First time poster... with a couple of questions.

[dsglass95]

Thanks for the reply. I have confirmed that there is spark on the font 2 cylinders, and the spark is strong there. I haven't done each cylinder separately though. Will have to try that. I have tried starting fluid, and brake clean, but it wouldn't event try on that. I have had the best luck using 2 stroke gas mix, but mostly all it will do is start, stumble a bit then die. After that, all It will do is hit on what I believe is the strongest of the cylinders. I will take a look to make sure all the plugs are getting spark, and if not, dig into the distributor.

[drolston]

Originally Posted by dsglass95

Thanks for the reply. I have confirmed that there is spark on the font 2 cylinders, and the spark is strong there. I haven't done each cylinder separately though. Will have to try that. I have tried starting fluid, and brake clean, but it wouldn't event try on that. I have had the best luck using 2 stroke gas mix, but mostly all it will do is start, stumble a bit then die. After that, all It will do is hit on what I believe is the strongest of the cylinders. I will take a look to make sure all the plugs are getting spark, and if not, dig into the distributor.

A start and a stumble is great progress! Do check that all cylinders are getting a spark, but also suspect that the reason it does not keep running is that the carburetor needs service. After cranking a bit, peek down into the throat of the carburetor; have someone pump the throttle to the floor a few times. Each time you should see the accelerator pump squirt a nice little stream of gas in to each barrel of the carb. If no, we will advise on how to work backwards from there to find out why the carb is not getting fuel. If yes, the situation is more complicated. Could still be ignition; could be carb main jet path gummed up.

[dsglass95]

[QUOTE=drolston;2334952]A start and a stumble is great progress! Do check that all cylinders are getting a spark, but also suspect that the reason it does not keep running is that the carburetor needs service. After cranking a bit, peek down into the throat of the carburetor; have someone pump the throttle to the floor a few times. Each time you should see the accelerator pump squirt a nice little stream of gas in to each barrel of the carb. If no, we will advise on how to work backwards from there to find out why the carb is not getting fuel. If yes, the situation is more complicated. Could still be ignition; could be carb main jet path gummed up.[/QUOT

I was blaming the carb at first, so that's why I replaced it with the Stromberg knockoff from Speedway. I also rebuilt the fuel pump with a NapCo kit from 3rd Gen. The gas tank is, in my opinion, beyond repair, so I have been running a hose from the pump to a gas can. It pumps good and the squirters in the carb are working. I have also tried to bottle feed it, also with no luck. It seems to light off quickly but then stumble and Die. The ignition switch was bad when I first tried to start it, so it is wired through a toggle switch, and has a new ballast resistor as well. With a 6 volt battery I have seen a consistent 6.3v at the coil every time I have checked it.

[JayChicago]

Originally Posted by dsglass95

With a 6 volt battery I have seen a consistent 6.3v at the coil every time I have checked it.

That is just battery voltage, which is what you see if engine happened to stop with points open. Not likely you would see that on every test, points are open only open 20% of the time. More likely points are corroded and preventing current flow. With the resistor in the circuit, when points are closed and current flowing, reading at the coil should be 3-3.5 volt. (The resistor drops voltage about 3 volts.)

I agree with others, send distributor to Third Generation. I would not try to work on one of these distributors myself. No timing marks on the engine to set the timing. Ford designed these distributors to be easily removed, work done on the bench, timing set on a machine, then bolted back on the engine. With new points and timing set by a pro on the machine, your distributor will be good to go for years.

[drolston]

[QUOTE=dsglass95;2334979]

Originally Posted by drolston

A start and a stumble is great progress! Do check that all cylinders are getting a spark, but also suspect that the reason it does not keep running is that the carburetor needs service. After cranking a bit, peek down into the throat of the carburetor; have someone pump the throttle to the floor a few times. Each time you should see the accelerator pump squirt a nice little stream of gas in to each barrel of the carb. If no, we will advise on how to work backwards from there to find out why the carb is not getting fuel. If yes, the situation is more complicated. Could still be ignition; could be carb main jet path gummed up.[/QUOT

I was blaming the carb at first, so that's why I replaced it with the Stromberg knockoff from Speedway. I also rebuilt the fuel pump with a NapCo kit from 3rd Gen. The gas tank is, in my opinion, beyond repair, so I have been running a hose from the pump to a gas can. It pumps good and the squirters in the carb are working. I have also tried to bottle feed it, also with no luck. It seems to light off quickly but then stumble and Die. The ignition switch was bad when I first tried to start it, so it is wired through a toggle switch, and has a new ballast resistor as well. With a 6 volt battery I have seen a consistent 6.3v at the coil every time I have checked it.

I can not argue wit those recommending a distributor rebuild, but I will note that I bought three 97 carbs from Speedway. The float was way off on all three, and one had a casting flaw that completely blocked fuel flow to the primary jets. That flaw would let the engine start and then die. Can you borrow a known good carb?

[dsglass95]

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[QUOTE=drolston;2335121]

Originally Posted by dsglass95

I can not argue wit those recommending a distributor rebuild, but I will note that I bought three 97 carbs from Speedway. The float was way off on all three, and one had a casting flaw that completely blocked fuel flow to the primary jets. That flaw would let the engine start and then die. Can you borrow a known good carb?

If there is any one left around me that might have one, I have no idea who it would be. So far, I haven't even been able to keep this car running even while bottle feeding it. The result is so far always been the same. Start briefly stumble and die. It wont even try to run on brake clean or starting fluid, not the last time I tried it anyway.