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Flathead Fever · 12-12-2017, 01:51 PM

You definitely have a timing gear alignment problem if you only have 50 lbs. of pressure on "all" the cylinders. That is not enough pressure to fire a cylinder. They don't always backfire if when the timing gears are not aligned properly. Especially if they are off so far they are not creating enough compression.

As far as knowing if you have the distributor in correctly. Just put a timing light on it, while you are cranking the engine and see if the timing marks are close. Don't forget to turn the key on. The light will flash every time #1 fires, it will just flash really slow. Set it where it needs to be while cranking the engine before you ever attempt to start a new engine. The timing will change a little when the engine starts and you will probably need to make a slight timing adjustment. I also always take an old oil squirt can filled with fuel and fill up the float bowl and make sure the accelerator pump is primed and squirting. Pull the plugs and crank it until you get oil pressure. Then stick the plugs back in and it "should" fire-up immediately.

Most mechanics are taught that the furthest forward cylinder on a V8 is always #1. That works on every V8 engine I know but a flathead. That's one of things that if you have worked on cars a lot you might just assume number #1 is the most forward cylinder so you would end up having the firing order wrong. Just like you would assume the long brake shoe goes towards the rear and the short one towards the front. That theory don't work either on Early Fords. And ground is not ground.

12-12-2017, 01:51 PM	#51
Flathead Fever Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Yucaipa, CA Posts: 1,093	Re: Rebuilt Flathead Problems. You definitely have a timing gear alignment problem if you only have 50 lbs. of pressure on "all" the cylinders. That is not enough pressure to fire a cylinder. They don't always backfire if when the timing gears are not aligned properly. Especially if they are off so far they are not creating enough compression. As far as knowing if you have the distributor in correctly. Just put a timing light on it, while you are cranking the engine and see if the timing marks are close. Don't forget to turn the key on. The light will flash every time #1 fires, it will just flash really slow. Set it where it needs to be while cranking the engine before you ever attempt to start a new engine. The timing will change a little when the engine starts and you will probably need to make a slight timing adjustment. I also always take an old oil squirt can filled with fuel and fill up the float bowl and make sure the accelerator pump is primed and squirting. Pull the plugs and crank it until you get oil pressure. Then stick the plugs back in and it "should" fire-up immediately. Most mechanics are taught that the furthest forward cylinder on a V8 is always #1. That works on every V8 engine I know but a flathead. That's one of things that if you have worked on cars a lot you might just assume number #1 is the most forward cylinder so you would end up having the firing order wrong. Just like you would assume the long brake shoe goes towards the rear and the short one towards the front. That theory don't work either on Early Fords. And ground is not ground.