54 Hornet Starting woes

Uncle Josh

Good day. RB hasn't been able to start his 54 Hornet since late summer. Today we got after it. Would almost go but wouldn't. Then it was flooded, and loaded up from several previous atempts.

Pulled the cap to see if we could see anything. Electronic pickup. No center carbon, and cap was worn from the rotor spinning on it. Found a new cap and rotor in his extensive stash. Sounded better but still flooded.

Pulled the plugs. Wet with a lot of carbon. Some across the gap. Found a box of NOS Auto Lite crossovers to the Champ H8. (AL 45?)

Propped the choke open to let er air out, and went in for tea and cake.

what now? Hook up the 12V battery again and hit it. I held the throttle open about 1/4. She caught on the first turn and started running rough, shake, smoke missing etc but started smoothing out, picked up #5 then 6, and finally cleared her throat and settled down to a nice hum. Moved it to another garage, shut her down and restarted no problem. I think we got it.

Last year it was skipping badly so we pulled the head, found the gasket blown between 1 and 2 and a groove in the Aluminum head. Cleaned it up, put an iron head on it and a used gasket. In the spring we'll have to pull the motor and re-ring it based on the previous compression readings probably. Then we'll put his Twin H on it.

This is the one he wrote an article on in the WTN a couple of years ago, when he bought it. His truck broke down 500 mi from home so he backed it off the trailer and drove it home.

Unknown

Also keep in mind that the fuel we get today if you let it sit for 30 days mor so you can hardly get the stuff to burn in an engine. It loses it's volatility, ability to burn quickly, might try some fresh fuel.

[Deleted User]

Also would not hurt to put some STA-BIL gas stabilizer in the tank. I use it in everything I have that uses gasoline, Cars, Jeep, Lawnmowers both push and riding, and my emergency generator. My '54 sedan started yesterday after sitting since the middle of October. My son said he pumped the gas 3 times then turned it over, when it fired and died he pumped it 3 more times and it started up and idled like a champ! He ran her for about a half hour then shut her down.
I Seriously recommend STA-BIL be used in any gasoline engine NEW or OLD!
Bob Hickson