The Ford Barn

mountain mike · 10-02-2013, 06:42 PM

Took my '55 T-Bird out for a drive last Saturday and before I could get out of the neighborhood it cut out on me and wouldn't start back up. The carb is getting gas, it seems to be getting a spark. It will turn over, fire a cylinder, but won't continue to fire. Also not sure if it is related but I also get some blue smoke out the tail pipe when cranking it. I have cleaned the points, recently replaced the condenser (about 50 miles and 3 months ago), and changed out the coil.
Anyone have any suggestions on what to check next?

rick55 · 10-02-2013, 07:45 PM

Pull the top off the distributor and check your plug gap. May have broken the bakelite rubbing block on the points. Too close a gap will give these symptoms, but you need to make sure you have spark.

paul2748 · 10-02-2013, 08:09 PM

There has been a rash of bad condensers in my area, especially new ones. Try a new condenser - you may hit on a good one (darn chinese junk)

mountain mike · 10-03-2013, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by paul2748

There has been a rash of bad condensers in my area, especially new ones. Try a new condenser - you may hit on a good one (darn chinese junk)

I think I'll try to pick up a new condenser as well. Easy and cheap, worth a try.

40cpe · 10-04-2013, 08:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mountain mike

I think I'll try to pick up a new condenser as well. Easy and cheap, worth a try.

Please let us know what fixes it.

Y-Blockhead · 10-02-2013, 08:28 PM

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Quote:

Originally Posted by rick55

Pull the top off the distributor and check your plug gap.

I think Rick means point gap...

mountain mike · 10-03-2013, 08:28 AM

Checked and the rubber block on the points is good. Do you know how much gap the point is suppose to have? I can see it opening and closing and making a spark, but I have not checked how much gap there actually is.
We pulled off a spark plug and verified that we do have a spark. Also checked the compression and pulled the distributor to make sure the spline was in good condition.

40cpe · 10-03-2013, 09:35 AM

If it is firing at the plugs and you have gas, I would check to be sure the timing hasn't jumped. Check #1 at TDC with the distributor.

mountain mike · 10-03-2013, 09:44 AM

^^ I was also thinking it may be the timing. I found the specs for the point and I am going to check that later this afternoon and then if that doesn't work on to the timing.

Motorhead6 · 10-03-2013, 03:14 PM

You have spark at the plug, so it's probably not the condenser. Is it still 6 volt? The fact that you get a fire and then no more sort of leads me to think the ignition switch may be bad. Put a jumper on the hot side of the coil. (if it is still 6v- negative battery to negative on coil, if 12v- pos battery to pos on coil) If it runs, it is the ignition switch or if you have changed to 12 volt and have a resister, that resister or the ignition switch may be bad; one or the other.

SSsssteamer · 10-03-2013, 08:49 PM

It also sounds like a bad ignition resistor to me. Symptoms of that is that it will crank over with a good spark and will be firing, but then the engine will not fire after the key is returned to the on position from start position. A weak ignition coil will also fail to spark under compression but will spark freely at atmospheric pressure. The color of the spark is important too. Plugs should be sparking a bright blue spark. A weak yellow spark will not run the engine properly.

Ole Don · 10-04-2013, 08:55 AM

I have been caught out with no spark. I unscrewed the hot wire from ignition at the resister, and put it under the screw on the other side just to get home. It worked good for one afternoon. The point gap should be set at .016 with no bumps on the points. I like to file them, then clean them by pulling clean newspaper through them to get the crud wiped off. A very small dab of grease on the cam will give life to the rubbing block.

mountain mike · 10-04-2013, 09:52 AM

Car is still a 6V. Everything about the car is factory, with the exception of a coolant overflow tank.
Tried re-gapping the point and still nothing.
I believe I have an extra ignition switch laying around. I'll try that and check back in with an update.

mountain mike · 10-04-2013, 10:48 AM

Replaced the ignition switch and it started!! However it is running very rough. I think I probably messed up the timing when I pulled the distributor. So on to the timing.

thank you everyone for your help!!

10-02-2013, 08:09 PM	#3
paul2748 Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Midland Park, NJ Posts: 4,292	Re: T Bird won't start There has been a rash of bad condensers in my area, especially new ones. Try a new condenser - you may hit on a good one (darn chinese junk)

10-03-2013, 08:28 AM	#7
mountain mike Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 12	Re: T Bird won't start Checked and the rubber block on the points is good. Do you know how much gap the point is suppose to have? I can see it opening and closing and making a spark, but I have not checked how much gap there actually is. We pulled off a spark plug and verified that we do have a spark. Also checked the compression and pulled the distributor to make sure the spline was in good condition.

10-03-2013, 09:35 AM	#8
40cpe Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Star, MS Posts: 4,120	Re: T Bird won't start If it is firing at the plugs and you have gas, I would check to be sure the timing hasn't jumped. Check #1 at TDC with the distributor.

10-03-2013, 09:44 AM	#9
mountain mike Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 12	Re: T Bird won't start ^^ I was also thinking it may be the timing. I found the specs for the point and I am going to check that later this afternoon and then if that doesn't work on to the timing.

10-03-2013, 03:14 PM	#10
Motorhead6 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Orange Park, Fl Posts: 406	Re: T Bird won't start You have spark at the plug, so it's probably not the condenser. Is it still 6 volt? The fact that you get a fire and then no more sort of leads me to think the ignition switch may be bad. Put a jumper on the hot side of the coil. (if it is still 6v- negative battery to negative on coil, if 12v- pos battery to pos on coil) If it runs, it is the ignition switch or if you have changed to 12 volt and have a resister, that resister or the ignition switch may be bad; one or the other.

10-02-2013, 06:42 PM	#1
mountain mike Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 12	T Bird won't start Took my '55 T-Bird out for a drive last Saturday and before I could get out of the neighborhood it cut out on me and wouldn't start back up. The carb is getting gas, it seems to be getting a spark. It will turn over, fire a cylinder, but won't continue to fire. Also not sure if it is related but I also get some blue smoke out the tail pipe when cranking it. I have cleaned the points, recently replaced the condenser (about 50 miles and 3 months ago), and changed out the coil. Anyone have any suggestions on what to check next?

10-03-2013, 08:49 PM	#11
SSsssteamer Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Sedro-Woolley, WA Posts: 1,023	Re: T Bird won't start It also sounds like a bad ignition resistor to me. Symptoms of that is that it will crank over with a good spark and will be firing, but then the engine will not fire after the key is returned to the on position from start position. A weak ignition coil will also fail to spark under compression but will spark freely at atmospheric pressure. The color of the spark is important too. Plugs should be sparking a bright blue spark. A weak yellow spark will not run the engine properly.

10-04-2013, 08:55 AM	#12
Ole Don Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: St. Michael, Minnesota Posts: 1,713	Re: T Bird won't start I have been caught out with no spark. I unscrewed the hot wire from ignition at the resister, and put it under the screw on the other side just to get home. It worked good for one afternoon. The point gap should be set at .016 with no bumps on the points. I like to file them, then clean them by pulling clean newspaper through them to get the crud wiped off. A very small dab of grease on the cam will give life to the rubbing block.

10-04-2013, 09:52 AM	#13
mountain mike Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 12	Re: T Bird won't start Car is still a 6V. Everything about the car is factory, with the exception of a coolant overflow tank. Tried re-gapping the point and still nothing. I believe I have an extra ignition switch laying around. I'll try that and check back in with an update.

10-04-2013, 10:48 AM	#14
mountain mike Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 12	Re: T Bird won't start Replaced the ignition switch and it started!! However it is running very rough. I think I probably messed up the timing when I pulled the distributor. So on to the timing. thank you everyone for your help!!

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