wayfarerstranger Posted October 30, 2011 Report Share Posted October 30, 2011 What we have here is a failure to communicrank !! On this 49 Plymouth when the weather is warm it cranks up time i turn the key even if it sits for days with out the battery tender being hooked up , yesterday the first cold dip we had and it will not crank no way no how and the battery tender has been hooked to it non stop , it has done this before when the weather gets cold , never could find the problem just kept messing with it , cleaning cables and yes they are the correct size , cleaning & re setting the points etc etc .The battery is only 17 months old .. finally it will crank when it is ready to . Has anyone else ever experience this ?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg g Posted October 30, 2011 Report Share Posted October 30, 2011 So the starter is not working??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wayfarerstranger Posted October 30, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2011 yes , i should say it cranks fine just will not start , run , fire up ? in the south we say the motor turn`s over but won`t crank !! but other folk`s say`s it cranks but won`t fire up , run ! act`s like a weak battery , but it`s not a dead battery cause it stays connected to a charger . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg g Posted October 30, 2011 Report Share Posted October 30, 2011 didja check yer points, timing and choke operation. Yea weuns talk funny up here starter won't spin, starter spins but doesn't engage, starter spins, engages but wont crank the engine, stater spins. engages. and cranks, starter does its thing engine won't fire, engine fires but won't start, engine starts but won't run, engine runs but not good, engine runs good, lets go!! Double check your basics. how cold is it??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Skinner Posted October 30, 2011 Report Share Posted October 30, 2011 Gots to gib her a little gas. Pump dat pedal. Den hits dat starter button. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randroid Posted October 30, 2011 Report Share Posted October 30, 2011 Chance, To answer you original question, sort of, the most cold-blooded engine I have ever encountered was the slant six that replaced our flatheads. I'm sure there have been some out there that are more of a bear to start when they're cold but our flatheads sure do run a close second. When I lived at 8000' in the middle of the Rockies and it was 10 below nothing outside they could teach you a few new words of a morning but once I installed a block heater all starting hassles went away. -Randy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodney Bullock Posted October 30, 2011 Report Share Posted October 30, 2011 When my plymouth sat a long time and I was ready to start it. I would use a points file from NAPA. One or two passes accross the points would do it. The points in cold weather sometimes stick. If the car ran before it should run again without adjustments. The battery should be in very very good health in the winter as the pull or drain is greater. If it has sat for a while I would use some starter fluid just to get the gas up to the carb. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Horne Posted October 30, 2011 Report Share Posted October 30, 2011 This time of year, the weather changes from night to morning to afternoon very much, so moisture can make things difficult for some vehicles when trying to get them started. My Plymouth parked in the garage has no problems, but if I park it in the carport, starting is difficult. I see moisture dropping off the carport most mornings.... Several times I had to spray "wire dryer" on the wires of my Mom's car if the car was parked outside and facing the wind. I do not buy "starting fluid", but I do put a little gas in a small squeeze bottle to help start an engine if necessary. I put in a couple drops of 2 stroke oil in with the starting gas also. I figure it could help with a "dry start", compare to using "starting fluid"..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty O'Toole Posted October 30, 2011 Report Share Posted October 30, 2011 I used to have a 1970 Fargo slant six, old but well maintained. I used it every day here in Canada even though it was over 20 years old, and had 160,000 miles on it. One fall I did a tuneup that included replacing the rusted out heat stove on the exhaust manifold, and the missing duct pipe to the air filter. Also the control valve that controlled the manifold heat. In other words put the air intake system back to where the factory had it. The difference was astonishing. The truck sat out all winter but it would fire up without fail on the coldest morning. And the motor warmed up in half the time. It was just like driving a fuel injection car with no carburetor stumbling or cold blooded behavior. This taught me a lesson. From now on I go by the factory specs first and don't get ideas of my own. I bet if your car was set up exactly the way it left the factory it would be as good as new. Now exactly what this entails, I have no way of knowing but would suggest you get the factory manual and go by that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wayfarerstranger Posted October 30, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2011 THANX for the input .... and all are good tip`s which i already use .... car is set up to factory ,,,, runs beautiful normally , it`s just when the temp drops for the first time and not much like from the 70`s 80`s to the 50`s it just will not fire up .... sounds like the only thing different is the moisture in the air ? doesn`t seems like it`s that bad here but it`s the only the that sounds right ? i have had cars that would not start up after a hard rain and had to use a spray , i use the cold start directions and the Coatney tips which normally work fine but not this time ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouthy Adams Posted October 30, 2011 Report Share Posted October 30, 2011 with the lower temps you will have a thicker oil..part of nature even with multiweight oil..the thicker oil may be just enough to put that wee bit of extra drag on the starter exceeding the amperage it should be drawing (quite high for a 6 volt starter....one thing I would carefully point out is that you need to check the starter load for proper amp draw..if you are well exceeding the limits you could have starter bushing wear..very common..the rear bush will enlongate and cause the armature to drag on the field winding..with this condition a normal battery even at full charge can only handle a few good cranks before it is severly drained of its reserve..and though you have checked your connection which is a first and must thing to do..have you done a proper voltage drop test to ensure that the cables are up to the task..these can appear righteous at first glance and even under close scrutiny..but internally be corroded and be causing you great displeasure..these tests will ensure that electrically you are witin limits...there is no real reserve capacity for firing the ignition if you exceed amperage draw during operation of the starter...if you care to check this theory without a meter making the needed tests..just disconnect your coil from the car battery and connect it to a known good 6 volt independant of the cranking battery..see what she does.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Coatney Posted October 30, 2011 Report Share Posted October 30, 2011 (edited) First P-15 I owned (1964) was that rare but somewhat common 5 cylinder model that carried almost no oil pressure. Everytime I gassed up I added a can of STP to the crankcase so I would get at least a little oil pressure. In the middle of winter it took longer to dump in that thick STP (that was kept on a rack near the gas pump) than it did to fuel up. I do not recall that car ever failing to start in the cold winter of Northern Ohio. I should add that I drove that car to school and back daily (about 5 miles away) and it was uphill both ways. Edited October 30, 2011 by Don Coatney Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
busycoupe Posted October 30, 2011 Report Share Posted October 30, 2011 Back in the late 60's my cousin had a 1960 Ford. I still have this vivid memory of him adding STP to the engine on a cold Massachuetts winter evening and using a pair of scissors to cut the flow of STP when the can was nearly empty. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty O'Toole Posted October 30, 2011 Report Share Posted October 30, 2011 (edited) Your symptom sound to me like choke not working or engine turning too slow. It should sound like Row Row Row Your Boat sung as fast as you can. If it is too slow and draggy, the engine will not start. If you suspect moisture or dampness is the trouble, spray your ignition wires distributor cap and coil with WD40 or brush with diesel fuel. If this makes it start, you need new plug wires and Everdry kit. And maybe even a new distributor cap. Engine with Everdry plug caps. http://t137.com/cpg/displayimage.php?album=13&pid=1513 Edited October 30, 2011 by Rusty O'Toole Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg g Posted October 30, 2011 Report Share Posted October 30, 2011 What kind of plugs are you running. My experience has been that AC's always start easier than Champions. Probably autolites also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouthy Adams Posted October 30, 2011 Report Share Posted October 30, 2011 I should add that I drove that car to school and back daily (about 5 miles away) and it was uphill both ways. uphills both ways would be a condition of broken down springs in the rear or you have yet to finish your delivery of dew... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobertKB Posted October 31, 2011 Report Share Posted October 31, 2011 Sounds like your choke is stuck open. The colder it gets the less it wants to start. That would be first thing I would check unless you have already done so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wayfarerstranger Posted November 3, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 3, 2011 The old heap fired up !!! It was so simple i must have over looked it !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry Roberts Posted November 3, 2011 Report Share Posted November 3, 2011 The old heap fired up !!! It was so simple i must have over looked it !! Great ! So was it the choke ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wayfarerstranger Posted November 3, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 3, 2011 (edited) NO ... i took out the almost like new stock engine dropped it in the CUMBERLAND RIVER & installed a super reliable YUGO motor now i`m set . Edited November 3, 2011 by wayfarerstranger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry Roberts Posted November 3, 2011 Report Share Posted November 3, 2011 NO ... i took out the almost like new stock engine dropped it in the CUMBERLAND RIVER & installed a super reliable YUGO motor now i`m set . Chance , I admire your mechanical experience . You were having problems and others tried to help . We can learn from your solutions . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Coatney Posted November 3, 2011 Report Share Posted November 3, 2011 Was it out of gas? Inquiring minds want to know??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Elder Posted November 3, 2011 Report Share Posted November 3, 2011 Tease. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IronMike Posted November 3, 2011 Report Share Posted November 3, 2011 NO ... i took out the almost like new stock engine dropped it in the CUMBERLAND RIVER & installed a super reliable YUGO motor now i`m set . Not to hijack, but I worked at a Dodge dealership that sold Yugos. Around $3500 if I remember correctly. We were going through a training about servicing them and the rep. was all excited about all of the features on these little cars. He really was getting into the pitch and exclaimed that the best new feature of all was the rear window defrost. He claimed this addition had done a lot to raise customer satisfaction.......................... Because it kept the the customer's hands warm while they were pushing them They spent a lot of time in the shop. You sure don't see them around anymore. Chance, glad to hear you got your car running and congrats on the Yugo swap. I am sure it only increased the value of your car since you may have the only running Yugo engine in the world! Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Coatney Posted November 3, 2011 Report Share Posted November 3, 2011 Not to hijack, but I worked at a Dodge dealership that sold Yugos. Around $3500 if I remember correctly. We were going through a training about servicing them and the rep. was all excited about all of the features on these little cars. He really was getting into the pitch and exclaimed that the best new feature of all was the rear window defrost. He claimed this addition had done a lot to raise customer satisfaction..........................Because it kept the the customer's hands warm while they were pushing them They spent a lot of time in the shop. You sure don't see them around anymore. Chance, glad to hear you got your car running and congrats on the Yugo swap. I am sure it only increased the value of your car since you may have the only running Yugo engine in the world! Mike Best posting I have seen here in a while! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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