The Ford Barn

signsup · 08-10-2025, 06:28 PM

1942 Mercury Town Sedan. Ran when purchased from Bubba and we took a short ride, 2,3 miles. Gauges do not work, but not overheating. Today, engine starts, idles, then chugs and dies and will not restart. Let sit for 10 minutes and it will start, idle smooth, chug and die. Aftermarket carb and electric fuel pump. I was thinking vapor lock, but two rubber lines to and from carb and not warm to the touch.
Rattle noise in video is loose fan pulley or fan belt running to top block mounted alternator.
I ran some carb cleaner down the throat and no difference. I have removed the aftermarket air cleaner in the video. Throttle cable to dash works, but no choke cable. Wires to carb, so presuming electric choke?

Thoughts as to where to start diagnosis?
https://youtu.be/aAyhVMZAiNc

08-10-2025, 06:28 PM	#1
signsup Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2017 Posts: 200	42 Mercury Sedan Idles Then Dies Video 1942 Mercury Town Sedan. Ran when purchased from Bubba and we took a short ride, 2,3 miles. Gauges do not work, but not overheating. Today, engine starts, idles, then chugs and dies and will not restart. Let sit for 10 minutes and it will start, idle smooth, chug and die. Aftermarket carb and electric fuel pump. I was thinking vapor lock, but two rubber lines to and from carb and not warm to the touch. Rattle noise in video is loose fan pulley or fan belt running to top block mounted alternator. I ran some carb cleaner down the throat and no difference. I have removed the aftermarket air cleaner in the video. Throttle cable to dash works, but no choke cable. Wires to carb, so presuming electric choke? Thoughts as to where to start diagnosis? https://youtu.be/aAyhVMZAiNc Last edited by signsup; 08-11-2025 at 09:06 AM. Reason: https://youtu.be/aAyhVMZAiNc bad link