TROUBLESHOOTING
The Complete Guide to Troubleshooting 1953-1960 Era American Classic Car Engines
Starting a Stalled Engine
When an engine fails to start, the chances are that 90 per cent of the cases will involve the ignition system and seldom the fuel system or other miscellaneous reasons. If a systematic procedure is followed the trouble can almost always be found without the use of special equipment.
To begin with, turn on the ignition switch and if the ammeter shows a slight discharge (or if the telltale lamp lights) It indicates that current is flowing. A glance at the gas gauge will indicate whether or not there is fuel in the tank. Operate the starter and if the engine turns over freely, both the battery and starter are functioning properly. On the other hand, if the starter action is sluggish it may be due, got to Starter Circuit Checkout. Otherwise, if the starter circuit is okay, skip this phase of the discussion and proceed to Primary Ignition Checkout.
First, the "Checkouts" below should go a long way to help you uncover the cause of why your engine won't start. However, if further diagnosis is necessary, refer to the "List of Symptoms" below.
CHECKOUTS
LIST OF SYMPTOMS
ENGINE WON'T START
ENGINE WON'T START
Due to Open Primary Ignition Circuit
Due to Grounded Primary Ignition Circuit
Due to Faulty Secondary Ignition Circuit
Due to Excessive Fuel Supply (Flooding)
Due to Insufficient Fuel Supply
HARD STARTING
ENGINE STALLS
ENGINE STARTS BUT WON'T DRIVE CAR
Engine Starts but Won't Drive Car
ENGINE MISFIRES
LACK OF POWER OR HIGH SPEED PERFORMANCE
Lack of Power or High Speed Performance
ROUGH IDLE
SPARK KNOCK, PING, DETONATION
PRE-IGNITION
ENGINE KICKBACK
BACKFIRE
MUFFLER EXPLOSION
AFTER-BURNING
FLAT SPOT
ENGINE OVERHEATS
ENGINE OIL LEAKAGE
HIGH OIL CONSUMPTION
OIL PRESSURE RELIEF VALVE LEAKS
Oil Pressure Relief Valve Leaks
