1946 Fargo start-up fails

[PatS....]

Well, after replacing plugs, wires, cap, rotor, all the frayed and bare wires, new 0 battery cables, new battery, battery box, draining the oil and gas and replacing with new, pouring a bit of oil down the plug holes about 10 times over about 6 weeks, yesterday was D-Day.

It turns over, but very slowly...didnt even give a hint of firing. Hit it with 12 volts, no difference, very slow turning over. The choke works OK, I've been hitting the cable at both ends and the carb linkages as well, primed it carefully, no change.

Not sure what I was expecting but a sputter would have been nice...no such luck.

That was my line in the sand on her for this year. I'll have another look in the spring. I've hauled the starter off and will take it apart over the winter.

My nephew has expressed alot of interest in the truck...he is a long distance trucker and a pretty good wrencher. I've been seriously thinking of giving it too him, he has a Dodge Cummins he thinks would be "cool" in it. Lot's of work there, but he's still under 30. Still left with 60 year old steering and brakes and a 50 mph rear end. I'm not gonna have it done for years so it's a viable option.

One project is turning out to be too many:( It would be disappointing to pass it along but I'll get over it.

Then I just have the Chrysler.

Decisions Decisions

[JIPJOBXX]

Can you try to push start it? Maybe your starter is shot? It seems with all the work you have done at least you might give that a try.

[PatS....]

It's a 3 ton cab and chassis with no master cylinder. Push start in the city isn't really a viable option...I sure would try it in the country with brakes.

[BobT-47P15]

Yeah......lets see someone push that with their Geo Metro.......

[Young Ed]

Metro Bob I could push it by hand

[JerseyHarold]

Have you pulled the head and checked for stuck valves?

[oldmopar]

is the starter motor ok ?

[Norm's Coupe]

Pat,

Sorry to hear you can't get the truck started, but I think you are making the right decision by giving it to your nephew. That way it leaves you more time and energy to work on the one Chrysler and get it done. I see way too many people on the forum, and off that have several old car projects around, and never get any of them road worthy. I say, don't buy another project car until the first one is finished or sold.

Plus as we all know, even the road worthy cars are never really done. There is always something you can upgrade or fix on all of them, even show cars. So.......by just having one, you do it faster and better.

[brian hood]

Have you tried a compression check?

[PatS....]

Pat' date='

Sorry to hear you can't get the truck started, but I think you are making the right decision by giving it to your nephew. That way it leaves you more time and energy to work on the one Chrysler and get it done. I see way too many people on the forum, and off that have several old car projects around, and never get any of them road worthy. I say, don't buy another project car until the first one is finished or sold.

Plus as we all know, even the road worthy cars are never really done. There is always something you can upgrade or fix on all of them, even show cars. So.......by just having one, you do it faster and better.[/quote']

I agree 100% Norm...one at a time.

I only did the obvious to try to start it, and that took six weeks when it should have only been 3 or 4 days and it cost about $200+

I knew when I started that my line in the sand was actually in wet concrete and that concrete is set now. The plan was then to just store it until it was its turn.

He has the time, space, enthusiasm, beer and cash to get done what he wants to do to it and then I'll confiscate it back for non-payment!!!!!

Old age and treachery beats youth and skill every time.

[John Mulders]

haha Pat, good to see you have lots of humor (still).

I like the truck , hope you can get a solution to your satisfaction

John

[WatchingWolf]

I wouldn't give up so fast. I had to "break free" a 54 BelAir about a year ago and it was very tight when I started. Took about three days of letting it turn slowly, then juice the cyls. with ATF, wait three hours, repeat. I did this with the coil disconnected and when the rotation speed sounded "right" I drained the oil, replaced with new, hooked the coil up and it fired up and idled. Three days worth of playing turned a $75 chicken coop into a $750.00 sell.

[Rodney Bullock]

Hey Pat S I like that truck, I agree having more than one project at a time hurts more than helps. I have done two cars at one time a couple of times in my life. It just means that the resources that I reserved for the one now has to be split between the two and I would have to do more of the work myself. I have found that sometimes to really be effective you have to get away from something your are concentrating and go to something else, what better than another project.

After all the work you have done I would go a little further and try some of the suggestions folks have given you. I am not the sharpest nife in the draw but giving up now almost waste the 200.00 you have invested plus sweat equity. Just imagine how good you are going to feel when that thang starts up. Man, that's better than sugar pop's all soft from milk:D

[Plymouthy Adams]

Hey Pat...I got a lapel button with that slogan on it..and another favorite is..I have used all my sick days so now I have to call in dead...

[Normspeed]

Pat, awhile back MikeMaker's P15 had that slow slow cranking problem. We were about to swap in a different starter motor, and realized the connection from negative battery terminal to solenoid was really loose. Tightened it up and no more slow cranking!

[Plymouthy Adams]

always..check those connections..over time and through cranking periods the metal get warm..then cools..next thing you know the nut is a tad loose..this then causes more amperage to be draw going into a thermal runaway..then corrosion get in via any damp air or wash job..accelerates the poor connection..then you have a voltage drop...that will cause the starter to be extremely slow and again current drain is elevated..first step in troubleshooting is to clean all connection adn test for voltage drop..thes test will show if your crimped cable connectors are beginning to fail internally..