Last trip I start the car ('54 Mainline) drove 30 to 40 miles, re-started 2 times during the trip then it turned over but wouldn't start again. The battery is still fully charged, the alternator still charging, but won't start. After towing it home I charged the battery (only took 20 minutes so it was still fully charged.) and it started right up. Could it be wiring? Spark plugs? Points?
If it cranked and didn't start later when it was completely warmed up, I'd suspect either carb issues. If it cranks slower, and wont start, then might be a starter issue once it's hot. Did you happen to check for spark at the end of a plug wire when it wouldn't start? If no spark or weak spark when hot, the coil could be failing.
Sorry, I see that you said it cranks, but didn’t start. Does it have points, electronic, ignition, what kind of carburetor?
A mechanic went thru it about a year ago and said everything looked "good" except the wiring was old and missing a lot of the insulation. Could the wires be heating up enough to cause car to not start?
If it doesn't have spark when it won't start, if original points ignition, change the condenser. If that doesn't fix it, change the coil.
Do you have a timing light? When it won’t start, put the light on the coil wire and see if it flashes when cranking it over.
You aren't giving us a lot go on and the wild ass guesses and favorite answers pop up without a lot of thought put into them. Will it crank over when it stalls? Yes____ No_____ real slow________ Yes, = there is another problem. No = there is a problem in the cranking system Real slow = There is excess resistance somewhere. With a 6 volt that excess resistance is usually #4 battery cables rather than heavier cables required by 6 volt systems. Stalls out after a short drive and cranks good but won't fire but fires right up about an hour later and will drive about the same distance before stalling again. Check the gas cap especially if it is new. Non vented caps will create a vacuum in the tank when there is no vent for air to go in the tank to replace the gas going out. That's simple to check, when it stalls you open the cap and see if air rushes in the tank. That you could probably check by letting it run in the driveway for a few minutes. Trash in the tank that blocks the pickup tube and then moves away when there is no vacuum against it.
Fuel, spark, compression. You're missing at least one. Without some testing and more information that's the best I can do.
I had a '67 Impala that would pull that on me. It was a combo of a bad starter, too much timing and vapor lock. Once hot, I would get a 1/4 turn out of it... that was it. Once it cooled down, I was back in business.
Check ground. Had a 302 Ford, didn't like it when grounded anywhere on engine or frame. (sometimes it would start great , then 5 minutes later, wouldn't crank at all or very slowly.) Finally I grounded battery to starter, problem solved.
Got it! Looks like it's the fuel line or pump. It'll start right up each time I prime it. Thanks for all the advise.
I had a porous fuel hose way up high on the gas tank of my '65 Belair wagon... real fun to get to that.
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