The Ford Barn

Lawson Cox · 02-25-2012, 06:19 PM

I went on a little 60 mile trip today in my 35 Pickup. It let out a hiccup about 4 times over the course of the trip. Running great, then a hiccup, just an instant. and it ran nicely again. I think it is probably in the distributor. About maybe 1000 miles on the engine now. Your thoughts would be appreciated. What say you?

G.M. · 02-25-2012, 06:35 PM

Lawson try some MMO in the gas, don't get to tight with it. Sticky valves. G.M.

ford38v8 · 02-25-2012, 06:41 PM

Lawson, it doesn't take long to start missfires if your distributor has a propensity to do so. Check your inner caps for a carbon trace, and for cleanliness. Check also for a good close running rotor-to-contact clearance. Some of these import caps are way off on this clearance. This can be corrected with solder on the caps, which the rotor will cut on it's first pass around. A crossfire can also happen as a result of a crack in a plug wire.

B-O-B · 02-25-2012, 08:23 PM

I'm with Gm on this. MMO & marine grade(blue) sta-bil in the fuel & MMO in the crankcase. Just follow the directions on the label. How clean is the fuel filter?

Lawson Cox · 02-25-2012, 09:18 PM

Fuel filter is fine. I will run a little MMO through the carb and put some more in the fuel tank and see if that helps. Thanks for the tips. Investigation continues. lol

ford1 · 02-26-2012, 12:39 AM

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it is my experience a sudden miss is usually electrical, those problems are so fun, now you get to check all the electrical from the ignition switch to the spark plugs, all the help i can offer is check all the easy stuff first, a fuel miss usually will kill the engine for 3 or 4 revolutions of the engine, an electrical miss will be quick just on one cylinder, like you said, a hicup

49r · 02-26-2012, 12:49 AM

My (new) condensor problem started like this and after about 100 miles the engine would barely run. Currently running (perfectly) on a 40+ year old condensor.

46ford · 02-26-2012, 10:30 AM

Check your coil wire too. I opened the hood in the evening and could see stray sparks. Mine had the hiccups too, and it wasn't a fuel problem. They're much better now, but I still need to look at that distributor too because I still get an occasional one.

Reminds me of an old timer who used to tell me "the main problem with the Ford carb is the ignition system" or something like that.

TomO · 02-26-2012, 11:31 AM

I have had the points cause this. Check the point tension and that the point have the brass liner in the pivot point.

Jack E/NJ · 02-26-2012, 01:31 PM

46ford>>>I opened the hood in the evening >>>

This should be one of the final steps in checking out any engine ignition tuneup involving spark plug wires. And one of the reasons I don't like to see these wires bundled tightly together inside of tubes or looms even though it might look neat and tidy or was the way Ford did it in the old days.

Jack E/NJ

Jack E/NJ

Ol' Ron · 02-26-2012, 04:46 PM

Paper bag over the carb??

Jack E/NJ · 02-26-2012, 04:54 PM

That's either an Ol' wife's or Ol' Ron's tale! So which is it, Ol' Ron? 8^)

Jack E/NJ

Lawson Cox · 02-26-2012, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ol' Ron

Paper bag over the carb??

Maybe I'll give that a shot Ron. ROFLMAO

SoCalCoupe · 06-24-2023, 04:05 PM

I know this thread is over 10 years old but since you're still on the 'Barn Lawson, do you remember how you resolved this?

Flathead Fever · 06-24-2023, 05:58 PM

Sometimes you can take a spray bottle at night and spray the ignition wires and see if they arc. If you do have a misfire pay attention to see if it happens when you hit bump. Intermittent problems can be a pain to find. You replace stuff and your never quite sure if you fixed the problem or not. I Like the ones the permanently break, then I know for sure they are fixed when they run again. I assume the intermittent ones that start working again after I have replaced everything might just be the car screwing with me. It's still not fixed; it's just waiting to break in the worst possible location.

02-25-2012, 06:19 PM	#1
Lawson Cox Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Above the gnat line in Georgia Posts: 7,009	Apatchy has the hiccups. I went on a little 60 mile trip today in my 35 Pickup. It let out a hiccup about 4 times over the course of the trip. Running great, then a hiccup, just an instant. and it ran nicely again. I think it is probably in the distributor. About maybe 1000 miles on the engine now. Your thoughts would be appreciated. What say you?

02-25-2012, 06:35 PM	#2
G.M. Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Florida and Penna. Posts: 4,471	Re: Apatchy has the hiccups. Lawson try some MMO in the gas, don't get to tight with it. Sticky valves. G.M. __________________ www.fordcollector.com

02-25-2012, 06:41 PM	#3
ford38v8 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: SF Bay Area Posts: 6,646	Re: Apatchy has the hiccups. Lawson, it doesn't take long to start missfires if your distributor has a propensity to do so. Check your inner caps for a carbon trace, and for cleanliness. Check also for a good close running rotor-to-contact clearance. Some of these import caps are way off on this clearance. This can be corrected with solder on the caps, which the rotor will cut on it's first pass around. A crossfire can also happen as a result of a crack in a plug wire. __________________ Alan

02-25-2012, 08:23 PM	#4
B-O-B Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Ft Mohave,Az Posts: 1,987	Re: Apatchy has the hiccups. I'm with Gm on this. MMO & marine grade(blue) sta-bil in the fuel & MMO in the crankcase. Just follow the directions on the label. How clean is the fuel filter?

02-25-2012, 09:18 PM	#5
Lawson Cox Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Above the gnat line in Georgia Posts: 7,009	Re: Apatchy has the hiccups. Fuel filter is fine. I will run a little MMO through the carb and put some more in the fuel tank and see if that helps. Thanks for the tips. Investigation continues. lol

02-26-2012, 12:39 AM	#6
ford1 Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: oroville ca. Posts: 1,554	Re: Apatchy has the hiccups. Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) it is my experience a sudden miss is usually electrical, those problems are so fun, now you get to check all the electrical from the ignition switch to the spark plugs, all the help i can offer is check all the easy stuff first, a fuel miss usually will kill the engine for 3 or 4 revolutions of the engine, an electrical miss will be quick just on one cylinder, like you said, a hicup

02-26-2012, 12:49 AM	#7
49r Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Wellington New Zealand Posts: 308	Re: Apatchy has the hiccups. My (new) condensor problem started like this and after about 100 miles the engine would barely run. Currently running (perfectly) on a 40+ year old condensor.

02-26-2012, 10:30 AM	#8
46ford Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Nottawa MI Posts: 289	Re: Apatchy has the hiccups. Check your coil wire too. I opened the hood in the evening and could see stray sparks. Mine had the hiccups too, and it wasn't a fuel problem. They're much better now, but I still need to look at that distributor too because I still get an occasional one. Reminds me of an old timer who used to tell me "the main problem with the Ford carb is the ignition system" or something like that.

02-26-2012, 11:31 AM	#9
TomO Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 362	Re: Apatchy has the hiccups. I have had the points cause this. Check the point tension and that the point have the brass liner in the pivot point. __________________ TomO

02-26-2012, 01:31 PM	#10
Jack E/NJ Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 2,173	Re: Apatchy has the hiccups. 46ford>>>I opened the hood in the evening >>> This should be one of the final steps in checking out any engine ignition tuneup involving spark plug wires. And one of the reasons I don't like to see these wires bundled tightly together inside of tubes or looms even though it might look neat and tidy or was the way Ford did it in the old days. Jack E/NJ Jack E/NJ

02-26-2012, 04:46 PM	#11
Ol' Ron Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Chester Vt Posts: 8,861	Re: Apatchy has the hiccups. Paper bag over the carb??

02-26-2012, 04:54 PM	#12
Jack E/NJ Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 2,173	Re: Apatchy has the hiccups. That's either an Ol' wife's or Ol' Ron's tale! So which is it, Ol' Ron? 8^) Jack E/NJ

06-24-2023, 04:05 PM	#14
SoCalCoupe Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2021 Location: Point Loma, San Diego, CA Posts: 424	Re: Apatchy has the hiccups. I know this thread is over 10 years old but since you're still on the 'Barn Lawson, do you remember how you resolved this?

06-24-2023, 05:58 PM	#15
Flathead Fever Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Yucaipa, CA Posts: 1,095	Re: Apatchy has the hiccups. Sometimes you can take a spray bottle at night and spray the ignition wires and see if they arc. If you do have a misfire pay attention to see if it happens when you hit bump. Intermittent problems can be a pain to find. You replace stuff and your never quite sure if you fixed the problem or not. I Like the ones the permanently break, then I know for sure they are fixed when they run again. I assume the intermittent ones that start working again after I have replaced everything might just be the car screwing with me. It's still not fixed; it's just waiting to break in the worst possible location.