Guess this can be a newbie question... Been driving my 54 235 for the past month without any problem. Today on the way home she trickled out at a stop light. She would turn but not crank. Battery was fine, temp fine, oil fine. At first I was thinking it was the fuel pump, because the gl*** bowl even when it was running was always low and NEVER comp filled (which Ive heard isnt that big of a deal). Then i realized there is a leak on the seal to the carb. Sprayed some starter fluid into the carb and still nothing, matter fact, dont think the spray even helped at all. Cranked prob about 15 times just wearing down the battery every other minute. Finally around the last crank it started up slow but stayed in. Filter showed plenty of gas going to her, and I can hear the gas spray in carb jet. Got her home, and no chance to really tear her down because I had cl*** (which im in). Guess my question here is what do yall think? Always look to hambers for support. The cheapest option right now would be carb rebuild, which Ill most likely try when I get home. After I got her in the garage, turned her off, then on and she started up again like no problem. Luckily it happened only a few blocks from the house. Thanks...
you might have to elaborate a bit. What does it mean "she would turn but not crank". Where is "the leak on the seal to the carb"? - is it the mounting gasket? Fuel inlet?. When you say "finally around the last crank it started up slow but stayed in" What does staying in mean? Sounds like a starving fuel problem, but they description is really vague......
Sorry,,, was in a rush to get that in before the comp died. The starter would try but would not start. Then finally it would start from what looked like no help from me, and stayed running. After I drove it back home, turned her off, then on again and she ran like nothing was wrong. The leak is from the gasket on under the air horn/mainbody. Its like a thick oil substance, dark brown (want to say fuel because thats were the float is). That was my first guess was fuel starvation, I was worried it may of been the fuel pump, thinking its the carb. Sorry about the quick vague description.
Looks like im going to just go with the rebuild for now and see how it goes from there, but still feel free to helping me out on what you think it might be.
Sounds like vapour lock, was it a hot day? If it does it again, pour some water on the fuel pump and gas lines.
No I had started her this morning, warmed her up, went less than a mile to the auto store, came back and thats when it happened. Ran a total of less then 5 min after warming up.
What sort of a thick dark brown substance should be coming out of a carburetor? A leak is a vacuum leak and gas leak. That makes hard starting. Low vacuum and leaking gas = flooding causing hard starting. ?
i think your going to need to do better describing your problem..both descriptions are vague, and with out enough solid line of thought.
My descriptions are very vague. The leak is obviously fuel, just in that dirty color. The leak is from the bowl and horn. While I cant believe it could be a vapor lock it has symptoms of it. However, right now in Austin we are in mid 60's and the car had been only driven before it happened maybe 5 min. The main issue was re-starting it. Finally after about the 15th crank it started. Drove it home and let her idle, seemed normal. Turned her off, turned back on (without a problem) and let her idle, which also seemed normal. Then I had to leave. When it wouldnt start, the starter spray seemed to have no effect on it. Almost like it just wanted to start when it felt like it haha. Although the gl*** bowl filter never seems to fill up or even close, I dont think its the fuel pump. Let me know if this helps at all.
hey bro, check your fuel filters also look into cleaning the **** outa your carb. if you have any settlement in your fuel lines it could be causing your needle to stick. rebuilding the carb is never a bad idea and those single barrel yf's are cake to do. Also like oldbuzzard was saying fuel leaks are normally the first thing to look at. when it is running spray starter fluid all around the carb and see if the idle picks up. this is a saign of a sure fire leak. make sure when you rebuild it you clean the nine hells out of the carb before you put it back together. while you are at it put an inline filter in (or change your existing one) and take your gl*** bowl one apart and clean it. I would check your fuel pump if that does not solve it... keep us posted!
Exactly what Im going to do. Im just a little unsettle because when trying to start the starter fluid had no effect at all. Just went back out there and she started up with no problem, but has a up and down idle. Just going to sit back with the carb and rebuild it. Ill keep yall posted. -Any other opinions may help Thanks Alot yall
Trouble shooting 101. When something quits do several things. 1 pull aircleaner work throttle while looking down carb, See any gas squrting in? If so ya got gas. 2 pull coil wire out of cap ,holding it 1/4 " away from engine crank engine over with key on. Got spark? if so do the same with one plug wire. Got spark? When somrthing just quits without funny noises etc. it is usually one or the other. Helps to know which. Armed with the knowledge of what you are lacking then start looking for the cause. Being you said it did not try to fire with starting fluid that would lead one to believe it is electrial. Symtomes [sp] like that it could be a coil or condensor. Before yanking anything apart look down the carb with it running ,do you see gas dripping inside there. At idle you should not see any drips. Excess fuel or a vacuum leak will cause a unsteady idle.
That also was in my mind, it being electrical because of no help with spray. Once I got it started, I drove off and for some reason the gauge jumped to Full Charge, it is usually right between the D and C.
If I got the story straight............Started out cold, then died, wouldn't start for a while, then started and restarted, cool wet air, cl***ic symptoms of carburetor ice.
Just got done with the carb rebuild. Was not too hard at all. Thought that it may of fixed the problem, but dont think it did. She started up fine, idled fine for 5 min, I turned off. Then wouldnt start back up again, took like 7 trys before it started again. It just cranks but no go, real wishy washy, sometimes right up, others not. All the plugs are fine, just replaced them two weeks ago. Wires to plugs seem fine also.
Just filled her up few days ago, havent heard or had any problems with gas from them. Don't think its the problem, gas is getting to carb, starter fluid doesnt even make a difference.
Did u check the valve and ignition timing, perhaps your timing gears are shot and it jumped on you? It would be really hard to start and have much less power, just a thought! If ok, then possible vacuum leak, or vacuum advance is leaking or not working.
I agree with HOTDAMN... If you've not changed the tank or the original lines, there's a ton of ****ty build up sitting in there... Drove my Ford for a couple years and could never keep a carb on it, before rebuilding entire fuel system. If she's running one minute, not the next... The Filter is probably one of the first places I'd check. Those inline jobs can clog pretty often if your still pumpin **** through the lines. Good luck.
Gas tank is less than 6 months old, lines are new, filter is brand new. I know the carb is getting clean gas. Im leaning towards electrical such as timing or something. When she does start up however, its like nothing is wrong, then sometimes she just doesnt want to start even after being warm.
Try running the engine from a gas can. Run a line from the gas can to the inlet of the fuel pump and start up and see if it runs any better. If so u then know it is behind the fuel pump. If still bad, then check the fuel pump pressure, if ok, then starting to look like ignition, or as I mentioned timing of some sort. (Did u run a compression check yet?)
Check spark when it refuses to start! Might have a cracked disty cap! (Best way to look at it is at night to see creeping sparks)
(Did u run a compression check yet?)[/QUOTE] Nope, was the next thing on my list... Along with those points...
Right after you shut off the engine and you remove the air cleaner, does the carb drip fuel and the throttle shaft gets wet outside? If it does, try setting the float lower into the bowl. 1/32 - 1/16" helps with todays ethanol laced gas. Make sure there is no debris preventing the input needle valve from seating all the way. Also check the float for leaks and it doesn't fill with gas.
Im hearing dripping, but not enough to be carb n fuel. Sounds like its in the pan. I just dont get it, runs fine when it starts up. I would think if it had anything to do with timing it would sound ****ty the whole time. However when it does start which seems to be everytime i want it to, until it knows im going to drive it haha, she sounds normal. I checked the contact points in distributor and rotor, little debri, but not enough to block voltage, but went ahead and cleaned it off anyways. Maybe if someone is here in the austin area they could come take a look, like ive said before, still in learning process, but do not want to take her in. As of right now though she seems fine, Im just worried its going to pop up on me again when i take the trip back home for thanksgiving. The intake manifold is warm to touch. The only neg thing I found was the plugs are burnt black charcoal, running dry. The downside to that is, the carb (which i just rebuilt) somehow got the mixture screw broken in threads. So of course now that everything is back on, Im going to need to take it apart and get that broken screw out of it.
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