Stovebolt.com Forums The Shop Area The Engine Shop Why won’t it start?

Trying to see if our ‘49 we purchased runs. It has a 235 straight 6. We are converting to 12v so bought new 12v battery, new starter, new distributor & cap, new 12v coil, new plugs and wires, rebuilt carb, added a new ballast resistor. No ignition switch or new wiring harness yet so jumping it off from the battery and pouring gas straight into carb. Tested to see if we’re getting spark to the plugs and we are. Engine tries to start and hits occasionally but it almost seems like something shuts it down right afterwards! What could we be doing wrong? Maybe the battery to starter to ignition coil not connected right to jump it? We have the + on ignition coil wired to ballast resistor and negative on coil to distributor. Thanks for any advice.

Before you proceed further take a few minutes to read the Stovebolt Tech Tip on bringing a dead engine back to life. You could save yourself a few thousand dollars. Tech Tips can be found in the menu bar at the top of the page.

If you put a new starter on make shure it matches the flywheel .6 volt flywheel does not mix with a 12 volt starter.

So the flywheel needs to be replaced when you convert to 12v?

No, flywheel does not need to be replaced. If you used a 6V starter, same as came off of it, you are OK. If it's a 235 from the 12V era and used a 12V starter, same as came off it, it's also OK. Kevin is saying you can't mix them unless flywheel matches starter. (teeth/pitch)

Provided you have the correct starter, it seems like a wiring issue as you said. If you advise if you have a foot start or somehow have a solenoid starter instead, I will go over the wiring with you.

I understand you just want to wire enough to get it started. No problem. Make sure you are VERY specific with wiring. You did not explain how you have it wired. EVERY wire, every cable, every ground. Just saying you have + connected to ballast and neg to dizzy doesn't get it. There are certainly more wires than that? We can't catch a miswire until we know how you have it wired.

See you tomorrow.

I converted my old 55.1 panel to 12v and used the 6v starter. I put over 100K on the truck without issues. The 6v starter will turn the engine much faster than a 12v starter and will be happy doing it if you don't leave it engaged for long periods of time. I recently converted my 53 car to 12v using the 6v starter and all is well. If you're also converting your 49 from stomp start to an electric solenoid you will need to use a 12v solenoid on your 6v starter. PM me for the correct solenoid and how to solve the connection issues you'll face doing that.

SuziQ,

Let's look at a different scenario. Ist disconnect any wires from the + terminal on the coil, Now let's pretend we are going to steal the truck. Run a jumper wire from the + on the battery to the + on the coil, try to start the truck. If it starts, Talk to Bartamos, He likes to play with electricity. You have a wireing problem. Good Luck.

To Bartamos: here is how we have it wired now just to get it to run. The old wiring harness is removed, no new one yet.
+ from battery to + on starter, - on battery to - on starter, husband added a household electric switch (so we can turn it off quickly) one wire to + on starter and other wire to one of the hookups on ballast resistor, + on coil going to other hookup on ballast resistor, - on coil to distributor.

To Tommy: I’m, we tried it using your scenario but it didn’t start. BUT please look at my post to Bartamos on how it’s wired. My husband added that household switch to turn it off quick. I wonder if that is interfering with the circuit? He tested the coil that’s attached to the resistor and it brought voltage down from 12v to 6v, so the ballast resistor is doing it’s job….prob need to put a 6v starter on it instead of the 12v one we bought.

The glass shop guys couldn't start my '48 when I left it there. They were putting the key in the full right position which is Off. They didn't know straight up is On.

(I reread the post. "Hits occasionally says above is not the answer.)