41 Ford engine help
 

Hello,
I just got a 1941 Ford Sedan with a V8 flathead. I believe it to be the original engine. This is my first flathead and I am having a bit of trouble. I can get the engine to start every time but when you hit the gas pedal it falls on its face and stalls. It has no power and wont rev up. I believe that to be a timing issue but I am not sure. I am not sure just how to time a flat head and how to find top dead center. I have read quite a bit about guys having no power and it being the coil. I have bought a kit to relocate the coil but I have not installed it yet. Not sure where to start. All advise is welcome.
Thank you,

Re: 41 Ford engine help
 

thinking it's a fuel issue at this point, maybe timing (but I'd look at fuel first). I'd hold off on the coil relocation. If you get it running and 20 minutes later it leaves you stranded. I'd look at coil.



If it sits at idle, I'd guess the timing is within running. Flatheads are very forgiving with timing, they will run full throttle off. Better timed well, but will run.



Just my opinion.

Re: 41 Ford engine help
 

Give us a little history on the car.....such as when did this problem start. Has the car been sitting for a long period of time etc. etc...

Re: 41 Ford engine help
 

Sorry I do not have much history. I just bought the car a week ago with this problem. The compression is 90 in all cylinders. The fuel pump looks to be new. The person I bought the car from said the fuel tank was bad and put in a fuel cell. When I got it I primed to carb by filling the bowl with gas and it starts right up and runs quiet not lifter noise. if you hit the throttle you can hear the air suck in the carb but it will not rev up and it seems to start to miss. If you floor it. It will stall. It will start right back up though. I sprayed the out side of the carb with starter fluid to see if I had a vacuum leak but did not find one.It does not have a fuel filter so I bought a glass bowl style and was going to install it this weekend so I can see what the fuel is doing.

Re: 41 Ford engine help
 

Thanks. It does not have a fuel filter so I bought a glass bowl style that I will install this weekend so I can see what the fuel is doing. The fuel pump looks to be new but I am not sure.

Re: 41 Ford engine help
 

Lot of carb guys here. If you have another carb try it. or rebuild it.


Something to try, two guys. When it starts to fail take a bottle and feed the carb/intake with fuel (air cleaner off of course). If it runs then think fuel.


Best to have a squirt bottle not a can of fuel. Keep a fire extinguisher close. yikes :)

Re: 41 Ford engine help
 

Thank you. I will give it a try a little later in the morning. A little too early to go revving up the engine now.

Re: 41 Ford engine help
 

Ya or next week. We all have things to do! :)

Might be a line leak, pump, carb, but that little test will help to narrow it down at least to fuel. You can make a squirt bottle with a plastic coke bottle and drilling a little hole in the cap for a one time use (don't keep something like that in the shop if a little kid sees it and thinks its coke, throw it away)


Be careful though, fuel and fire :).


Best of luck!


.

Re: 41 Ford engine help
 

Check that the fuel cell is vented. Loosen gas cap and run the engine.

Re: 41 Ford engine help
 

If you idle the car for a while and turn it off, remove air cleaner and view down the carb. turn throttle linkage and you should see two strong streams of gas squirting down the center of the carb. If not then rebuild carb.

Re: 41 Ford engine help
 

Terry,

I agree 100% with you as a place to check first and only wonder why it took so long for someone to post it.

Charlie Stephens

Re: 41 Ford engine help
 

Re: 41 Ford engine help
 

Thank you all for your advise I will check and get back with you.

Re: 41 Ford engine help
 

Thank you I will check in the morning.

Re: 41 Ford engine help
 

Thank you I will check.

Re: 41 Ford engine help
 

A fuel pump that looks new does not make it a good one. Sounds like you have very low fuel pressure. Blockage or leak in line from tank bad pump... Need to check fuel pressure for 2-3 psi.

Re: 41 Ford engine help
 

I would also check the oil to be sure the fuel pump is not leaking fuel into the crankcase.

Re: 41 Ford engine help
 

Hello,
It was not properly vented. I have fixed that but even with the gas cap off it did not change the issue.

Re: 41 Ford engine help
 

Hello,
I did check as you suggested and the accelerator pump was not working. I rebuilt the carb tonight and will try it tomorrow. However after finding the accelerator pump was bad I started the car again and while I turned that throttle linkage and added some gas to the top of the carb from a small squirt bottle and the engine did not rev up. It did not change. It just sounds like it is missing. I have not checked the plugs yet that too will be tomorrow.

Re: 41 Ford engine help
 

The accelerator pump on the carb was bad and I rebuilt it tonight. I will try it in the morning. I did try as you suggested and as it started to fail when accelerating I added some gas from a small squirt bottle. It did not run, or rev up it just sounds like it is missing.