WD45 won't start

slat1 · Sep 22, 2019

I have a 1953 WD45 that when it gets hot would start to sputter/surge. Sometimes you could pull the choke out a little bit and it would run fine. The other week it did this and died and I haven't been able to get it started since. I figured it was the coil. Checked for fire and had none. I have replaced coil, points, condenser, cap and rotor. Have blue spark now but it just won't fire up.
Any thoughts as to what else I should be looking for? I'm at a loss.
Thanks

kenny kabat · Sep 22, 2019

Give it a spray of starting fluid. If it fires, that means its fuel related. Sounds like it is fuel because of the choke action helped.

old · Sep 22, 2019

First off one should always trouble shoot then parts NEVER part then trouble shoot or you will add more problem to the problem.
#1 check that you have a good blue/white spark at the center wire of the distributor cap and at all 4 plug wires. Did you get the firing order of the plug wires on correctly??
#2 pull the carb drain plug and make sure you have a good steady flow of gas that will fill a pin jar in less then 3 minutes and yes catch the gas in a pint jar so as to measure and loo for dirt/water.
#3 when was the last time you serviced the air cleaners and dumped the mud and water and filled with fresh oil?
Pull the air cleaner tube off and while trying to start it hold your hand over the air intake of the carb. You should both feel a good suction and get gas on your hand. Be 1000% sure i is out of gear when you do that

rustred · Sep 22, 2019

appears you have a fuel issue. undo line at carb and see if you have a full fuel line stream of gas running out. if not restrictions are from tank down . if yes pull plug at bottom of carb and gas should be running out. if it stops or no gas carb needs cleaning.

slat1 · Sep 22, 2019

I did trouble shoot first. I had no fire out of the distributor. That's what led me to put a new coil on. After a new coil still didn't have spark. The cap, rotor and points had some pitting so I replaced them. I now have spark.
I will check the carb and service the air cleaner.
Thank you for the help.

old · Sep 22, 2019

Just for your info coil almost never go bad but when they do go bad they tend to show them self when hot and have run for an hour or more. Also when coils go bad they ted to be very hot to the point that if one spits on the coil the spit steams off fast. But most of the time loss of spark is bad or dirty points

slat1 · Sep 22, 2019

It was cutting out after I had been mowing for an hour or so. That's good to know about them getting that hot. I'll use that in the future since I didn't even know they would get that hot when they go bad.

slat1 · Sep 22, 2019

Thanks for everyone's help. I went back to basics. I found TDC on the number 1 cylinder, checked rotor position and firing order. My son swapped the wires and had them one off. It starts and runs fine now.

old · Sep 22, 2019

I've even seen a coil explode due to being a 6 volt coil on 12 volts with out a ballast resister in the circuit and having the ignition left turn one but not running. I had that happen to a VW bug I once had. It was 6 volts but I had a 12 volt battery in it and I had left the ignition on and the coil exploded and when it did it sounded like a shot gun going off under the hood

slat1 · Sep 22, 2019

Wow that's crazy. I never knew they could explode.

old · Sep 22, 2019

Yes they sure can and you do not want to be close when they do since they make a big mess an some being filled with oil can burn you pretty bad if they explode and you get hit by the hot oil

WD45 won't start

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