Bad ignition coil maybe or bad carburetor?

[Rustedjunk]

My 47 Ford quit on my before I could get it some gas. First my car ran outta gas while I was heading to the gas station before the car show. Then I find out the fuel line had crud in it. So I replaced the fuel filter and emptied the glass cup by the fuel pump. Still my car won't stay running. If I pull the choke it will run but not well and as soon as I release it the car dies. Plus I noticed my ignition coil smoking and bubbling at the top edge. The other thing is that the dumbass I bought the car from was using 87 octane poison and not even using an lead substitute. He said it was "fine." When I put gas in the tank I used 92 non-oxygen gasoline. Am I looking at a carb rebuild, coil replacement or both?

[Rustedjunk]

The coil

[rotorwrench]

If the coil is hot enough to do as you describe, it will need to be replaced or rebuilt by a reputable coil rebuilder like Skip if you still have the old plastic case coil. Also, if you are getting crud build up at a high rate, your fuel system will likely need a good bit of maintenance. The tank will need to be cleaned out and hopefully it isn't rusted up like a lot of them are. Your fuel pump should pump at least 2 psi of fuel pressure. Rubber lines on the suction side of the pump can pull air in if there is a leak anywhere. If pulling the choke will make it run richer to function then it is running too lean likely due to crud build up in the carb float bowl, metering passages, or due to excessively slow fuel delivery due to a tank, pump, or fuel line problem.

[flatheadmurre]

For the fuel starvation either the fuelpump has issues(full choke means it can draw gas through a non working pump)
Or you got carb issues.
Is the coil heating up while runnning or when standing still with ignition on ?

[Rustedjunk]

Originally Posted by flatheadmurre

For the fuel starvation either the fuelpump has issues(full choke means it can draw gas through a non working pump)
Or you got carb issues.
Is the coil heating up while runnning or when standing still with ignition on ?

The coil was smoking and bubbling with I was trying to start the car as well as when it was running crappy.

[Rustedjunk]

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Originally Posted by rotorwrench

If the coil is hot enough to do as you describe, it will need to be replaced or rebuilt by a reputable coil rebuilder like Skip if you still have the old plastic case coil. Also, if you are getting crud build up at a high rate, your fuel system will likely need a good bit of maintenance. The tank will need to be cleaned out and hopefully it isn't rusted up like a lot of them are. Your fuel pump should pump at least 2 psi of fuel pressure. Rubber lines on the suction side of the pump can pull air in if there is a leak anywhere. If pulling the choke will make it run richer to function then it is running too lean likely due to crud build up in the carb float bowl, metering passages, or due to excessively slow fuel delivery due to a tank, pump, or fuel line problem.

This coil I think is metal. And as well as the fuel system, I guess I have a lot of cleaning to do. Will I also have to do a carb rebuild too?

[rotorwrench]

It's the can type. You put the photo up while I was still typing. You can go buy another can type but you need to be sure it has all the right stuff ignition wise. The 48 & earlier cars had a ballast resister and an old type bakelite coil. Using the later coil for 49 thru 53, a person doesn't need the ballast so much. Many of the modern replacements are crap and it's hard to get good stuff. Is this car still running a 59 series engine as original or does it have a later 8BA type engine in there?

You may need to rebuild the carb but you can try to check out the fuel delivery side first to get everything up to snuff. If that fixes it then the carb can wait till another day.

[39topless]

Good advice so far. If you had crud in your fuel line, filter and glass bowl, you probably have some in the carb. I would recommend that you at least remove the air horn (top of carb) and check for crud. Give it a good blow out.

[Rustedjunk]

This is my flathead.

[Rustedjunk]

My coil is metal.

[Terry,OH]

87 octane and no lead additive is FINE. The engine HAS hardened valve seats from the factory. Todays fuel is much better (even with the ethanol) than the old fuel available in the 40's

[Charlie ny]

X2 what Terry says........Get a Carquest or Adv Auto 52-1902 coil. This coil has an
internal resistor so no Ford resistor is required. If you are running pos grd the pos
side of the coil goes to the dist..........neg grd the neg side of the coil goes to the dist.
Charlie ny

[Rustedjunk]

Thank you all for your help. I just missed Advanced Auto Parts. I'll go there tomorrow.

[Rustedjunk]

Originally Posted by Charlie ny

X2 what Terry says........Get a Carquest or Adv Auto 52-1902 coil. This coil has an
internal resistor so no Ford resistor is required. If you are running pos grd the pos
side of the coil goes to the dist..........neg grd the neg side of the coil goes to the dist.
Charlie ny

I looked that part up and this came up. I just want to make sure they sell me the right one.

http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/d...902&showTitle=

[47COE]

Originally Posted by Rustedjunk

I looked that part up and this came up. I just want to make sure they sell me the right one.

http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/d...902&showTitle=

Strangest coil I've ever seen.

The 52-1902 number works for CarQuest though.

[Rustedjunk]

Originally Posted by 47COE

Strangest coil I've ever seen.

The 52-1902 number works for CarQuest though.

Can you past the link? When I went on the Carquest site it took me to Advance's and to that same suspension part.

[Charlie ny]

Yikes.......around here (Buffalo N.Y.) Carquest is being gobbled up by Advanced . I'll
talk to my human contact tomorrow , Monday, and get todays number.
Charlie ny

[47COE]

Originally Posted by Rustedjunk

Can you past the link? When I went on the Carquest site it took me to Advance's and to that same suspension part.

I did a search for Carquest 52-1902 and got:

http://www.myvirtualpaper.com/doc/ca...901/93.html#92

Checking this again I see that it is a 2010 scan of a Carquest catalog page. Better wait to see what Charlie finds out tomorrow.

I just go to the local NAPA auto parts store and ask for a 6 volt coil and they come up with the NAPA generic coil.

[JSeery]

That coil (according to the CARQUEST page) requires an external ballast resistor. I would check any coil you get to be sure what the resistance is before using it!

What you are looking for is ~ 3.5A through the points. This is calculated by using Current (A) = Voltage (V) divided by the Resistance (R) in the circuit, A = V/R. Measure the coil resistance (I will use 1.0 ohm for an example) and add it to the ballast resister value (say 1.4 ohm), so total resistance would be 2.4 ohms. Battery voltage should be ~6.4V, it will be less when cranking the engine and higher when being charged by the generator, ~7V.

For this example, A = 6.4/2.4 or 2.67A, that is too low which indicates too much resistance in the circuit. At 7V the current would be 2.92A, so still on the low side. If you use the same coil the resistance would remain at 1.0 ohm (again, this is just an example you would need to measure your coil), then you need to change the ballast resister.

If you used a 1.0 ohm ballast resistor the current would be A = 6.4/2.0 or 3.2A and running with the generator charging A = 7.0/2.0 or 3.5A.

These are just example numbers the higher the system current the hotter the spark but the quicker the points burn and the capacitors go. Like everything it is a compromise, 3.5 to 4.0A is a good range to shoot for.

So (and this is just an example!) if the coil is around 1 ohm it would need a ballast resistor, if it is around 2 ohms it would not need a ballast resistor.

[Charlie ny]

HOLD ON............I think I gave some bad info..........
The 52-1902 coil info I have says it has an internal resistor, in checking on line
from 47COE post the coil spec says it MUST be used with an external resistor.
I WILL have correct info Monday fer sure.
My apologies,
Charlie ny