Classic/Antique Car Repair/34 ford flathead

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Expert: - 5/31/2011


Question
QUESTION: a customer hooked up his battery in reverse(pos, ground) and now i cant get it to run smooth. checked and gapped points,new plugs. runs very erratic and wont tke fuel.im stumped?any help will be appreciated

ANSWER: A 34 Ford should be connected POS ground. If you reversed it reconnect POS ground and see what happens. Then let me know and we will go from there.

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QUESTION: have hooked to proper polarity.have checked a few things today.have checked timing ,getting weak spark to plug iassume if getting spark it shold fire.when it does start it will only idle at very low rpm and willnot take any fuel.has a stromberg carb. mabbe i should be looking towards the fuel system?surges at idle like a massive vacuam leak but have check and no vacuam leak.does the manifold on a flathead segragate flow to each barrel of the carb,thank you

Answer
The manifold is segrigated with only minor cross over equalizing ports. If there is  vacuum leak it can be found by spraying carburetor cleaner around all the possible vacuum leak places. When you hit the leak the engine will smooth out. I have had a slew of these carburetors in my shop recently that have suffered from the ethanol in the fuel. I run a carburetor rebuild shop. Mac's Fordparts sells excellent OH kits for these carburetors.

Classic/Antique Car Repair

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Brad Sears

Expertise

All automotive including antique and collectible. However if the car has been modified I can only answer in general terms and maybe get you pointed in the right direction.

Experience

Automotive tech instructor. Syndicated auto columnist 1970's though the early 1990's. Syndicated auto radio talk show, Ask Brad About cars, CBS Radio 70's through 90's TV Show "Last Chance Garage" 1980's PBS-TV syndicated. Auto instructor for the following companies: Fram Autolyte Holly Carter AMF Ford Motor University Of Conn Blue Hills Technical School Sugar River Technical Center Grew up in a family garage in Needham Mass and turned wrenches from the age of 14.

Publications
Manchester Union Leader, Nashua Telegraph, Motor Service Magazine, Yankee Magazine, Popular Mechanics (Saturday Mechanic early 80's), Los Angeles Times, New York Times, and lots more.

Education/Credentials
More than I care to remember. Basically Franklin Technical Institute in Boston, Northeastern University, Fitchburg State Teachers College, Tufts University, and a lot of factory schools along the way.

Awards and Honors
Moto Award winner. And much more.

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