1964 engine dies after 13 minutes

SuperDave254

SuperDave254

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Joined
Aug 7, 2022
Thunderbird Year
1964
Can someone help me understand what is happening after about 13 minutes of running she wants to shut down. And then it is either really hard or impossible to start again until it cools down
 
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SuperDave254 said:
New to the Thunder world. Raise on Fords but never played with the 390 FE. Can someone help me understand what is happening after about 13 minutes of running she wants to shut down. And then it is either really hard or impossible to start again until it cools down
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It could be vapor lock. This is caused when the fuel boils, because line gets too hot, maybe it is too close to the manifold or other source of heat. I did a simple fix on my own car by "insulating" the line with some aluminum foil, like 2 or layers in a small pad. To dissipate the heat and keep it from touching the fuel line.
 
I guess a little background would help as well. Bought the car July4 weekend. Points were bad and way out of time. So I have replaced ignition with a magnet trigger ProComp distributor. Running about 22° advance. Rerouted the fuel line up the fender and around the back side of carburetor to distance form heat. Added a 2in pe... Whatever plastic spacer to help with heat. And rebuilt carb because it had sat for 3years.
 
First thing take the gas cap off and drive around if ok . Eather get a vented cap or drill a small hole in cap . If the cap is removed and still does stop running check spark right away I agree it could be a bad coil . Good luck
 
Thank you sir... Yesterday my son and I made the turn a rounds on the interstate frontage road. Then stopped at the corner store for some pettro. The gas cap was so hard to loosen... I could not tell if it which way the pressure went when it broke free, but it was a lot lol. Got some super (first time fueling) adjusted the air/fuel mix screws and headed home. Ran pretty good but still real sluggy. Pulled in the drive BAM A BACK FIRE... Died and coasted into the drive. Smelt a wierd smell popped the Hood and the FREAKING. Oil fill tube is on fire!?!?! So now it runs a little long than 9 mins but what the crappy jammer jacks would cause backfire FIRE throught the oil fill
 
Pull the dipstick and smell. It probably has some gas in the crankcase. If it does REPLACE the fuel pump. And change the oil immediately.
Then start the process all over.
 
I meant to mention this in my last post The oil does smell a little gassy. I assume it is from a couple weeks cranky without the correct fire. Plan is to change the oil before I run it again. As far as the fuel pump it's new although I might swap it for an electronic also I have bought a compression gauge plan on doing a cylinder compression test as soon as I get the oil changed this weekend. And to be honest she's going to have to suffer one more crank to get on them ramps! No way around that one lol
 
Ironically, I had this happen on a different Ford. It would die at 15 minutes. It sure seemed like electrical as it quit just like I had turned the key off. After years and many suggestions like the ignition switch, coil, Petronix, resistor, etc., I changed the fuel tank. So far so good, I'm assuming crud was drawn to the sending unit filter (sock) and blocked further flow. Then it would fall off and the situation repeated itself.
 
Rogvh said:
Ironically, I had this happen on a different Ford. It would die at 15 minutes. It sure seemed like electrical as it quit just like I had turned the key off. After years and many suggestions like the ignition switch, coil, Petronix, resistor, etc., I changed the fuel tank. So far so good, I'm assuming crud was drawn to the sending unit filter (sock) and blocked further flow. Then it would fall off and the situation repeated itself.
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Out of all the forums I have read not counting this 1 because it is MY first thead. There were 3 that finished with the actual problem. All was fuel... Pinched lines and now you with the tank. That is truly helpful. I have a felling that is the next lead I will follow! Did you other Ford act like it had no nuts... Sounded great but just did not have "IT"? Rogvh
 
SuperDave254 said:
Out of all the forums I have read not counting this 1 because it is MY first thead. There were 3 that finished with the actual problem. All was fuel... Pinched lines and now you with the tank. That is truly helpful. I have a felling that is the next lead I will follow! Did you other Ford act like it had no nuts... Sounded great but just did not have "IT"? Rogvh
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I wish I could say, but after replacing my entire ignition system, plugs ,wires internal dist. fixins , carb tuned and would erratically act up. Coil resistor was the issue. But now that I learn, 6V systems did not have them.
All sorted out now and time to take the wife out for a drive and show her the car may be my 'mistress' but she is my true love and joy. After all she still puts up with me. Unlike my car...
 
The factory installed a plastic filter on the pickup tube IN the fuel tank. Worth checking if the tank is not full at the moment as the unit is on the front side of the tank.
 
Alright sorry it has been a few days... Maybe a week lol. I don't want to be the guy that just abandons his thread. Like a stripper on dollar dance night. Anyway I'm still chasing the grimlen. The issue really seams to be electrical. Almost like turning the key off, no fuel shortage sputters, just off. If I am driving it will comeback most the time if it is still coasting in drive. We just put a new voltage regulator/circuit protector but still no winner of the chicken dinner. On the other hand she sat most of the week, pulled the valve covers and really it looked great.... Today she busted off with just the turn of the key from the window.
 
SuperDave254 said:
Alright sorry it has been a few days... Maybe a week lol. I don't want to be the guy that just abandons his thread. Like a stripper on dollar dance night. Anyway I'm still chasing the grimlen. The issue really seams to be electrical. Almost like turning the key off, no fuel shortage sputters, just off. If I am driving it will comeback most the time if it is still coasting in drive. We just put a new voltage regulator/circuit protector but still no winner of the chicken dinner. On the other hand she sat most of the week, pulled the valve covers and really it looked great.... Today she busted off with just the turn of the key from the window.
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Still, a backfire is an issue along with fuel in the crank case. Unburned fuel in the exhaust points to ignition issues, but fuel smell in the crank case is another issue to maybe a bad fuel pump. I can't think of anything else that would cause a fire in the oil filler tube. Usually it's foam from water getting into the oil. Heat makes the fumes more volatile so it sounds like you may have two issues as it only acts up when at full temperature.
 
The backfiring I believe of almost worked out was timing and the gassy oil has been changed and I'm pretty sure it was from not starting for a few weeks of me trying to get things right no fire fuel in the cylinders. After finally understanding the big circle little circle on the 13th time I read my shop manual it has a lot more power in first lol. Fixed a crimp fuel line underneath the driver door thought I had it beat, drove about 15 mi and she cut out on me, advance the timing a bit... she fired up and made it to the house. I had in the driveway and she died.
Ok so I know this might be a wounded message but... While you're driving and it feels like it dies you can hear the transmission still engaged like it's winding down if the gas it you could hear it suck air and it'll fire back up most of the time. Question is does that sound like fuel or electrical
 
It really sounds like an electrical issue, but could be a combination of the two.
 
Man I swear... So it would get hotter than I think it should so I got a thermostat. The first bolt breaks in the block!! Then when I get the surge tank off I see a newer stat but it is installed backwards. On no problem weld a nut to the broken bolt, all is well. I turn to scratch my butt or grab a beer and the dang tank falls to the ground. No problem looks good. Finally get it all back together and damned if I don't have a leak at the neck to radiator connection. Looks like I am about to learn Tig welding real quick and do some surgery. But she Is starting at the bump of the Key for now. Guess I will keep this going untill I have her rolling right. Maybe we will find the grimlen after I touch every part of her under the dress lol
 
SuperDave254 said:
Man I swear... So it would get hotter than I think it should so I got a thermostat. The first bolt breaks in the block!! Then when I get the surge tank off I see a newer stat but it is installed backwards. On no problem weld a nut to the broken bolt, all is well. I turn to scratch my butt or grab a beer and the dang tank falls to the ground. No problem looks good. Finally get it all back together and damned if I don't have a leak at the neck to radiator connection. Looks like I am about to learn Tig welding real quick and do some surgery. But she Is starting at the bump of the Key for now. Guess I will keep this going untill I have her rolling right. Maybe we will find the grimlen after I touch every part of her under the dress lol
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JB weld may work if the tank is not under pressure. I always have some around.
 
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