Condenser or Carb? Need Help!
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Tuned
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 366
Likes: 3
Condenser or Carb? Need Help!
Today I took the 55 on a short road trip and although she was running great, after stopping for about 10 minutes, I had some problems getting it started but once I did, a few miles down the road, it started missing really bad which forced me to continually rev the 233 inline 6 to keep it from dying. When I got home and after things cooled down, I tried starting however the only way I could keep her going was to keep pumping the pedal; it's like I lost my idle function. The carb (1904 glass bowl) is getting fuel and maintains the fuel level 1/2 way in the bowl. Initially I thought it may have been the coil but after installing a new one, no improvement. Could it be the condensor or maybe a clogged passage somewhere in the idle circuit? I'm stumped and would apprecaite the help.
Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 16,160
Likes: 4,762
From: Burbank, WA
Could be any number of things. The items you mentioned, plus vacuum leak, power valve blown, some other ignition malfunction, bad ground, these should keep you busy searching awhile. Sorry for your troubles.
Posting Guru
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 2,068
Likes: 7
From: Moyie, BC Canada
Today I took the 55 on a short road trip and although she was running great, after stopping for about 10 minutes, I had some problems getting it started but once I did, a few miles down the road, it started missing really bad which forced me to continually rev the 233 inline 6 to keep it from dying. When I got home and after things cooled down, I tried starting however the only way I could keep her going was to keep pumping the pedal; it's like I lost my idle function. The carb (1904 glass bowl) is getting fuel and maintains the fuel level 1/2 way in the bowl. Initially I thought it may have been the coil but after installing a new one, no improvement. Could it be the condensor or maybe a clogged passage somewhere in the idle circuit? I'm stumped and would apprecaite the help.
Almost sounds like it was flooding. Did you look at the choke to see what position it was in during this time? Keeping the revs up would be nessessary to over ride the choke.....just a thought.
Lead Driver
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 7,669
Likes: 13
From: San Jose, CA
Be careful on the rebuild. Read this thread: https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/9...***-bowls.html
By the way, want to get rid of your glass bowl??
I have plenty of the metal replacement bowls. 
By the way, want to get rid of your glass bowl??
I have plenty of the metal replacement bowls.
Lead Driver
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 7,669
Likes: 13
From: San Jose, CA
Be careful on the rebuild. Read this thread: https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/9...***-bowls.html
By the way, want to get rid of your glass bowl?? I have plenty of the metal replacement bowls.
By the way, want to get rid of your glass bowl??
I have plenty of the metal replacement bowls. 
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 27,288
Likes: 1,053
From: NM
If the system is still 6v, a bad condenser is a definite possibility, but you've had fuel system problems recently, right? Does it reek of gas? It could be lack of gas (plugged idle passages) or too much, but it sounds more like plugged idle circuits. Are your fuel lines good and clean?
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Tuned
Joined: Apr 2010
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If the system is still 6v, a bad condenser is a definite possibility, but you've had fuel system problems recently, right? Does it reek of gas? It could be lack of gas (plugged idle passages) or too much, but it sounds more like plugged idle circuits. Are your fuel lines good and clean?
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Thread Starter
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Tuned
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 366
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Thanks. I am almost convinced this carb needs an overhaul and it was giving me hints along the way. Between the bowl filling, difficult starts when hot, and now fuel seeping between the body gaskets. I removed the carb and will start the rebuild next weekend. With regards to vacuum leaks, since I have electric wipers, the only other areas would be the distributor line or possibly something is sucking air from the 6 gaskets stacked on one another. They look pretty good but I think I will replace with new ones. I let yu know in a week or two how I made out. My other car is a 46 Ford coupe flathead V8..I thought this simple 223 was going to outshine the flatty..boy was I wrong!
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 182
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From: southern MN
If/When you rebuild your 1904 do a search of the threads i'd started about 2? months ago. I have a pair regarding the 1904 and fuel pump. The trick my research turned up was to clean and reuse the old seat, not the one in the kit, with the new needle if at all possible. the new seats are drilled out different and love to flood and leak after the motor has been running a few minutes. Also, It's a possibility your Power Valve my be goobered up. if it sticks open you'd get the flooding gassy smell. you cant rebuild those yourself, and you cant hardly buy them new now either. I think the link i posted in my 1904 thread would lead to a guy that figured out how to rebuild the power valves. NOT an easy chore. I think was on the IH forum, as they used the holley 1904's. if all else fails, google "holley 1904 power valve" Bottom line, the Holley 1904 is pretty darn simple to rebuild.
Thread Starter
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Tuned
Joined: Apr 2010
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If/When you rebuild your 1904 do a search of the threads i'd started about 2? months ago. I have a pair regarding the 1904 and fuel pump. The trick my research turned up was to clean and reuse the old seat, not the one in the kit, with the new needle if at all possible. the new seats are drilled out different and love to flood and leak after the motor has been running a few minutes. Also, It's a possibility your Power Valve my be goobered up. if it sticks open you'd get the flooding gassy smell. you cant rebuild those yourself, and you cant hardly buy them new now either. I think the link i posted in my 1904 thread would lead to a guy that figured out how to rebuild the power valves. NOT an easy chore. I think was on the IH forum, as they used the holley 1904's. if all else fails, google "holley 1904 power valve" Bottom line, the Holley 1904 is pretty darn simple to rebuild.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 27,288
Likes: 1,053
From: NM
I think you jinxed my "new" carb! Don't know if you saw my thread, but I put one I got off eBay on my truck yesterday and was amazed at how good it ran. But this afternoon I went out to go for a drive, and it was clearly flooded, and when I finally got it started, it ran like crap. I could barely keep it running and had to jack up the idle a bunch, and still it was running real rich. Bit the bullet, took it off, and found the (new) power valve gasket had relaxed enough to allow plenty of leakage. Tightened it and I'm back to normal. So if 1904's have a PV, check that!
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Tuned
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 366
Likes: 3
I think you jinxed my "new" carb! Don't know if you saw my thread, but I put one I got off eBay on my truck yesterday and was amazed at how good it ran. But this afternoon I went out to go for a drive, and it was clearly flooded, and when I finally got it started, it ran like crap. I could barely keep it running and had to jack up the idle a bunch, and still it was running real rich. Bit the bullet, took it off, and found the (new) power valve gasket had relaxed enough to allow plenty of leakage. Tightened it and I'm back to normal. So if 1904's have a PV, check that!
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 182
Likes: 0
From: southern MN
the power valve is the rectangle jobbie with a leg stickin out with a little spring loaded post that's mounted behind the float. It holds the jets too. A spring loaded plunger sits down on the power valve and manifold vacuum will normally hold the plunger rod up letting the power valve (the little spring loaded rod in the arm of the square assembly) stay closed. when you step on the gas, or the engine comes under load (uphill, etc) if causes the manifold vacuum to drop, the spring in the plunger overpowers the vacuum holding the plunger up, and pushes down on the power valve opening it, allowing more gas into the passages of the rectangle body of the power valve assembly and into the carb. When a power valve goes bad, the little rod in the arm of the rectangle jobbie (the actual valve) wont stay closed. Either the spring in the valve has gone bad, the valve wont seal, or the plunger assembly wont hold a vacuum and stay up. This is another reason the carb will screw up if there is a vacuum leak in the intake system. The plunger assembly comes in the rebuild kid, but you don't get the power valve assembly or new jets. That little spring loaded post (the valve itself) cant be rebuilt easily, nor are there power valve assemblies readily available for sale these days. Only one i ran across was the reference to the guy in CA i think it was the IH forum who machined special parts to repair them. I have a PDF on the Holley 1904 that explains each system better than I can, and also details how to rebuild the carb itself. A good, working power valve assembly these days could be worth twice it's weight in gold.
if you're dumping extra gas into the intake because of a stuck or bad PV, you need more air to keep it from flooding, which is why you have to set the idle up, opening the throttle plate wider.
I hope this made sense and is usefull
if you're dumping extra gas into the intake because of a stuck or bad PV, you need more air to keep it from flooding, which is why you have to set the idle up, opening the throttle plate wider.
I hope this made sense and is usefull
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