1963 Ford Fairlane

[Chris_]

I picked up a replacement.  I had a $20 store credit so it wasn't a big expense (they wouldn't let me use my store credit and my gift certificate at the same time.  Bums).  I'll have the current one rebuilt as a spare.  I wonder if it's the original one... kind of hard to tell.

Time to break out the old bumper jack.  Those regular hydraulic jacks don't work so well with this car.

[zeitgeist]

I picked up a replacement.  I had a $20 store credit so it wasn't a big expense (they wouldn't let me use my store credit and my gift certificate at the same time.  Bums).  I'll have the current one rebuilt as a spare.  I wonder if it's the original one... kind of hard to tell.

Time to break out the old bumper jack.  Those regular hydraulic jacks don't work so well with this car.

Fords of that era were famous for the starter solenoid going bad and could usually be jumped with a screw driver IIRC.  Fords solenoids were most often mounted somewhere in the engine compartment not internal to the starter.  Use to sell a lot of them in the early 70's.

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGGTaOQkkAk[/youtube]

[Eupher]

Fords of that era were famous for the starter solenoid going bad and could usually be jumped with a screw driver IIRC.  Fords solenoids were most often mounted somewhere in the engine compartment not internal to the starter.  Use to sell a lot of them in the early 70's.

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGGTaOQkkAk[/youtube]

I remember all starter solenoids being actually attached to the starter itself, which meant the whole apparatus being mounted down around the flywheel. Gotta get the car up on jackstands to deal with that, usually.

[Chris_]

Fords of that era were famous for the starter solenoid going bad and could usually be jumped with a screw driver IIRC.  Fords solenoids were most often mounted somewhere in the engine compartment not internal to the starter.  Use to sell a lot of them in the early 70's.

When the starter motor is smoking and stinking like burned metal, it's a good hint what might be wrong.

The solenoid is mounted on the fender.  I tried jumping the two connections and all I did was burn my finger.

[zeitgeist]

When the starter motor is smoking and stinking like burned metal, it's a good hint what might be wrong.

The solenoid is mounted on the fender.  I tried jumping the two connections and all I did was burn my finger.

Ah yes that would happened too, remember one story of a guy with a wedding ring that touched the screw driver and burned clear to the bone.  Ouch.

I never rebuilt a Ford but I did do a Chrysler back in the day and probably a Chevy or two but it is so cheap to just buy a rebuilt that unless you are a glutton for punishment it is probably not worth the effort.  I seem to remember Chevy needing the bendix drive (throw out or what ever you call the starter gear) replaced, Chrysler not so much because they were dual reduction drives.  (which is why they sound different)  It was usually the brass bushings that went on a Chrysler. 

[Wineslob]

When the starter motor is smoking and stinking like burned metal, it's a good hint it might be a Ford.

The solenoid is mounted on the fender.  I tried jumping the two connections and all I did was burn my finger.

FIFY


My 1989 F 150 has the solenoid mounted on the fender.

[CG6468]

FIFY


My 1989 F 150 has the solenoid mounted on the fender.

You can bypass the Ford's solenoid by going down to the starter from the hot side of the solenoid.

[Chris_]

I got the old starter pulled.  It's the original one or at least the housing is.

It's a tight fit between the transmission oil cooler lines and the frame.  Goober sure earned his keep in Mayberry, I'll say that.

It rained on and off most of the day.  I didn't have a lot of time to work.

[zeitgeist]

I got the old starter pulled.  It's the original one or at least the housing is.

It's a tight fit between the transmission oil cooler lines and the frame.  Goober sure earned his keep in Mayberry, I'll say that.

It rained on and off most of the day.  I didn't have a lot of time to work.

Rain does cut down on the outdoor auto repair time.  My lawn could use a bit of your rain but I was able to make productive use of its lack under the motor home today checking some wiring.  It was a dust bowl under there in addition to the normal diesel filth. I have learned to use tyvek painter coveralls to keep both me and the inside of the coach clean when I have to get under it.

[Chris_]

The tail light cap broke when I took it off the car.

The metal trim around the backup light holds the rest of the tail light together.  I ordered a replacement tail light assembly but if it doesn't get here by Wednesday, I'm just going to silicone the whole damn thing together until I get back from MO.

[Chris_]

I'm still having the same cold-start issues I was having before.  It took me five minutes to get the engine to fire up and stay running after sitting for a week.  I let it warm up for a few minutes and shut it off.  It started up again with no problems.

[zeitgeist]

I'm still having the same cold-start issues I was having before.  It took me five minutes to get the engine to fire up and stay running after sitting for a week.  I let it warm up for a few minutes and shut it off.  It started up again with no problems.

With the 'Cuda I have leak down issue when it sits for any length of time.  You can see it with the clear (sort of ) gas filter being empty.   The mechanical fuel pump may be the problem but I have never gotten around to changing it.  Sometimes if it has been sitting for a protracted period of time I will give it a shot of ether before I start to crank it over.  I put a NOS carb on years ago but it didn't do much for the starting.  Of course corn gas is not good for NOS stuff either.    I suspect you have the same problem.  Try a shot of gas or ether before you try to start it after it has been sitting.  On the 'Cuda I also have a choke issue < headers mean no choke stove > but again I never drive it in the winter so I have not put a manual on it.  You might want to see if the choke is working correctly too.

[biersmythe]

With the Firebird I had the same problem years ago and I had the header problem as well so I went to a an electric choke. The other key to the solution at least with me was change out the rubber fuel line along the system. I knew I was having problems with the fuel lines cause I was having a lot of stuttering at about 6k rpm. The lines in the back were sucking air and starving the engine. After I changed the lines I had no more hard starts or high RPM stutter...have you changed any of the original rubber lines along the system?

[zeitgeist]

With the Firebird I had the same problem years ago and I had the header problem as well so I went to a an electric choke. The other key to the solution at least with me was change out the rubber fuel line along the system. I knew I was having problems with the fuel lines cause I was having a lot of stuttering at about 6k rpm. The lines in the back were sucking air and starving the engine. After I changed the lines I had no more hard starts or high RPM stutter...have you changed any of the original rubber lines along the system?

That is an excellent point.  I cannot say I have changed all the rubber but I have changed everything from the fuel pump forward on the 'Cuda.  I may have to reinvestigate that.  I am with you on the electric choke but have not gone there yet since the one barrel is due to be changed out to a whole different animal ( I just need time to do it.  Think three duce's.  )  I may post a pic later.

[Chris_]

I tried to read the part of the service manual for the automatic choke but it just gave me a headache.

Got the tail light reassembled... guess I'm legal now.  The fancy backup-light bulb is exposed until I can find something to cover it with.  Think I'll just use a plastic ramekin and some glue.  Good thing I ordered two entire sets because the other tail light cover is cracked as well.

[biersmythe]

I tried to read the part of the service manual for the automatic choke but it just gave me a headache.

Got the tail light reassembled... guess I'm legal now.  The fancy backup-light bulb is exposed until I can find something to cover it with.  Think I'll just use a plastic ramekin and some glue.  Good thing I ordered two entire sets because the other tail light cover is cracked as well.

BAH! the difference there is a stove pipe heater and the other is a SINGLE wire to the choke...all the blah blah has been taken care of by the carb. I would say the FEW wire headaches there is will pay off for YEARS after the mod. I wont drive a stove pipe choke anymore....either it is Manuel or auto electric. lol now I am driving  one car with E-fuel injection and don't need a choke and the other is a diesel fuel mech injection so.... not in need of a choke ATM.

[Chris_]

I have a nagging feeling the filter I put on the end of the fuel pickup unit is causing some of my running problems.  It was a cheapo mesh screen-type filter that I replaced with a modern inline filter.  I would have to drop the tank to replace it.

I still haven't regapped the plugs or checked the carburetor at all.

[Chris_]

I'll be back from Kansas City on Monday (I'm headed to St. Joseph for lunch with a friend Sunday).  I'm going to pull the tank and take off that damn fuel filter I stuck on the end of the fuel pickup tube.

[biersmythe]

If you have a compressor just remove the line and blow back into the tank at full pressure. That flimsy "filter sock" will not be attached or in one piece afterward. I did this when I first bought the Firebird cause the sock was clogged. It made a huge difference. I installed a external filter so i was not in need of the factory design flaw any longer. I don't remember if you said or not, did you blow out all the lines when you were doing all this work? But if it is a new filter sock and not one that is 25 ish years old you might want to drop the tank and remove it...then blow the lines and replace all rubber pieces so you don't have a suction leak.

[Chris_]

It's not a sock... it's an in-line filter with a barbed connector and a hose clamp.

It's on there and it's not going anywhere.

[Chris_]

Got my cold-start problem solved... I replaced the automatic choke thermostat.  Started up fine. 

It runs a little rough and I still need to change the thermostat but it's more driveable and doesn't stall.

[obumazombie]

Got my cold-start problem solved... I replaced the automatic choke thermostat.  Started up fine. 

It runs a little rough and I still need to change the thermostat but it's more driveable and doesn't stall.

Will it be ready to take to the next baconfest ?

[Chris_]

Will it be ready to take to the next baconfest ?

I hope so.  I'm tired of having a 3,000-pound lawn ornament.

I'm leaving for North Carolina Wednesday.  I'm hoping to take this car with me.

[obumazombie]

^Ah. Good luck with it. Since you are now a minor cave celebrity from baconfest, break a leg !

[Chris_]

Runs better but there's a slight stumble or hesitation in one or two cylinders.  It's better than it was the other day, but I had to regap a few of the plugs today since they were off by a small amount. It's probably the two I didn't fix (there's one directly under the alternator and it's a bitch to unscrew).

Still stalls in Drive at the light. I'm going to raise the idle a bit and see what happens.  I also need to replace the thermostat... my temp gauge on the dashboard still isn't working.  The coolant looks nice and clean, though.