iowa51 Posted October 8, 2016 Report Share Posted October 8, 2016 After a multitude of other problems with my car after the engine replacement the 1 thing it did good was start fairly easy. 2 weekends ago decided to change the oil getting ready to put it away for the year. Cranked a few times, sprayed a little starting fluid in the air cleaner, cranked again and it fired right up. Idled about 15 minutes to warm the oil up and drained/replaced oil and replaced the filter. Tried to start again and it would fire, starter kicks out, and it would "cough" like it would fire 2 more times but wouldn't keep running. Same thing a few more times. Put the batter charger on it for a few hours and it started right up. Drove it around to several stops and started fine each time. Tried last weekend to take it for a drive and same thing. Fires, starter kicks out, cough, cough from the engine. Battery charger on it for a 1/2 hour, unhooked charger, and it started right up. Took battery (just under 2 years old) to an auto parts store and they tested it and it was fully charged with no problems Tonight, same thing, fires, starter kicks out... put charger on it (charger showed battery fully charged) for 10 minutes and again it started/ran right away. Talked to an old timer and he thought the drive spring on the starter was weak and not keeping the starter engaged, but what would charging a fully charged battery have to do with that? Shouldn't that problem be every time I start it? Pertononix ignition, and switched out old Pertonix coil with a new Pertonix coil and double checked the coil hookup to rule that out. Ideas on this problem on why an oil change would cause hard starting unless I put a battery charger on a fully charged battery? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg g Posted October 8, 2016 Report Share Posted October 8, 2016 Sounds like the timing might be advanced too much. Try retarding it a bit and see if the situation improves. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodgeb4ya Posted October 8, 2016 Report Share Posted October 8, 2016 My guess is a Pertronix voltage issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ulu Posted October 8, 2016 Report Share Posted October 8, 2016 Sure sounds like a low voltage situation because of a poor connection to something. Could be between the key and the battery. Could be lots of other places as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Los_Control Posted October 8, 2016 Report Share Posted October 8, 2016 Been a long time since I have operated a 6 volt vehicle, assuming your is stock 6 volt. So I have been living vicariously through this forum to keep me entertained inbetween working on my 49 dodge. Which I plan to do today. Couple things that come to mind, a common problem is installing new battery cables for a 12 volt system. Might work for awhile, but not heavy enough cable to last. And then there was a article about the ground cable being attached to the generator from the factory. When the brushes wore so thin, no longer provided a proper ground. Replacing the brushes in the generator would cure this, but many just moved the ground to a new location. At least that is how I read the thread, maybe someone here can correct me. But a good cleaning on all 4 ends of 2 cables would not hurt anything. Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captden29 Posted October 8, 2016 Report Share Posted October 8, 2016 sounds like a starting problem to begin with if you have to use starter fluid to start the engine. carb could have been damaged, changing the oil will not cause your issue.odd problem, and will be interested to know the final solution.did you spill any oil on to the dist. during the oil change, or on to the ground cable where it connects to the block? keep us in the loop. capt den Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Balazs Posted October 9, 2016 Report Share Posted October 9, 2016 Certainly check all battery connections. Prove out ignition using a spark plug tester. My guess is ignition is ok......but it is possible that the timing may be a little off. What is your starting procedure? Try pumping the pedal once with a small amount of choke and 1/4 throttle. Once it starts push the choke in and let it idle high a couple of minutes. Also have you tried hooking up a vacuum gauge to get an idea of how this engine is running? Hth, Jeff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJ194950 Posted October 9, 2016 Report Share Posted October 9, 2016 (edited) Just i question- With air cleaner removed what is the choke doing doing these hot and cold starts? Will not hurt anything to drive around close to home without the cleaner and watch. I would suggest that you take a remote starter switch with you so you can turn ign. on (in neutral confirmed) and open hood to check . He Should have a electric choke not Manuel on a car. A different thought, Good luck. DJ Edited October 9, 2016 by DJ194950 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iowa51 Posted October 9, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 9, 2016 21 hours ago, captden29 said: sounds like a starting problem to begin with if you have to use starter fluid to start the engine. carb could have been damaged, changing the oil will not cause your issue.odd problem, and will be interested to know the final solution.did you spill any oil on to the dist. during the oil change, or on to the ground cable where it connects to the block? keep us in the loop. capt den The engine has never had a hard starting problem until recently. The car had sat for a few weeks and a shot of starting fluid is standard for me if it doesn't start on the first few cranks to save wear and tear on the starter. Even when dealing with the running hot problem earlier this year it would start with no problem. Cleaned all the connections/battery posts/grounds. Starting to think maybe it is the starter. Not getting the 2nd or 3rd spin to let the car to run on it's own before the starter kicks out. Have a spare starter that I am taking in to have checked and try that. Also taking the battery to another store where they do a load test(?) instead of just hooking up a hand held tester. When I get out to my dad's again I will get the timing light to double check timing even though the distributor was tight when I checked that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodgeb4ya Posted October 10, 2016 Report Share Posted October 10, 2016 If the starter seems to dis-engage way to easily and too early .... Possibly a spring in the starter Bendix drive is broken. Causing this premature kick out. At least situations like this cause a person to go over everything and fix other issues that might crop up later Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iowa51 Posted November 9, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 9, 2016 (edited) Problem solved!! Dodgeb4ya and Ulu was right a few posts back. Replaced coil (from my dad's '52 also with a Pertronix), put my spare starter on, cleaned and checked and re-checked connections. After hot wiring the car by going straight from the battery to the coil, should have been one of the 1st things I did, and it fired right up decided to check the actual wiring. Obviously a splice where the Pertronix wire hooked up with the car wiring. Another splice (covered with wrapped electrical tape so it was hidden) into the cloth covered wire from the original wiring, then another splice (again hidden by wrapped tape) from the cloth covered wiring up to the horn relay. Unwrapped all the tape, removed the spliced wires, and retaped for the wires that go to the generator. Pertronix wire was long enough to hook right to the horn relay. Has started every time I have tried. Maybe when changing the oil I bumped this wire and made an already poor connection worse. What putting the battery charger on it did to make it start I still do not know. Edited November 9, 2016 by iowa51 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Coatney Posted November 9, 2016 Report Share Posted November 9, 2016 Best splice is a soldered western union splice as pictured. Once soldered cover it in heat shrink wrap. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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