8n starts hard

1950 ford 8n side mount distributer starts hard. very hard. justr killed battery trying again. when we had it running we tuned carb and timed it up and shut it off and started really hard onece more. any ideas

(quoted from post at 23:12:55 06/06/14) 1950 ford 8n side mount distributer starts hard. very hard. justr killed battery trying again. when we had it running we tuned carb and timed it up and shut it off and started really hard onece more. any ideas

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i forgot to add we just replaced the head gasket and got the head machined as it was warped

Is it still 6 volt, does the starter spin the engine easy, what kind of fire do you have while cranking?

yes still original 6 volt And basicly no fire except for a few puffs here and there. and it seems to crank motor as it always has

If the head was warped, was it overheated? Maybe a valve problem, might want to test compression?

Several factors can lead to hard starting. I'm assuming it has run since the head gasket was replaced. If it ran and idled good, that suggests there is enough compression and fuel to run.

Start with the fuel system. There should be a drain plug in the carb bowl. With the fuel valve on, pull the plug and catch some fuel in a glass container. Look for water to settle to the bottom, look for excess contamination, sand, discoloration. While the plug is out check for sustained flow, it should have a steady stream. With the plug back in, the carb should not drip gas excessively out the air horn. If it does, it is flooding and will need to be opened up, cleaned and the float set, possibly need a new needle and seat.

Also check to see that the choke plate closes and opens fully.

The ignition system. With the battery fully charged, check the spark at the plugs while cranking. Using a spark tester, (an old spark plug with the electrode removed) the spark should jump from the center to the rim of the plug when held against a ground. Check each wire individually. If spark is weak or no spark, check for spark at the coil. If good at the coil, the wires, cap or rotor could be bad.

Another factor to consider is voltage drop to the coil during cranking. Things to check, battery cable size and condition. Six volt systems, though low in voltage are high in amperage! The cables need to be 2 gauge or larger and have good, clean, tight connections. If any cables or connections are heating up, there is a bad connection.

Also check the wiring between the primary wiring from the battery to the ign switch, amp meter, terminal block and coil. All connections should be clean, tight, no corrosion. With a volt meter, check the voltage at the coil, switch on, points closed. The voltage should be within 1 volt of battery voltage. Early 8Ns had a ballast resistor, with a ballast resistor, voltage should be around 4 volts. If voltage drop is excessive, back track with the volt meter, find the component where the drop occurs.

The starter. If the starter is dragging, as in the bushings are worn and causing the starter to draw more amps than normal, there won't be enough voltage left to fire the plugs. This is evident by slow cranking speed, quickly depleting the battery, starter heating up, and hard/no starting.

yes over heated and thanks will test tomorow but with thumb over the soark plug whole it blows thumb back with pretty good force on all cyliners

Timing?

already timed while we had it running