[AT] 860 not running

[Chris Britton]

>From: Wolf Lahti <wolf.lahti at gmail.com>
>Subject: [AT] Ford 860 - runs briefly
>My 1956 Ford 860 starts right up, runs a few minutes (sometimes less
>than a minute), then dies. Usualy starts again fine, runs a bit. dies.

Do some diagnostics.  Pull the bowl drain plug from the carb and let the 
fuel drain into a mayo jar.  First, you should be able to get a steady 
continous stream that does not taper off.  Second.. you can look for water 
or other debri coming out of the bowl.

>I go this this a few times, then it will run for maybe twenty minutes
>and then die and will not start again. Getting five acres mowed in
>twenty-minute spurts every day or so isn't terribly efficient.

If the fuel issue doesn't pan out.. check spark.  Have a spare spark plug on 
hand.. open the electrode gap to 3/16, and have a gator clip already 
fastened to it so that you can pull a plug wire.. pop it on this test plug, 
and then gator clip the base of the plug to ground.  now you can turn it 
over and check spark.  If you can't get a bright blue spark on the 3/16 air 
gap.. then it won't fire good at .025 under cylinder 100psi 
compression..etc.
If it looks like you have bad spark, have another gator clip wire handy, and 
go straight from battery to coil primary.. bypassing the switch and other 
wireing... if you spark returns.. you have a bad ignition switch, bad 
wireing or contacts.

If this is a 12v conversion, are you using a 12v coil? or a 6v coil and a 
12-to-6 dropping resistor.  If you use a resistor.. check it.. it may have a 
loose connection.  Jumper around it for a test... heck.. if you are running 
a 6v coil and resistor on a 12v system.. spend 14.99$ and get a real 12v 
coil and loose the resistor.. a napa IC14SB is a great universal 12v coil 
replacement..

Soundguy