OT...1950 ford V8 flathead running poorly

BigDanT

Member
Have a friend that's got a '50 PU 6v 239 v8 flathead that is running poorly. Starts and idles great but when trying to accelerate it falls on its face. Will not rev up, does not back fire but boggs down. Have rebuilt carb, checked vacuum advance, checked points cap rotor.Spark will jump 1/4 in. sediment bowl stays full, float bowl full.Any ideas on what I should check next. Thanks Dan
 
Sounds to me like fuel pump problems. Fuel pump getting weak on demand. Try a syphon line to carb and see if that's the problem
 
I had a 52 that did similar, found that when accelerating, the advance moved under the plate and it contacted a flex wire under the plate that was worn thro from rubbing, idled but wouldnt accelerate?????
 
Spud, will try that in the morning...I would have thought with a full float bowl i would get at least a couple of revs before starving???
 
Check out that Pig Tail wire in the distributor that goes to the points. If the insulation is rubbed off and touching the metal of the distributor that is the culprit.

To test for this condition, remove the vacuum advance hose from the diaphragm and if it will accellerate then you know that is the problem.

Zane
 
BigDanT,Check the accelerator pump and make sure it is squirting gas down the carb throat.Also check the main jet passages for obstructions.
 
Many years ago we had an old ford that behaved as you describe. After weeks of looking for the problem we unbolted the exhaust pipe from the exhaust manifold and the engine then operated normally (although loud of course!). The problem was in the muffler and the result was the engine could not breath more air than was required for idle speed........if you get to wits-end, try it.
 
(quoted from post at 17:07:16 11/25/12) Have a friend that's got a '50 PU 6v 239 v8 flathead that is running poorly. Starts and idles great but when trying to accelerate it falls on its face. Will not rev up, does not back fire but boggs down. Have rebuilt carb, checked vacuum advance, checked points cap rotor.Spark will jump 1/4 in. sediment bowl stays full, float bowl full.Any ideas on what I should check next. Thanks Dan


Does this have a holley carb? If so might be the accelerator pump - there is a leather cap in there which might be worn out or dried out - same problem with my 53 V8 - check that when you pump the gas you are getting a good 'squirt' of gas through the two small tubes located just above the air intake on the top of the carb.

lee
 

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