~~~Hauled home a 41 ford And already hate fords more~~~

man you bet your ass I will, I have just been too busy to work on it lately, I got out of the marine corps, in april, and man do i miss that paycheck! so work has been taking up all my time, but im going to go tink around with it tomorrow morning,thanks for your help man, I appreciate it! and yes i agree napa is a savior! and they do seem to hunt down parts more than the other two jack off stores!

 

Did you get an accurate compression test yet? No compression = no bang.

A coil is a coil. If it sparks at the plug, the coil should fire the engine. May or may not have issues running under load or prolonged running, but should fire the engine, anyway. Assuming it has enough voltage applied to make a hot enough spark.

Sounds to me like you have spark, but it's too weak to fire the mix. 4 volts probably isn't enough, and if you are dropping to 4 volts, it is likely you are not cranking fast enough to start, either. Unhook the vehicle wiring harness from the ignition system and starter. Get a ballast resistor for a 12 volt system (like the 70s Mopar ones mentioned). Hook a 12 volt battery to the starter with a hand held remote starter button and run thru the ballast resistor to the ignition to get 8 volts there. Now it should spin like mad and have a way hotter spark (squared I think with double the voltage).
If you can get 45+ PSI per cylinder, it should start (or at least try to start) now assuming you have the timing close and the mixture close. If the choke is not fully closed, hold it closed. Also, The car has been sitting, and the fuel in the tank may be NFG. Although you did mention gravity feeding the carb, and I would assume that was with fresh fuel in a can, but I have learned to never assume things like that. I have had some truly smokin' deals in my day, buying cars that had been left to sit and then they couldn't get it to run, and only had to add fresh fuel to make it run...
I don't know what normal cranking compression is on a Ford flatty. A fresh late Caddy flattie is only about 55-65 PSI up here at high altitude and starts right up. I have seen cars start at 45 PSI, but usually 30 PSI is not enough, but that is OHV stuff and I am not sure how different a flattie is.

Flattie dizzys have a funny points setup that can cause issues with consistant spark. 1 spark every 5 or 6 revolutions per cylinder won't get it. I have very little flathead experience, but with the multiple points setup on the Lincoln V12s I have seen a cracked Bakelite insulator cause the spark to be too erratic to start the car, even though the spark looked strong on the spark tester. A timing light used while cranking should tell that tale pretty quick.

Fuel, air, spark, compression, timing. Everything has to happen, but it has to happen at the right time and in the right proportions. Wrong fuel mix = no start. Wrong timing or too weak ignition system or compression = no start. I don't know how easy it is for a Flattie to jump time, but it is surely possible for some previous guy to have assembled something wrong. Don't assume anything.

 

yeah, what I said three pages ago.

 

They must pay marines differently than army guys, if you miss that paycheck...
But the easy way to get hot rod cash is to take a 4 credit hour night class at the local vo-tech. $570 a month from the GI bill plus financial aide (which should more than pay the tuition and fees, unless your parents are filthy rich). Plus, you will learn more in one class with a good teacher than most folks learn in 10 years of shady-tree work, and have access to pro equipment (and often get shop prices on your parts) for working on your rod as a bonus. And, when you get stuck, you probably have an old-timer retired pro mechanic on tap for brain-squeezing for vintage troubleshooting tips.
Just a suggestion
Or go for the pro status - UTI and Wyotech will kiss your butt to get veterans on their list, then throw you to the dealership wolves on graduation. The high end OEMs go nuts for vets in their free (to you) post-grad programs. When you get bored with that, you can quit your 6 figure job as the youngest but best diagnostics guy at the dealer, and do hot rods for a so-so paying, but much more entertaining, living. Not that I speak from experience or anything.

 

man that was quite a response, I was a Corporal in the marines e-4 married with socal bah and my checks were 1,880 every two weeks! as far as the wrneching for a living goes, I think if i do it for a living i wont want to come home and do it, but you make the whole mechanic idea sound easy, i will soon start dipping in my gi bill, and maybe I'll do that thanks for the info, as far as the car thankfully there was a bung on the bottom of the tank and it was pulled a long time ago, so when i got it I blew out the lines and ran 91 through it. I think we will re check the points and timing when we get the new coil.....here is out to do list



1. buy some marvel oil and pour a lil in each cylinder
2. rebuild fuel pump
3. rebuild master cylinder
4. put on the new coil, and distrib caps, and recheck the timing
5. hook it up to my jeep put it in 2nd and drop the clutch, and hope for the best!!

 

hey man know where any decent 63 or 64 deville's are??

 

Not to get too far off subject, but for those, you should go here:
http://groups.msn.com/196364CadillacCommunity/the63and64cadillacclub.msnw

Having fun with a 429 is fun in and of itself. I have a '63 drivetrain in my '60.

~Jason

 

sweet that will be my next project!...off to go work on the 41~

 

I know where there is a '65 2 dr. Owner actually has asked me to find a buyer, so I should get it up on the classifieds. Not a cherry, but all there, runs and drives, with solid desert floorboards.

 

not a fan of the 65's but if it were cheap enough maybe!

 

First year for tilt/telescoping wheel!

Too thick for my '60, but for me they're a ready source for cadillac emblem seat belts!

~Jason

 

Wisconsin tags? It runs on beer...

 

Saw this in this thread - thought it was appropriate:

Rebuild flathead without removing from Car?
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=274073

 

If i were a chevy guy, i would pull the flathead out and replace it with a 350/350TH combo. I'm sure you can find somebody to come pick up that worthless flathead.

 

LOL!

I just drug home a Merc one tonight!

~Jason

 

i get such mixed comments about this flathead half say pull it half say leave it, no in between opinions, what are the major downfalls of the flat head, are they really as bad as i hear about constantly breaking

 

I think they are one of the most reliable engines out there. If you wanna cruise it and have fun, leave it. If you wanna jump in it and smoke the tires all day long yank it and put a lame SBC or something in it. Flatheads are awesome, but they are not for eveybody. If you do not understand how to work on them/treat them, you will hate them....

 

Obviously, Your old Ford needs nothing more than somebody that knows a wee bit about mechanics, Sell it, It'll probably start with in 10 minutes of tinkering for the new owner and then go buy another super reliable '84 Cavalier for your stable.







.

 

i got the 41 running today pulled it and got it to fire up smokes alot but hey its sat since 68 so thats to be expected messed with the timming and carb all day and then the fuel pump gave out, so im gonna rebuild that and start over again, i did have alot of white smoke but i think thats due to the mystery i poured into the cylinders burning off, thatnks for all your help guys i'll keep you updated




moefuzz, go fuck yourself!

 

LOL!! That was funny as hell....

Sorry.


Thanks for the update! Lets see the you tube vid!


Cheers and beers
Hodge

 

damn dude i was so excited to hear it run i didnt even think about that thanks for reminding, me the camera was even sitting in the car, maybe if you guys hear it you can give me some advise about the timing! I'll get some vid up in the next couple days! ............good call dude!

 

one more question, pretty soon im going to tackle the exhaust system on the car since it is almost all rusted away! I plan on running the stock exhaust pipe and route but what kind of muffler perform/sound well on flatheads?? ive heard from a lot of old tymers, that just a single glass pack gives it a nice little rumble!??

 

by the way for all the guys who have said keep the flathead in the car, i have decided to listen to your advise! a small block in a coupe would be cool cuz a coupe is more of a hot rod, but mine is a fordor and just doesnt have that hot rod appeal!

 

Dude, back in the day, they hot rodded EVERYTHING, not just 2 doors. My dad has a 4 door plymouth, 47 vintage. Bored, stroked, twin carbs, Glass packs. It sounds like a mean v8, even though it's a flatty 6. When guys here it they ask him what motor he put in it, he says "None, original flat six" they dont believe him til he pops the hood.

Keep the flatty, they are damn sexy. there aint enough O's in cool for a flatty.

Run a glaspak, with a small exhuast tubing, preferably THICK wall tubing. I promise it will sound like a monster V8 motor boat gurgling in the water.....nice.

cheers and beers
Hodge

 

sounds good man thats what i was leaning towards as far as exhaust! , do you have any vids of your dads ride I love those years of plymouths!

 

Congratulations!

I'm just curious ... why not convert to dual exhausts? Look good, sound good, more power?

 

Yea but will it start

 

Say hey to your 'ol man for me, I worked with him at the lab for alot of years, good guy and he's told me alot about you. I noticed on your tag line that we have practically the same fleet, mine are a 27 ford roadster, a 65 c-10, and a 74 Blazer. If you want to keep the car but lose the flathead, let me know, I'd love it.

Dave

 

Glad to hear you got it running!!! Looking forward to that video!

 

rustyford40
yes it will start now on its own power without pushing it or even spraying fluid down the carb


Dave!!! wow small world yeah my dad said good things about you! said you were a gear head too!!! right on, my 63 c-10 and blazer have gotten pushed off to the side for now, but i'll get back on them soon, the k5 only needs plugs and wires, but its just a time and money issue!

'Mo
i might we will see when i roll under the car, if duals are easier then thats what i will do!