I need help or suggestions. I am trying to start a 1925 Essex 6 cylinder. I am getting fire to a grounded spark plug but the spark looks weak to me. When I spray starting fluid into the cylinders and replace the spark plugs, I get no detonation ? Could the spark be too weak to fire ? If it's weak spark, could it be the coil or condenser or wire ?. Do not know how to test the coil or condenser. The coil would be easy to switch but the condenser is riveted in position so will be more difficult to change.
Any suggestion will be appreciated.
Thanks,
Bill Johnson
So, the spark is orange yellow, and not blue white? That can be a bad condenser, but also could be old plug wires, too much resistance through the distributor cap terminals, carbon tracking in the distributor cap, or someone used modern noise suppression resistor wires instead of the correct tinned copper core wires. Are you Bob Johnson's son? I am in Plano. Did that new fuel pump diaphragm work on the 35?
Kenneth,
Bob is my brother. Yes, the Ford diaphragm woks in the Terraplane. The Ford pull rod is exact like the Terraplane but one of the washers holding the diaphragm is a larger diameter which is the only difference,
The wires do appear to be new with rubber caps for the plugs. I don't know if they were on the car when it last run. Cannot honestly say what color the spark is but looks weak. I will replace one wire and see if it improves the spark. I bought a new condenser so I will have to drill out the rivets and try to find some very small screws for the new condenser.
I thought if I had spark and gas it would fire but did not.
Thanks for the suggestions.
Bill
Did you do a compression check on it? How many PSI per cylinder?
Kenneth,
I only used my finger to determine the compression stroke. I have a tester and will run that check
Thanks again,
Bill
The throttle needs to be held wide open, and all the other spark plugs removed, to get an accurate compression test. The reason to remove the plugs is so the engine can crank over faster for testing one cylinder at a time, and the throttle needs to be wide open so as much air as possible gets pulled in. If the readings are under 70 lbs or so. try squirting some oil in the cylinders and doing another round of compression test. If the the reading rise, it's usually the cylinder walls and rings. If no change, then the valves need attention.
[b]Don't forget to make the points bright and shiny[/b]
