[updated:LAST EDITED ON 17-Jan-02 AT 03:28 PM (EST)]When I drive my '49 F-1 with the 239 flatty and 6 volt positive ground, it won't start when I try to restart it after warming up. It sounds like the battery is almost dead. If I let it sit for a couple hours or overnight it will spin over good and start. Regardless, even when it's cold, it still spins over slow. The battery is keeping a charge. The problem only started about a week ago. Is the starter getting weak and faltering when it's hot?

Thanks for any advice!

 

James,
I'd check a couple of other things first. Heat will cause a weak condenser to act just like you described. An advantage is they're also the cheapest to replace. Other than that check your coil as heat can cause these to fail also.
The starter might be dragging, but you'd hear it making a terrible racket and the bearings would burn up if driven very far.
Good luck - Tim

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 18-Jan-02 AT 03:37 AM (EST)]ALso your battery cables may be either old and corroded and not properly conducting the 'juice' any more, or one or both of them may have a bad contact at EITHER end. As the tired wires warm up with use, their ability to conduct gets even less, as the electrical resistance in the wire increases along with the temperature. In fact, this is why electrical wires in other places burn out. As they heat up, the resistance increases, so they heat up more, so the resistance increases more, and - presto! A burned through wire. I doubt, however your battery cables will ever burn through, they will just stop functioning. It pays to always check the simple things first, like this.

 

Thanks for the help guys.. I really appreciate it. I will replace the condensor and check the cables this weekend!

 

How on earth is a weak condenser or leaky coil going to slow down cranking speed?
OTOH, a gummed up starter, poor cables and connections will indeed cause exactly that problem.

Ford sometimes used a rather erratic cable path. My 54 ran the ground lead from the battery to the frame and then to a front engine bolt. Lots of voltage loss plus the frame was corroded.
Got all new #2 gauge cables ( Dont use the #4 or smaller as used in 12V apps).
Ran the ground directly from the battery to a starter bolt. Then ran a new cable from the front of the engine to a nice cleaned up frame mount.

Relocated the solenoid and shortened up the positive path over a foot.

A huge difference, previously I had to use a 12V battery to get it spinning fast enough when hot.

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 18-Jan-02 AT 06:48 PM (EST)]Cast my vote for a tired starter. Certainly check the cables and connections but the dragging condition after warmup is classic starter failure symptoms. Vehicles with header pipes that are too close to the starter will demonstrate this theory. Starters draw considerably more amperage when warm. Not that you said you have headers. Good luck and let us know how it comes out.

Dewayne Reding
53 F100
http://www.clubfte.com/users/fatfenders/