my 37 will not start

[fh929]

I have a 37 dictator. it will not start. turns over but will not start.

the car ran great after a rebuild for the first year. [4 YEARS ago}. the second sarted ggreat but soon had starting problems . last year would only start by pushing it. I have bypassed the switch, changed the coil, plugs, points,cond., wires, cap and rotor. and the battery checks good. what am I missing?

[Guest imported_studeboy]

If the car will start when pushed but not with the starter perhaps there is to much resistance in the starter circuit? Have you checked all the connections to the starter? Check to see what the current draw is when the starter is cranking. Everything should be "shiny and bright"!

[gthawkr2]

Does the starter turn the engines over very well? If not, what gauge battery cables? My 35 had new battery cables on it when I purchased it and it would barely turn over. Changed to 00 cables and it spun like a new car.

[fh929]

I have oo cables. it turns over good. starter has been rebuilt. thinking of trying an 8 volt battery.

[mrpushbutton]

don't go over to an 8 volt battery. that's a half-a_ _ band aid for farmers who don't understand mechanical/electrical issues. When you did the "rebuild" what did that consist of?

I would earnestly suggest you remove your distributor from the engine. Hold the base/stalk of it in one hand and grab the rotor with your other hand and push the rotor from side to side. I think what you will find is an excessive amout of side play due to worn bushings in the distributor, which is causing the distributor cam to push itself away from the follower-arm of the points. Once (if) started, these engines will also be erratic as to idle and acceleration. I have learned that an old engine with worn-out bearings, rings, pistons, valves, and seals also has a worn-out distributor, starter, generator, fuel pump and water pump. It's especially important to make sure the starter,generator and distributor have "like new" bearings when the long block has been rebuilt (the electrical part has to be 100% too!) just like the long block.

That's a big part of making a reliable tour car that doesn't leave you stranded on what is supposed to be a <span style="font-style: italic">joy</span>ride.

[Dr Morbius]

That's probably it - I had the same problem with my distributor having too much play in the shaft and giving me fits and starts! I sent it to a guy in Michigan [ name escapes me now ] who put in new bronze/alloy bearings and she runs like a top. And yes , 8 volts is a really bad idea. You can , if you want [ I did it ] have your starter slightly modified by a knowledgeable auto electric shop on the windings to run at 4.5 volts - it will spin like 12 volts when 6 volts are applied to it !! <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

..................................Steve

[dave woodson]

Be sure to check the ballast resister while cranking as this will drop the voltage to the points to a point you get little or no fire from the coil. I had the problem with a 34 Ford some years ago and did the same as you until I checked the voltage from the resistor to the points. The worn distributor shaft will effect the timing of the spark more than anything unless it is worn so much the points do not break. Just another idea from a old collector.

Dave Woodson

Trenton, Mo.

[mrpushbutton]

Dave, good additional advice. I have seen distributors so worn that the points would not break, ergo my advice. The distributor is one of those parts that seems to be taken for granted. A fresh longblock deserves a fresh distributor.

[fh929]

I checked the distributor. the bearings are good. now taking all the grounds off and cleaning them to be sure. several "friends" want me to do the chevy thing. <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> just can't do it. got to be something simple.

[mrpushbutton]

Well then, it's time to check the list of what is needed for an internal combustion engine to start. You need:

1. Fuel, at the carb, properly atomized by the carb, properly enriched by the choke for the ambient temperature of the engine

2. Cranking--via starter or hand crank

3. (proper)Compression-all valves opening and closing properly, good rings, good gaskets

4. spark-sufficient enough to ingnite the fuel/air mixture

5. Timing-adequate high voltage current has to reach the spark plug when each cylinder is near TDC, adjusted to the specified timing.

I have always found that one or more of the above were off, or did not work at all when an engine did not start. Correcting all of the above fixed the problem.