Here's the latest on the old panel truck.
Happy to report that today finished crimping on ends to the plug/dist wires and got them led in what I thought was the correct firing order according to the engine schematic. Then guess and by gollied thru the rat’s nest of disorganized, loose and broken wires that were supposed to connect all of the ign/charging system. Turned the key to on and pushed the start pedal down. I soon discovered no fuel was getting to the fuel pump. After blowing with compressed air back thru the line to the tank, I quickly had free flowing gasoline. Then tried cranking the engine again and wouldn’t you know it, as luck would have it, the engine coughed and fired, but would not start and run.
I did the switheroo on a few of the raggedy wires under the hood, found the timing marks on the damper, did a compression check on the #1 cylinder and found that the distributor rotor was one off on the rotation. So switched all the wires counterclockwise one spot and vualla, the sweet little flathead six fired and started. She purred like a kitten, quite and smooth. I suspect that the distributor shaft and gearing is one tooth off, so next I will pull the shaft and re-drop it in at TDC to the correct cylinder wire.
But for an engine that hadn’t run in 10 years and is 62 years old, I was quite impressed. Made my afternoon for sure! My future plans are now to first finish the brake system which includes either unplugging all the clogged brake lines, or replacing the lines. Next will be the exhaust system cause the exhaust pipe and muffler have holes like chipmunks have made a home out of it.
Last week found a ’52 Dodge pickup out in a heavily wooded cow pasture down next to a swamp. The property and farm belongs to a local automotive junk/scrap yard and they will sell me parts. So tomorrow will go out and pick a few interchangeable parts from the body, interior and engine. Last week when I discovered the truck, my dog who was with me did the Labrador Retriever back roll in a fresh cow pie. So guess what she smelled like on the ride home in my Astro Van?
Happy to report that today finished crimping on ends to the plug/dist wires and got them led in what I thought was the correct firing order according to the engine schematic. Then guess and by gollied thru the rat’s nest of disorganized, loose and broken wires that were supposed to connect all of the ign/charging system. Turned the key to on and pushed the start pedal down. I soon discovered no fuel was getting to the fuel pump. After blowing with compressed air back thru the line to the tank, I quickly had free flowing gasoline. Then tried cranking the engine again and wouldn’t you know it, as luck would have it, the engine coughed and fired, but would not start and run.
I did the switheroo on a few of the raggedy wires under the hood, found the timing marks on the damper, did a compression check on the #1 cylinder and found that the distributor rotor was one off on the rotation. So switched all the wires counterclockwise one spot and vualla, the sweet little flathead six fired and started. She purred like a kitten, quite and smooth. I suspect that the distributor shaft and gearing is one tooth off, so next I will pull the shaft and re-drop it in at TDC to the correct cylinder wire.
But for an engine that hadn’t run in 10 years and is 62 years old, I was quite impressed. Made my afternoon for sure! My future plans are now to first finish the brake system which includes either unplugging all the clogged brake lines, or replacing the lines. Next will be the exhaust system cause the exhaust pipe and muffler have holes like chipmunks have made a home out of it.
Last week found a ’52 Dodge pickup out in a heavily wooded cow pasture down next to a swamp. The property and farm belongs to a local automotive junk/scrap yard and they will sell me parts. So tomorrow will go out and pick a few interchangeable parts from the body, interior and engine. Last week when I discovered the truck, my dog who was with me did the Labrador Retriever back roll in a fresh cow pie. So guess what she smelled like on the ride home in my Astro Van?
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