Need help on eletrical problem

Is there a 6volt ballast resistor and a 12volt ballast resistor? or are they one in the same.

David Zigler

 

The battery is good I had it tested and charged. The starter was a six volt I just found out when I took it off the car. Should I put a twelve volt starter in it, I have heard of people keeping the six volt started in because it turns the motor over better, but you can only start in for ashort periods of time? The people I bought it from started to convert it to twelve volt, but when under the car it looks like it sat for a long time. I think I should take off the gas tank and clean it out and check all fuel lines. Do you think this is a good idea? Also is there a 12volt ballast resistor or is it just a ballast resistor for both 12 and 6 volt. Your help would be greatly appricated.

 

you need a 12 volt ballast resistor between the key wire and the coil +. There is no 6 volt ballast resistor... For the starter just have a 12 volt solenoid mated to the 6volt starter and it should be fine.

 

That's basically correct. I converted my 52 8N tractor from 6 to 12 volt, and let the 6-volt starter in place. Since I only turn the starter for a few seconds to start the engine, it's never a problem, and the 12 volts of juice really spin the motor quickly.

You need to try and determine everything they did.

I highly recommend it. If the car sat for several years with fuel in the tank, or even just in the lines, the gas can turn into varnish, thick as peanut ****er. I would drop the tank and have it vatted (radiator shop can do that for you), and check the fuel line. Sometimes varnish can settle in a low part of a fuel line and plug it there.

I've never head of one that handles 6 and 12 volts.

 

My oil also smells a little like gas and when it runs it smokes pretty good?
David

 

I have a ballast resistor on the coil. and the rope inside is white so it is not burned out.

David

 

either you're flooding at least one cylinder or your mechanical fuel pump is leaking into you crankcase...

 

Does that mean my fuel pump is bad? When I release the two screws on top of the fuel pump air is released before the fuel is released

David Z

 

Just my take on this, I have done this to both my Hudson & my 52 Chevy which had sat for a fair bit of time before I got them: droppped the tanks & had them boiled, replaced the fuel pumps (the diaphram will dry out, then tear, allowing fuel to get into the crankcase & not giving you good fuel supply to the carb), stripped, inspected, cleaned & rebuilt the carbs, did a basic full tuneup on the car (timing, points, plugs, wires if they look bad), inspect whole brake system, flush, clean or rebuild anything that needs it, and change all fluids (oil, coolant, etc..). Rather than fight little things, step back and take a GOOD look at the car, what was done to it, how long it sat, figure what you may need to UNDO that others have done, and realize that if you get it to run rather than just idle, you should still give it a damn good going over before driving it around. Sorry I'm not closer or I'd come over and go over the car with you, I had a similar problem with my Chevy and just made myself take the time to go over the car properly and address all its key systems (this was is a very clean un messed with car & I still had issues with it). It is still 6 volt, it fires right up, everything electrical works great on it. If you want to keep heading the 12 volt route, be sure to do it right, research what it takes to properly convert the car and be ready to plunk down the money to do it ( you will need at the very least: 12 Volt generator & voltage regulator or an alternator, 12 Volt coil, ballast resisitor, 12 Volt starter solenoid ( the starter motor can be retained but don't overcrank it!), plus you will need to address your gauges, bulbs etc... If that car has sat for any lenght of time ( 6-8 months or more) without regular use, I would replace the fuel pump & filters, have the tank boiled ( about $75-$100 where I am), try to flush out the fuel hard lines while the tank & pump are removed, and do a FULL tune up on the motor as you have no idea what the previous owners did, or did not do to it...I have found that most tune up parts can be had at my local NAPA, including a fuel pump, or try The Filling Station as they are on our coast, are good folks, and ship to Cali FAST......Again, good luck with it & glad you want to learn & try figureing it out on your own hook...

 

I had a 51 Ford truck than ran great until I once ran out of gas. After that it behaved exactly like you describe. I pulled the fuel line off the bottom of the gas tank and found a big gob of rust and ***orted debris. Enough gas could seep by to idle and drive slowly, but go past 25 MPH for 30 seconds and it died. Cleaned it out of the line and tank and all was well.

When I ran out of gas the junk that had been drifting around in the tank all got concentrated in the tank's fuel outlet and plugged it up, instead of clogging the fuel filter every 2,000 miles or so. Fuel filter stayed clean after this, too.

Easy and cheap to check.

 

Thank you everyone for the advice. You have got me heading in the right direction.

David

 

Do you have the 2 chamber fuel pump ("double pumper")? if you do, the top chamber is a VACUUM pump for your windshield wipers. Not for fuel. If you have fuel in there then your seals are bad. Arizona Vintage Parts had a rebuilt one sitting on his shelf for me. He might have more or can rebuild yours. (800) 433-9977.

Mark

 

If you get the starter fixed, pop the distributor cap off and have someone turn it over while you watch to see if the rotor turns. If it doesn't turn you need a timing gear. My moms 51 Chevy ate a timing gear at 55 mph and we coasted to the side of the road. It was a common problem back then too...1960ish

A 6 volt starter will work fine until you get a no-start problem like you have and you grind and grind it. I'm experienced at that too. Mine was a flathead.

 

I believe it is a one chamber fuel pump, because my windshield wiper tube it connected to the carb. It is a rochchester single barrel

 

Then its probably ****ing air from the line going back to the tank.

 

I don't understand. Can you tell me a little more to help me better understand. Thank you
Dave

 

Your fuel pump pickup line has to be stuck straight into the gasoline in your tank. If your tank is empty/low or there's a hole or break in the line, your pump will **** air instead of gas. The air will rise to the top of your pump bowl and eventually stop any fuel from getting through. If you have one of those gl*** filters on your carb you'll see the fuel boiling (bubbling) if this is the case.

Mark

 

I think your engine is getting flooded. Do you have an electric or mechanical choke on the carb? When it dies, pull your plugs to see if they are wet. This is why it takes so long to restart. The plugs must dry first. They are probably shot from gas saturation now.

 

I have a mechanical choke on the carb. When it dies I have checked the plugs and 1-3 seem to be wet. How do I stop it from saturating the plugs?

David Z

 

check compression on those cylinders.

 

Ignition prob fer sure if it is a clean cut off. Be sure that the coil is seeing less than 12 volts while the car is running or it will burn up (does not apply to race pieces). In a perfect world the coil will see between 6 and 9 volts while the car is running....you need a ballast resitor or resistance wire in series with the hot wire on the coil. And for sure get a new condenser if running points....KT

 

what brand of plugs are in the car?

 

bousch platinum

 

Thank you for the reply I want to learn this car. I am 24 but, have a love for older cars. I can see this is definetly a learning experience for me.

 

I gfeel the best move is too drop the gas tank and clean it out and check all fuel lines and fuel filter and have the carb rebuilt. And even the head rebuilt. Does anyone disagree? Also, does anyuone believe the muffler can be the problem?

David

 

ENJOY....
and spend $2.50 on a new condensor. a dud condensor will let a car idle all day long until it gets warm and breaks down under load.I had a buddy break down interstate and it cost him $hundreds on getting a major tune up, carby rebuild at 2 dodgy bros. garages. The further he drove the worse it got.. he did make it home and in the end all the engine would do is idle and break down at anything above 1000 rpm. guess what it needed???

 

for the $10 its gonna cost you,try some ngk brand plugs,if you got wet plugs, your fuel supply isn't the problem,its somewhere in your
ignition.I've had cars towed in that have bosch platinum plugs in them fouled out beyond firing,I throw a new set of plugs in and it fires right up.Sure you may have other issues, that were metioned.But here's my theory,the car idles with no problem due to there being no load on the engine, once more fuel is introduced, the plugs begin to foul,that is why they are wet.The bosch plats. electrode is covered in insulation(ceramic like white part) and the electrode only have a small area to fire from, where as a ngk type plug has the electrode wide open allowing it to fire from a much larger area,this allows it to fire while some of it may be getting saturated with gas.As you said earlier, you pulled the plugs out and 3 were wet, so whatever your direction I personally think dropping your fuel tank and checking lines isn't the proper direction.

 

To drive along puts more load on the ignition than just idling. If you have the 6V coil, you need a 12V one. If you have a 12V coil that needs a ballast resistor you need a ballast resistor.
One scanario that would explain the behaviour is the coil overheating. This will happen if you have a 6V coil, or a 12V that needs a ballast and does not have one.
The other is fuel starvation. Plenty of good advice above.

One other one, though, is the HT side of the ignition. I had a rotor arm that was bad, it leaked the spark back to the distributor shaft once the engine had warmed up.

Mart.

PS you might want to check the link in my signature - I have some items useful when you've converted to 12V.

 

Mart...
""PS you might want to check the link in my signature - I have some items useful when you've converted to 12V.""

did we miss something?

 

well... since plugs are easy to change - try that first. years back I had a jag XJ6 - put bosch platinum plugs in it - when it heated up - it barely ran.... put regular plugs back in - never had a problem again...

AB