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EFV-8 Club Forum / General Ford Discussion / 1941 Ford unable to re-start engine & overheating

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Discussion Topic: 1941 Ford unable to re-start engine & overheating -- page: 1 2

RAK402A

04-25-2026 @ 8:34 AM

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I fought the hard starting when warmed up thing for years.

I learned what was causing it from this Skip Haney and this forum.

It was a combination of things...

1) Voltage drop from dirty connections-especially the ground straps to the firewall and starter cables.

2) Repro coils-even when brand new, when combined with the voltage drop from the bad connections these had trouble providing enough voltage for a good, blue spark when the car was fully warmed up.

Once these items were corrected, the car cranks briskly and will start when fully warmed up with no problem. I live in Southern California, where it gets very hot and it is still not a problem.

I take a Dremel tool with a soft wire brush to all the battery connections and grounds every two to three years now.

I will only use re-built coils from Skip Haney-no more repros!

As others have mentioned, a bad condenser can cause problems too (repro condensers can be bad even when brand new).

This message was edited by RAK402A on 4-25-26 @ 8:36 AM

marko39

04-25-2026 @ 4:56 AM

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is there something wrong with your radiator petcock?

nelsb01

04-24-2026 @ 7:44 PM

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If you have replacement hoses --- a hacksaw can be your friend.

pauls39coupe

04-24-2026 @ 5:35 PM

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Yes you can drain the block by removing the lower radiator hoses. Not a fun job if they are old and hard.

jrbrks

04-24-2026 @ 1:49 PM

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Another question:
Is it possible to drain the coolant from the block of the 1941 Ford V8 by removing the radiator hoses on both sides at the water pump??
The pipe plugs in the block seem very tight, and I do not want to bust off the head.
Will the water pump prevent the block from draining?
Thank you
Jim

kevinshea

04-20-2026 @ 1:00 PM

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I agree with Pauls39... check your spark, disconnect a spark plug wire and drape it near the block.. DO NOT HOLD IT. .. look to see if you have a nice blue spark jumping a 1/4 gap.. if it is white and weak, it is likely electrical .. check your charging system to see that you are getting full charge out of the generator, then look into your distributor (points/coil/condenser)... also, check your plugs to see of any are fouled as that may point to bad spark also.

how long had the car sat after the 300 miles? if these old cars sit for a while, weird things can happen.. corrosion, rust, things get stuck, etc

carcrazy

04-20-2026 @ 9:12 AM

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If the engine cranks over normally after a hot soak but the engine refuses to start, spray some starting fluid into the air cleaner to see if you can get the engine to start and run.

If the engine won't even try to start with the starting fluid, the ignition system is not working and you have no spark. The most likely cause is a bad coil that fails when hot.

Is the ignition system on your engine completely stock? Does it still have the coil that is mounted to the top of the distributor? This coil uses a resistor that is mounted on the passenger compartment side of the firewall under the driver's side of the instrument panel. This resistor may be failing when hot.

juergen

04-20-2026 @ 6:50 AM

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To check for a fuel problem, take off the air cleaner, look down the throat and use the throttle to see if the accelerator pump squirts gas. If not you have a fuel problem.

jrbrks

04-20-2026 @ 4:06 AM

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Thank you, everyone.
I will give these suggestions a try.
I appreciate the advice.
Jim

pauls39coupe

04-19-2026 @ 7:08 PM

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Check for a good hot blue/white spark. If you have a fail to start situation after a 5 min to ten minute drive, it is probably the condenser. If it fails after 15 minutes look at the coil. 90% of "vapor Lock " problems are electrical.
My bet would be to replace the condenser. They are cheap and easy to change.

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