hi all, put a new 6 volt battery in and cleaned up some contact points and connected the ignition switch back up. the motor cranks now, getting power to coil and also to the plug wires. but since the car hasn't been started in some time. i was thinking to pull each spark plug and pour a little gas in each cylinder or is this not a good thing to do? since it being a 6 volt it cranks very slowly. ive tried using some starter fluid in the carburetor and it sounds like it wants to start but just doesn't. any advice? my motor is a 303 rocket

thanks,

 

I'd take out the plugs and give 'em all a good cleaning with a wire brush and some lacquer thinner, and let them dry, then check your spark (while you've got them out), then try it again, perhaps with a bit of gas poured down the carburetor.

Also, while 6V motors tend to turn slower than 12-volt motors, it it's really slow, you've got a poor connection somewhere.

- Eric

 

I've mentioned this before but a common problem with slow turnover on a 6 volt system is the improper battery cables, as in the use of 12 volt cables on a 6 volt system. They may look perfect but if they are not 6 volt cables, they are much larger ( both ground and hot lead) and very clean you will have a very slow turn over on the engine. I've seen this numerous times on olds cars with 6 volt systems....Just saying... Tedd

 

then try it again, perhaps with a bit of gas poured down the carburetor.

You can't pour gas down the carb on a 50 Olds since the opening is at the back of the carb. You can shoot starting fluid in it.

I don't care what anybody says, 6-volt systems are a pain in the butt. There is good reason they went to 12 volts.

 

Grounds! all of them....Also condition of the positive cable. Do voltage drop test to pin point the loss. Stay clear of starting fluid unless you like cracked pistons and rings. WD40 is safer. Can try 1/4 cup or less of gas down carb WHILE cranking. If that doesnt do it let us know.

 

Or put gas in a squeeze bottle, like the mustard & ketchup bottles at any picnic.
If it were me, I'd use new plugs & wires on a first start-up, too. If it's been sitting a long time, you will need them anyway.
You can test the quality of your ground cable by adding jumper cables from the negative post to engine ground, and see if it turns over better.
If it does, your cables are too small. The correct cables should be as big around as your thumb. I don't know about the '50, but the '53 uses a large flat braided strap for the battery to engine grounding wire.

 

thanks, everyone, changed out the plugs now just waiting on the wires to come in.

 

Have you ever had it running? If not double check your firing order and timing location at TDC. As I just went through this exercise you need to rule out the basics as well. I had a 59 Edsel that caused some hair pulling due to no starts and I found that the power cable to the starter had all its insulation burnt off from the starter up for about 8". It would turn over find most times and then others it would seam like it was dieting which I found was due to leaking to ground. I replaced the cable and it never happened again.

Mark