Projects Bought a 51 Ford on Purpose

Yeah I was in the bathroom and tried to return the call and left you a voicemail. So call me when you get a chance

 

@guthriesmith. Is that one of the NOS diaphragms? If it is definitely try a newer one. They are still made but, in some areas, hard to come by.

 

Well, it was leaking when I got it. So, I swapped for a “new” but old one that was still in a box. It was just some aftermarket replacement. Then, I tried a used older one. I think I just need to try an actual “new” new one. My local parts store can get me one Monday.

 

Definitely the way to go as far as reliability.

 

Tag…you are it. Left you a couple messages. I did give my son your phone number too. Oh, and the Galaxie they are picking up in Myrtle Beach is pretty dang nice.

 

Nice is an understatement it reminds me of a ‘51 Ford some guy just picked up

 

Well, seems I will have some rear window trim and a fuel pump tomorrow sometime thanks to @lostn51 and my son who is picking them up on his way home. And, if anyone sees a nice red 66 Galaxie with a white top on a trailer headed west on I-40, that is my youngest son and his friends.

 

Don’t forget the dead guy on the headache bar

 

LOLOL!!! I had to go back and look at the pic! I didn’t even notice that. Seems he has been riding back there a little too long! Wish the Galaxie was a year older so I could post the pic now!

I can likely post the dead guy?

 

Well, thanks to @lostn51 it is running like a champ again and the fuel pump is no longer leaking (for the first time honestly since I got it). It’s also the only clean part under the hood. So, I think I’ll drive to town and wash the muddy cat prints off from it sitting outside under the lean too…



And, looking at the trim for the back window that @lostn51 fixed me up with, I may actually be able to wiggle it in without pulling the gl***. Anyone ever tried that? I’m thinking one of those little 90 degree picks might let me sneak it in?

 

Well, so much for that. I think I have the fuel issue resolved, but questioning if I don’t have an ignition problem too. It runs like a champ at idle or revving it up with no load. But, as soon as I put it under any load, it starts stumbling hard. Just driving down my road, I made the call to not go to town but to drive around the neighborhood next to me. It’s running like **** not all that different than what it was doing on the interstate a couple weeks ago.

So, just pulled the distributor cap. All at least appears fairly new. My one concern is that the rotor probably moves 5 degrees or so back and forth on the shaft. Guessing that isn’t right?!?! It does have a little clip that takes up a portion of that movement, but still seems excessive from any other distributor I have messed with. Surely that isn’t how these are?

 

Hot dang we did it!! I forgot to ask you if you needed a dual action one which for some reason I have a bunch of and as far as the trim I’ve never tried to put it in with a pick but it’s worth a try

 

Tomorrow morning I’ll go out to the garage and see how much slop I have on mine. If I remember right I thought it was more than normal but I’ve slept since then so no telling. Are you sure it not grounding out inside of the distributor? There is a wire that is tucked in there that I have had to replace on a few. Please say you have Apple because if you do we can FaceTime and see if we can figure it out

 

Geoff, my money is on a fuel restriction SOMEWHERE. I am not savvy on Ford speak. Is there a screen in the carburetor inlet right where the gas line connects? Is there a rubber line between the tank and pump suction you HAVE NOT changed? Any filters any where that has not been changed?

Ben

 

I’ll check the fuel lines and check for any restrictions Ben. I also think this wire is very suspect…. It is the one that runs between the lug in the distributor that goes to the coil and the points. Guessing it was grounding out?

 

If that isn’t the culprit then it missed it’s opportunity I’m almost certain that is the problem

 

One can HOPE!

Ben

 

Well, not that it didn’t need that wire in the distributor, but pretty sure Ben @firstinsteele nailed it. There is no rubber line on the car other than right at the pump. But, I watched the fuel gurgling in the sediment bowl when I tried to rev it up in the shop and saw sediment in the bowl that was clean last night. So, pulled the filter going into the pump and shook all this stuff out. The tank does have a drain and I am considering dumping what is in it to kill the gr*** in the driveway…. This filter was also new last week. Seems something broke loose in the tank and is working its way through the line now.

 

This is what made it past that little filter.

 

Go Ben Go!!!

Well at least we have it narrowed down and yeah I would drain the tank and pull it off to clean it. And take the air compressor and blow the line out to.

 

My car sat for a few years and the ethanol ate the inside of the rubber fuel line making the same mess you are seeing. When you replace that line, get efi rated line and it will hold up to the ethanol better.

 

So…this is where I could just say that I got the tank emptied, etc. and all is good in the world again. Or, I could tell the truth about how when I drained the tank there was maybe a quart of gas in it… What a rookie mistake! But, it did force me to look over other stuff that likely would have also stranded me at some point. So…I am choosing to give thanks…with my tail tucked between my legs.

 

Couldn't resist. But thanks for actually updating your repairs as you go, it's nice to know what the actual fixes were. If it makes you feel better, I spent half a day this summer tracing wires and whatnot under a dash to figure out why the dash lights wouldn't illuminate (an issue for probably 20 years on this car) to eventually find out I had a burnt out fuse.

Also, I have the same anxiety about old rubber stuff, I spent $96 on a fuel pump kit for the Nash I'm working on just to have two new diaphragms in it. It's tough when the only two choices are questionable quality new item or aged-out old replacement.

 

The saga continues. Swapped the fuel filter and bought a couple extras. Still not running great. Seems like next is going through the carburetor. It was just seeping which seems normal for these, now it is leaking pretty good. Just now, it was idling great and all the sudden died. It’s like something is in the carburetor now. Anyway, I also need to just do a general tune-up too. It could use plugs, wires, cap, rotor, etc. Problem is, I was enjoying driving it too much. Now, I guess I need to get serious about going through some of what I know it needs. I actually have all new radiator hoses, thermostats, etc. that are also just sitting in the bag still. Maybe I’ll get energetic this weekend. I have been fighting some sinus infection **** for a couple weeks now and am also not running too good.

 

You might as well pull the tank and clean it and blow the line out. That way everything is clean and no excuses for it to be the fuel.

 

Yea, I keep looking for the quick fix so I can go drive. I need to just do that too while I’m at it. Just tired of everything in the shop needing work.

 

Yep I know the feeling I’m living it right now. At least I finished all of the stuff that I needed to do to the house and now I can focus on the hot rod.

You know as well as I do if you don’t clean the tank and lines then whatever is in there will keep running through the filters, pump, and carb and give you fits.

 

OH NO! SAY IT AIN'T SO!
Ben

 

Just a head's up that all of this will be in the float bowls, needles, and any internal filters inside of the carb as well.

 

I took a 90* gearbox and built a rotisserie for the fuel tanks on my 69 HD . Belted up an electric motor to it . It turned very slow . I tossed in some small nuts and bolts into the tanks , plugged it in and let it run for a few hours. Modified it to hold the fuel tank out of my SIL Bug . Got all the stuff knocked loose inside the tanks . Flushed them out and sealed them .