 PM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 2735 Joined: Oct 2009 6 volts for the coil you now have, as it has an internal resistor. An original coil for a ‘40 has no resister, so it is located on the firewall. When you have a Skip Haney coil, a test may be made with the points closed, which will show about 3 1/2 volts. An open circuit will show the full 6 volts. Alan o2bnkc 04-04-2021 @ 6:42 PM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 48 Joined: Mar 2021 I tested 6 volts at the coil. This is too much? A Proud Navy Vet o2bnkc 03-29-2021 @ 10:18 PM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 48 Joined: Mar 2021 Thanks Alan. A Proud Navy Vet

<< previous || next >>

PAGE: 1 2

NOTE: YOU MUST BE A REGISTERED USER AND BE LOGGED IN TO POST (and reply to) messages in this forum. If you are a first time user, please click the CREATE A NEW ACCOUNT in the masthead above to register and Log In. After that, all you do is LOG IN to enjoy using this site.

DISCLAIMER: The V-8 Club does no independent testing of any of the opinions, thoughts or suggestions presented in the website on the Forum, in the Tech Tips section, or any section. A reader should consider the website to be a forum wherein differing solutions to a particular set of circumstances may be discussed. Ultimately, the selection of an item for an individual's vehicle must be based upon the independent study of the vehicle owner in consultation with people in the hobby and restoration experts.

EFV-8 Club Forum Home | Back to Home Page | Contact the Webmaster

Copyright © 2009 - EFV-8.org
Powered by < CF FORUM > v.2.1