QuestionQUESTION: My typing skills are limited so please dont grade the grammer.
Just bought 1939 ford 2 door, Modifyed way out,
Has a 1942/1946 Mercury Flathead V8, Heads 59A.
Been changed to 12 volt. I asked the previous owner positive or Neg ground. He said Neg 12volt ground.
The size of the battery wire end showed it had in fact been connected Neg ground. After a starter rebuild, cleaning, I got her turning over.
No fire to the plugs, When I checked the voltage at the coil Ign Turned off, I got 5.36 volts on both the positive and negitave terminal,,, Ign Turned on 11.97 volts on both terminals. Just a general point will help??? Assuming 12 volt neg. Grd. Which side of the coil should the Ing wire from the switch be attached...??? Any help will be appericated
ANSWER: OK James lets get serious here. First I love flatheads and own and drive a 41 coupe with offy heads and dual intake system with 97's sitting on top. And of course barking pipes. Now to your beast, I need more information.
1. What ignition system and distributor do you have in the car?
2. Has the wiring and dashboard been changed?
3. Does it have an alternator or a generator?
4. Does the ignition system have points or is it electronic, if electronic what brand and model?
There should be no voltage at the coil with the ignition off. Let me know and we will continue.
Brad
PS, the tying is fine.
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QUESTION: OK.
1.Has stock 39 ford ignition, still has the locking steering with the switch. Has stock resister still mounted and in the circuit.Starter button mounted right near the switch.
3. Has Generator 12 volt ?,,(Has 12 volt voltage regulator)I guess I could check the voltage regulater to see how it is wired..
4. Stock distributer dual points mounted in front at the cam shaft, Condenser mounted outside...
Has the covered dist. cap (2 piece) with the dual wiring harness...
I have several cars 29/& 30 A models,,, 67 327 chevy SS,,
mid 50,s dodge,,,
MY FIRST Flathead V8, And I look forward to hear this baby run... So you can see I have pos, and neg ground experience.
ANSWER: Well, I usually don't answer questions dealing with modifications because so much is subjective, such as what do you want from the car. But you hit me in my soft spot, FLAT HEAD FORDS THAT GRUMBLE. Now, if it was my puppy, I would have that 12 volt generator, starter, and regulator off there faster than Superman can change clothes in a phone booth. From what you have said there is enough modification plus enough stock stuff to make the car run on 6 volts. Mine does and does it quite nicely I might add. I am not sure that you will ever get the stock ignition to run well with 12 volts, and half the fun of having old cars, is just that, having an old car. Now there should be zero voltage at the ignition coil input terminal with the ignition key off. The voltage at the ignition coil terminal will vary depending if the points are open or closed. With the points open it should be battery voltage and drop when the points are closed. This is due to the current flowing to ground though the points. The resistor is used to drop the current flow as tungsten ignition point will only carry around 4 amps before they burn blue black. When that happens they will not conduct electricity anymore. Check your wiring and make sure that some one has not tapped wires in where they do not belong. Drop in new ignition points, two sets, and adjust them at .016" on the button and don't forget to lubricate the cam. Check the resistance across the primary side of the coil, from the external input terminal to the internal contact, for about 1.5 ohms. The secondary resistance should be about 15,000 ohms. With all that done is should fire up and if the glass packs are installed it should sound sweet. Keep me posted.
Brad
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QUESTION: Brad,
Changed the wiring and she fired up as soon as I hit the starter. Ran about 2 min. Smooth.
I shut her off and drained all the old oil and refilled with castor.
Started right back up running smooth, I started to hear a slight scweel sounded like the starter was stuck.
I shut it off looked around and tried to restart just got a click.
Pulled the starter off and sure enough the drive was stuck.
Took the starter apart freed it up and replaced.
tried to start it all I got was a click.
Pulled the starter off and tried to turn it over by hand the motor is stuck.
I can turn the water pumps and Gen. by hand.
There was no water in the oil when I changed it.
This engine has been sitting for several (3) years.
It appeared to be stuck when I first got it but the starter was stuck, and needed brushes. I put oil in the cylinders , and turned the engine over by hand with a screw driver.
Ideas?? Are the mains babbett or inserts?
AnswerGlad to hear that the rewiring and reverting back to 6 volt made it run but real sad about the locking up of the engine. The starter would be stuck as when it tried to turn the engine over the drive was already screwed out and engaged. Without the engine starting and overrunning the drive, it would be stuck. Your engine should have insert bearings both rods and mains. The change over was during the 36 model year. Henry liked to use what was on the shelf and used parts from one model year to the next until the shelves were bare. Then the new design could be used. The easy way to tell is if the water pumps are on the block you can be sure it is insert bearings. Water pumps on the heads it is anybody's guess. Sound like the oil pump lost it's prime or the screen plugged up. Good luck, keep me posted.
Brad
