Trying to fix the One Way Trip, ‘34 Ford

[Digger]

So it starts up instantly, no problem, idols great, drive it all over the place, for 20 minutes to an hour. Get your destination. Hang out for 20 minutes or so, get back in the car it won’t start. I have an electric fuel pump on it, and shoot starting fluid in it, so it’s not the fuel, that means it’s the electrical spark,?

but after it sits for a day or so, boom same thing starts right up.

What the heck I want to be able to drive it around and come home without calling AAA. Any suggestions welcome

[petehoovie]

Originally Posted by Digger

So it starts up instantly, no problem, idols great, drive it all over the place, for 20 minutes to an hour. Get your destination. Hang out for 20 minutes or so, get back in the car it won’t start. I have an electric fuel pump on it, and shoot starting fluid in it, so it’s not the fuel, that means it’s the electrical spark,?

but after it sits for a day or so, boom same thing starts right up.

What the heck I want to be able to drive it around and come home without calling AAA. Any suggestions welcome

[dean333]

Send the coil to Skip Haney for an updated rebuild.

[51504bat]

Condenser or coil would be my guess.

[CA Victoria]

Have you not been able to restart it at all when you were out?

I have not solved a similar issue but improved it when I installed the vac. plate for the Columbia. It will still flood if I try to restart it when the temps are up or I forget and give to much choke. I hold open full throttle, no choke, and crank a few times and it has not stranded me yet. I have Skips coil, Mikes Dist & uncle max rebuilt (48) Carb on a stock 35 - 21 stud engine, with backup elect fuel pump. I have not chased it to far but wonder if the fuel gets siphoned into the intake when warm and it starts out with a flooded condition.

[38 coupe]

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Is it flooding?
Today's gasoline boils at lower temps and expands more when it gets hot. In Texas I have to set the floats down 1/8 to 1/4 lower than factory to get correct fuel level in the bowl. If I leave the float at the stock height it dumps fuel down the throat at hot shutdown, flooding the intake with raw gasoline. As Tim said above, holding the throttle on the floor (do not pump it) and cranking will sometimes get the engine to start, but you have to keep the throttle up a bit until all the extra gas clears out of the engine.

[cas3]

Beautiful cars, I hope you get them to run proper. When you post a thread with a title that has no subject matter matching the problem, it will not show up when the next old ford guy is searching for the same answer of the same problem. Kinda makes the search function useless.

[chuck stevens]

Digger, Next time it happens have a jumper wire with two alligator clips ready and run them on the resistor under the dash on the drivers side. By passing the resistor, try to start it, after it starts take them off. Let me know how this works, Chuck.

[B-O-B]

You didn't mention if you had a fuel regulator installed. If you did, my apologies as I didn't see the post.

[Digger]

I just talked to Skip and boxed up my coil, and distributor to send down to him, hopefully that fixes it thanks all for chiming in I will report back when completed

[Digger]

So I converted to a modern 6 volt coil conversion kit, did test runs around the neighborhood turn off turn on all OK. Then this morning went to cars and coffee which is about a 20 minute drive hung out for about 45 minutes, went to start it won’t start. Check the spark it has the standard spark you expect for 6 V, shot a little bit of starting fluid in the carb, turning over turning over not starting, then old timer Mike Hubbard says push the gas pedal all the way to the floor and turn it over to start it, after two tries are doing this it started. He says it was flooded, but I can’t figure out how that solves flooding issue and how it got flooded in the first place? I guess the good news is when it’s actually running it runs fantastic. Just don’t know if I still have an ongoing issue or is it now solved, very confusing

[V8COOPMAN]

Originally Posted by Digger

Just don’t know if I still have an ongoing issue or is it now solved, very confusing

No ongoing issues with this "sleigh" laying on it's side any more.

Coop

[Step-down]

On one of my 97 the float had pin hole causing the carb to over fill and fuel down the throat causing the engine to flood. . I put the float in boiling water and you could see the air bubbles . Replace the float and all good .

[cas3]

You should have a nice hot blue spark at all times whether it be 6 volt or 12

[Ggmac]

Its leaking fuel somehow. Flooring it gives more air to the charge and allows for ignition to happen . What ever you do , do not pump it after stopping for a while .

[38 coupe]

Not trying to sound like a broken record, but Tim and I explained the flooding and holding the accelerator to the floor to get the engine started in posts #5 and #6...

Adjust the float level in your carburetor down about 1/4 inch.

edit: I realized neither Tim or I explained why holding the throttle open gets a flooded car to start. Explanation: a "flooded" engine has raw (too much) gasoline in the intake manifold for the amount of air pulled through a carburetor with the throttle closed. Holding the throttle open allows more air into the engine, getting the fuel / air mixture back to something that will fire.

[Mart]

What sort of carb are you running? 94 or 97?
I know a few things that can make a 94 run over rich. I'm not that well up on the 97s.
When cold you say it "starts right up". With or without choke? Pumping the pedal? If no choke and no pre-emptive pumping that would be another indication it is over rich.

[rockfla]

JMO
While your coil and distributor are at Skip’s, I would pull the carburetor and fuel pump and send them CharlieNY and have him work his magic. Then “everything” has been done correctly. I have made up my mind and ANY and all my cars, first thing coil to Skip, Distributors to Michael, Carburetor & fuel pump to Charlie….done & DONE!!! Here you have “somewhat” eliminated the coil/distributor issue and you are STILL having start issues, as one has mentioned “float level” and I believe another could be a “power valve” issue too. Send it to CharlieNY and eliminate ALL variables

[Digger]

Carb is one of the British made strawberries, I bought it one year ago new it’s been on the car since I got it, I will check out those carb tips and report back, the other great news from today was how many toys were collected for the boys and girls club

[Digger]

*British made STROMBERGS… sorry about the annoying talking to type feature, I drive my wife nuts with that too!