'48 F1 239 V8 cranks but wont turnover
 

Hi Folks..fairly new member here and still getting lectured on FTE protocol so please be patient with me.
Several weeks ago I posted that I was having trouble getting my '48 F1 239 Flathead V8 to turn over when engine was warm/hot. Starts when engine is cold but very slow crank.
Got some interesting feedback but..No Cigar.
Lived with the problem for a while until finally this past Saturday battery (new) ran down and..the cheap improper sized positive battery cable (my bad)heated to the point that it toasted a few wires touching around it.
I attempted to replace some of that burned wiring tracing each as best I could.
PO left a real wiring mess with tape, cloth wiring spliced with insulated wiring all bundled and taped together..pheww! Nightmare to trace.
Ok ..we know all that is a no no but the engine started before and anything is possible. The likely problem was created by my not putting something back the way the way it was..I tried replacing the starter motor relay hoping that I fried it along with some wiring..Nope!
I'm attaching some pics hoping to demonstrate the situation including owners manual showing ignition circuit.
BTW..after cleaning and tightening all related connections, the engine never cranked so fast but wont turnover.
Sorry for the long winded post but any thoughts would be appreciated.

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Even if the points look 'new' they may be fried, as in the contacts welded together. I'd check the gap and the contacts. See if the spark is there while cranking.

is that your fuel filter beside oil filter?
not much gas in it eh

THANKS..I'LL CHECK THE POINTS.
AND YES FUEL FILTER LOOKS LIGHT BUT DON'T REMEMBER IT BEING ANY DIFFERENT.
ILL CHECK IT OUT

A couple things: Do I see a flathead V8 with the battery on the driver side, in what is normally the six cylinder engine configuration? JMHO, but I believe I would rewire the whole under hood. The shorter the cable to the starter circuit, the better. What gauge are those cables? They do look a bit undersize to me.
Normally speaking, an engine that will turn over by starter power is said to crank. May not start, but if it is turning over, it is cranking.
Please don't take this as criticism, just trying to help.

Thanks ray..yes, I stated in my original post the cables are undersized. New proper sized cables on their way.
The original engine was probably a six.
The engine turns over (cranks) by starter power but won't start.
Again, I'm trying to determine why engine would start an hour or so before cooking some wires which I replaced.
Eventually I will replace the truck's entire wiring harness. For now I just need to keep it running.

F-1

Let's get on the same page with some basics:

The engine cranks but doesn't fire - right?

When cranking, are you getting spark at the plugs?

Does using starting fluid when cranking change anything?

Are all the parts of the voltage regulator intact after the wire melting? (mine weren't)

DW

Those spark plugs don't appear to have been out for years. Clean the rust off the bases then pull them and see what shape they're in. They may have gotten fouled from earlier running. May need some penetrating oil to get them out without stripping them.

fortyniner and al..yes, engine cranks but doesn't fire.
I'll check out your thoughts today.
Thanks

I wondered why the battery was on that side. This place teaches me something new just about every day.

Do you have a heavy ground strap to the sheetmetal?

no Ray..I don't
What is the best way to accomplish this

Get a 10 gauge wire with the appropriate size ends, or a grounding strap like this one:

Help/Universal ground strap (60213) | Ground Strap | AutoZone.com

Attach it to the battery ground cable (at either end) and to the body of the truck. I recommend the firewall. Be sure and clean away any paint, dirt, rust, or grease that could influence the connection.

As mentioned earlier the ignition needs to provide spark. The distributor cap and rotor need to be clean and in good shape. The ignition points are susceptible to fouling from oil or grease on the contact faces. If the points are fouled the current isn't switched and the coil can't make the spark.
The points also rely on a condenser (or capacitor) that helps keep the current from pitting the contacts.
You might want to consider a Pertronix ignition module to replace the distributor points assembly. They're available in 6 volt and 12 volt configurations.

I don't see any mention of checking/replacing the ignition switch.....I had problems with mine not starting for years and then replaced the ignition switch and all is well
Ed
near Philadelphia