I have a 1954 Plymouth Savoy with the original flathead six. This is my first Mopar experience and its about to kill me! The car will not run and I cannot understand why! I have been a shadetree mechanic my whole life and I think a fairly good one. The engine has compression, it has good spark, it has fuel, and I have went to great lengths to determine that the timing is on! Everyone I have asked said it has to be timing but it is firing when it should be. I have a factory service manual and everything is exactly as it should be. New fuel pump, carburator, starter, wires, plugs, everything, and it turns over fine and once in a while tries to hit on MAYBE a cylinder or two, but will not start! If anyone has any ideas, hints, suggestions, or advise, I would greatly appreciate it!

 

your positive you got it up on #1 cylinder and not 180 deg, out? maybe the plugs wont fire under compression? iv had that happen with new ngk plugs they would fire out of the cylinder but not under compression put my old autolites in and it fired right up.

 

Yes sir I have checked that I was not 180 out several times and I am sure I have it there! I will try a different plug and see if it makes a difference. I have had a suggestion of replacing the coil, as it is the only thing not new. Maybe not producing enough fire?? Your thoughts? Thanks again.

 

Is your fuel system clean (i.e. tank and lines)? At the risk of sounding like a jerk, do you have good clean gas in it? I'm asking because my '53 Cranbrook wouldn't start once and it was because my sending unit LIED and I was out of gas. What a fun walk that was at midnight.

I'll have to poke around under the hood of mine tonight or this weekend and see if anything obvious pops into my head for you.

 

I appreciate any options you can throw my way. I am at such a loss!

 

I was thinking towards the fuel as well. But more along the line how much fuel your getting actually into the cylinder? Too much or not enough? How do the plugs look like? The spark plug idea is a pretty good thought as well.
You got a good ground to the engine? I never had issues with that but reading on a bunch of old car forums you can read that a lot.

Just to throw out some more crap to you

Tomi

 

I am going to change those and try the new coil. Too much fuel?? Maybe?? Did check the ground to engine and thats good. Thanks for the help!!! Apparently I need it!

 

Is your carb getting fuel? Are you running the HUGE ~smirk~ stock carb?

You said it's the original FH 6; but has any work been done to it? Is it all stock? Can you post a couple pics of your engine bay, just for kicks? I can do same though mine has some minor mods.

I'll keep thinking.

 

It is stock as far as I can tell. No mods done by me, not yet anyway! If I can get the dang thing running I plan several. Yea I will get some pictures up asap! And Thanks again!! I appreciate it!

 

Yup, soaked plugs can kill it. Can you get it to fire using only starting fluid? That should help you confirm, and rule out some things.

 

just starting fluid and shutting off the regular gas. That would tell me about fuel. I will give that a shot! Thanks a million!!!

 

What Scott said! Too much fuel is no good either. Usually not that big of a deal on a 3 cycle engine with an electric starter. Im coming more from the 2 cycle bike side and too much fuel is a real killer there. Especially if you have to kick to fire the engine. If its not running I always do the starter fluid. If it runs on that its a carb/fuel issue.