Antipercolator question

[Deleted User]

Last Saturday I took the Hash down to the local car wash and gave it a bath, afterwards it started right up and I pulled over to the vacuum, I vacuumed the car and it started right up again so I went up town to check my uptown store and to see how my guys were doing. After visiting about 30 minutes I got back in the car and it didn't want to start, I had to give the battery a jump to get it fired. I'm not sure what is going on but I keep reading about how if the antipercolator valves aren't set correctly the car won't start easily when it is hot. Does this sound correct? At idle my antiper valves are open but they close on acceleration. What is their function? Do they open to vent the bowl so as not to allow vapor locking? Is it possible I'm missing something really simple and looking at a problem in the wrong place?



Harry

Geoff

The anti-percolater valves are for venting the bolw, as you surmise, and really only come into their own in hot weather, wtih a rela hot motor, when the heat build-up will cause the gas to boil, which forces vapour into the manifold, causing hard starting. If the valves are open at idle, then you should have no problems. It is more likley you have a voltage problem with your battery.

Geoff.

[Deleted User]

Geoff, funny you should say that. I always get the feeling the battery isn't pulling at full force. I have it on the charger tonight as it seemed low after I ran the car for about 20 minutes. I really don't want to go to twelve volts due to all the six volt work I've done so far, maybe 8 volts is the answer but I can't help feeling this car was designed for six volts so why does it turn over so slowly.



Harry

Jon B

There could be any number of electrical problems; I won't go into all of them here.



First, are you sure that your cable is the correct (larger) 6-volt size? Are all the connections tight and bright? Do you have good ground straps and are there two (one from batt. to frame, other from frame to engine; or vice versa)?



Second, what's the condition of the battery itself? How old is it? Has it been tested? Assuming it tests okay and isn't old, what sort of capacity has it? Is it a cheapie or of good quality? For example, my battery has 780 cold cranking amps which is pretty good (though it's not expensive; about $70 I think).



Then again, you might have a problem as simple as a bad condensor (it never hurts to have a couple spares in your glove compartment). I recall that, once, I was unable to start the car after it sat only about 20 minutes. I pulled out a fresh condensor and installed it, and the car started right up.



You're correct in not wanting to go to 12 volts, and frankly if the car's in good shape you shouldn't have to go to 8 volts either.

[Deleted User]

Jon, my battery is pretty new but I don't think it has 600 cranking amps. I also think my battery ground cable is wrong, it I remember right the ground cable on all my other positive ground cars had a wide braided unshielded ground strap.



Harry

[Deleted User]

Harry, I had the same problem with my 54 Hornet. I got an Interstate Workaholic 6 volt battery ( I think it was a type 2B with 750 cca ) and have not had a problem since. I had not started the car since Christmas, and it was hard to get started but the battery cranked until I got gas up to the carb. This after sitting in an unheated garage from December to the end of March
Your ground wire can be shielded or not as long as the connections are clean and tight and the wire is of sufficient size.
Bob

Hudson Grandpa

Harry: The ground strap on my car is the old braided type, which I bought new. It is grounded to the battery cage, and then down to the engine mount to frame. I have an 8 volt battery, but I have learned that it poses a problem with the generator, reg hookup. Fortunately down here I took it to Austin Alternator and they aligned all three, Bat,Reg,Gen together. For an 8 volt battery the Reg should put out 9 1/2 Volts. 7\1/2 volts for a 6 volt battery. A good expensive 6 volt battery will do the job, as thats the way they came.

[Deleted User]

Harry

All the responses are good and should be compared to your concerns. Some other things to consider:

1. The starter must have a good ground from its frame to the engine flexplate...assure there is Zero ohms resistance... clean off grease oil and if you paint the starter case... make sure the edges that interchange with the flexplate and the bolts are not insulated from ground by paint or lubricants.

2. The engine, battery and starter must have electrical continuity that is as close to zero ohms as possible. This is obtained through clean connections between the three items. I explained the starter above. As HudsonGrandpa explained, the battery positive terminal, should be grounded to the battery box... this assures the car ground is the same potential as the engine and battery. Then from the battery box to the front engine mount. This assures the engine and starter are at the same potential.

3. A Hudson starter's field coils are designed for maximum torque with the full battery current at 6 volts applied. This is the CCA factor on the battery. The current potential in the battery assures that the starter performs at max potential. With non clean or high resistance connections on the ground or the negative terminal... that max current can not be imposed across the starter fields. In other words part of the current is lost to heat created when the current deals with that resistance... slowing the starter.

4. To complete the electrical story of starting the same principles apply to the coil and distributor. The connections need to be clean and bright. The points clean and set to the factory specifications. The jumper wire in the distributor UNFRAYED and connected correctly. The distributor cap crack, dust free inside and out. The interconnecting wires flexible and with good end connections... and finally the proper heat range plugs with right gap and tightened correctly.


All this assumes the fuel system is working correctly.... as that is another potential can of worms.

Good Luck