My 1940 ford will not stay runing

[lenmissy]

I change coil it started and run for 20 min.shut it off it started 4 times then stopped.Tomorrow going to get a condenser thanks again.

[Veeder]

I don't see a couple of key questions answered??

1) When the engine will not start is it getting a spark?

2) How Hot is the engine getting in the first 5 mins that it is running?

3) When it is not able to start have you looked into the Carb. to see if there is fuel?

Bob

[lenmissy]

yes it is getting spark temp is normal and getting fuel.

[lenmissy]

I kind of think also it could be the filter.

[lenmissy]

I also think it is the filter to.

[Seth Swoboda]

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If you had a fuel problem it would not start or possibly run rough from fuel starvation. More often than not these situations are ignition not fuel. I really would check into the condenser and coil.

[slowforty]

This is a little late but I would suggest changing the condenser first. See if you can find a good one from a good running car. Decent ones are getting hard to find. I Got mine from BUBBA and they were $32. Guess what bought two.

[Lanny]

Originally Posted by Seth Swoboda

If you had a fuel problem it would not start or possibly run rough from fuel starvation. More often than not these situations are ignition not fuel. I really would check into the condenser and coil.

=================================================




About 20 years ago, I bought a '54 Ford that was about a hundred miles
away, and the guy said the gas tank had never been cleaned and the car
would not run very long, as the fuel filter was plugged up full of crap.

He put on a new clear plastic in-line filter on, and called to say he drove
the car about 10 miles with no problems, so he said I should be able to
drive it home now.

After a short test drive, I made a deal on the car, so I headed out on my
trip home. Ran great for about 25 miles, then just sputtered a little, and
quit running.

Me and my buddy, who was following me, checked a few things, and seen
it had good spark, so I hit the starter, it fired right up, so I took off for
home again.

I made it another 20 some miles or so, and it sputtered again, and quit.

We took a few minuets to check a couple more things, put the gas cap
on loose, I jumped in and it started up and ran like a top for another
20 miles or so. Sat there for a few minuets, and It started, so off I went
again.

This happened two more times, and finally I made it home.

Long story short, I checked the new fuel filter, and you could see the
crud in the new clear plastic filter.

I removed the fuel tank, and had it cleaned, put a new filter in place,
and drove the car for three years till I sold it.







.

[G.M.]

ALL old Ford coils have poor quality insulation by todays
standards. These coils had problems from when they were
new. Even a NOS coil will break down internally and produce
a weak spark when hot. When it first starts check and see how
the spark jumps and looks from a plug wire to a head nut not
to the top of the spark plug. It should have a nice blue spark
that jumps about 1/2". When a BAD coil warms up the spark
become yellow and shorter and gets to a little fuzzy yellow
ball and at this point it will barely run. A bad condenser or
low voltage to the coil can produce the same results. The best
thing for all old Fords is to send the coil to Skip Haney along
with a few condensers for him to check. Skip has rebuilt over
22,000 old Ford coils all over the world, that should tell you
something. Most coils he receives come from the recommendation
of friends of the person with a problem like yours. G.M.

One thing I failed to mention is that when the spark is weak
and fuzzy it can not fire the fuel because it is like a candle
being blown out in the wind by the compression.

[Seth Swoboda]

Originally Posted by G.M.

ALL old Ford coils have poor quality insulation by todays
standards. These coils had problems from when they were
new. Even a NOS coil will break down internally and produce
a weak spark when hot. When it first starts check and see how
the spark jumps and looks from a plug wire to a head nut not
to the top of the spark plug. It should have a nice blue spark
that jumps about 1/2". When a BAD coil warms up the spark
become yellow and shorter and gets to a little fuzzy yellow
ball and at this point it will barely run. A bad condenser or
low voltage to the coil can produce the same results. The best
thing for all old Fords is to send the coil to Skip Haney along
with a few condensers for him to check. Skip has rebuilt over
22,000 old Ford coils all over the world, that should tell you
something. Most coils he receives come from the recommendation
of friends of the person with a problem like yours. G.M.

Heed this advice.

[lenmissy]

I changed the coil and condenser the car runs need to change the gas filter need to know what size the gas line is anyone know thanks.

[Lanny]

The gas line is more than likely 5/16, outside diameter.

Curious if you have the glass bowl at the inlet
side of your stock fuel pump, and does it have
a filter in it ?








.

[lenmissy]

no glass bowl.

[donQ]

I had a similar problem with a 40 Ford. It turned out to be a bad condenser. I added a spark checker between a plug and its wire and looked at the flash. After a short time the flash got dimmer and the engine quit. I knew the points were good so I put another new condenser in. The initial flashing was much brighter and it stayed bright and the problem went away.
donq