It’s a 1940 ford column shift /transmission. When the car fires up and you put the shifter into 1st and then go to let clutch out /try pull away in first gear the car isn’t engaging the gear normally and accelerating, it barely moves the car and wants to die . Car was in fine working order with no shifting or clutch issues , then the car got transported on a multi car enclosed hauler . Went to drive it after being unloaded and now this issue has suddenly happened . Is this likely the clutch ? Or are there some other possible causes to consider ? Thanks!
Does it go in other gears or no go in any gear? It wouldn't be the first time that someone who didn't know what they were doing burned up a clutch in short order. First though I'd check the clutch adjustments and get under it and look for any damage to the linkage. Feel how much free play you have in the pedal and go from there.
I wonder if it’s going into 3rd instead of first, can you get the other gears, what’s reverse like? Handbrake? Brake stuck on?
Good points, Back in the 70's I worked on a car in the shop I was working in at the time and set the park brake when I parked it out in front of the shop because the apron out in front of the shop was more like a ramp than a parking area. Guy picks up his car and comes back in the shop saying that we broke his car because it won't move when he puts it in gear. Boss walks out gets in it, fires it up, releases the brake and backs it out and turns it around and backs into the spot and sets the park brake again. Guy gets back in the car and doesn't release the brake and car won't move until the boss tells him to release the park brake. He had had the car at least three years and never set the park brake. Remember that you have to pull the shift handle back towards you and then down to get in first in the H pattern as straight down is 3rd. If the box on the column is a bit worn and or loose rough handling can get the thing stuck between gears too.
Sometimes it will let me engage first gear without dying but I gotta rev the shit out of it to make it happen and it still struggles and those times I managed to get it up to enough speed to go into 2nd and 3rd gear , reverse seems to work . 1st gear seems to be the one gear it really struggles and wants to die . Let my buddy who daily drives a column shift manual same as this car and it was doing same to him. So I know it isn’t my driving causing it. . Gotta rev it up a ton just to manage to keep it from dying while letting the clutch out from a dead stop leaving in 1st gear to make it to 2nd gear . I have another manual trans car I daily drive so this really has me scratching my head on what is going on .
When you’re moving in first gear with your foot off the clutch does it accelerate normally? If you’re in neutral and you depress the clutch without doing anything else does it die?
How much free play do you have in the pedal? You Should be able to push the pedal down about 3/4 to 1 inch before you feel the throw out bearing engage the pressure plate. OR are you saying that you can slip the transmission into gear ok but when you let out the clutch it doesn't have the power to pull a sick whore off the pot? Engaging first gear means that you are pulling the shift handle towards the steering wheel with your hand and then down towards your leg to put it in first. If it does that smoothly you have frigging engaged first gear and engaging first gear is not the problem that 500 people are trying to figure out. Won't run worth shit in first gear and won't pull is a different story. Goes back in reverse but doesn't go forward in the forward gears says the park brake is on or hanging up. Check the park brake and get under it and check that the park brake cables are not hanging up.
I think it is having some issue in the column going into first gear . I had been pulling it towards me and down and it wouldn’t easily go in there like it normally should . I got it to to work normally in first on a drive for majority of it then towards the end it started having the issue of it going into first .so maybe it was coming out of first and actually moving into 3rd
If you had good dealings with the PO, maybe check with him/her and see if there were any idiosyncrasies with it. Can’t hurt. But as was said before, I’d wager the transporter got heavy handed and may have caused an issue.
I'm saying to find the correct procedure to adjust the column shift on a 1940 Ford and go through the procedure step by step. That would be in a 40 Ford factory (dealer mechanic) service manual. I'll check my 1946 motor manual but doubt it has anything specific to a 40. I'm still thinking that you have a different issue and are pissing in the wind hoping to not get wet thinking it is the shifter. If it won't go into gear it could be the shifter, if it won't go when it is in gear that is an entirely different issue and you have to understand which is which.
I think after trying to drive it today i can clarify for sure . It will go into all the gears now without any issue on the column .. It is wanting to die when leaving from a dead stop in first , even when I tried to go in reverse it wanted to die. . The rare times it can stumble through first long enough to get to the other gears those run rough too like the car is bogged down . It’s got new gas tank /fuel pump/ fuel lines / new stromberg 97 all new wiring , new plugs /plug wires /crab distributor . This afternoon I decided to pull the air cleaner and try and look in the carb see if I noticed anything . I don’t know how long the gas in the car has been in there , I just recently bought the car . First pic is the inside of the stromberg 97 on my other car I daily drive . Second pic is inside of the stromberg 97 on car I just got. You can see those same holes on the carb are all gunked up to the point it has made the size of those openings a good bit smaller . Maybe it is gunk from today’s crappy fuel sitting in it ? I really don’t know .Thoughts ?
Are you comfortable taking the carburetor apart and cleaning it properly? I can’t tell on my phone, but if you see crud in it, I’d start there.
Yeah sorry I tried using a flashlight to get pics but it was just not getting good light . There’s for sure visible crud in there . My buddy is a mechanic who rebuilds carbs regularly, so he can give me a hand and make sure I do it right .
This is what my 1946 Motor manual has on adjusting the shift linkage. You might want to save it for later.
My thought is that you found the problem and know what is needed to fix it now. I would install a good quality inline filter between the tank and the fuel pump if it doesn't have one. and if it has one I'd change it. I've had more trouble from dirty gas and crud breaking loose from inside the tanks and plugging things up in rigs that sat for a while than the law allows.
Check to see if the emergency brake is on, even though you have released it. If the cables are dry or rusty it may stick on.
Parked down in Tucson even inside and in low humidity, I’ve had this crappy gas go bad in a little as 4 months. My generator at home in Seattle quit idling, and its carb looked just like yours. Ethanal fuel dissolved the rubber fuel hose and plugged the idle jet. Clean the carb, check any rubber line in the system (as in replace with ethanol rated hose) and get the old gas out. Then at least you’ll know where you’re at.
Thank you !! I will save that pic/info and have my buddy help with adjustment to make sure it is properly dialed in
Speaking of “today’s gas” for small engines I pay up at TSC for VP 2 stroke premix and straight “normal” gas. About 30 bucks a gallon, but ethanol-free. Specs say last 2 years in the tank and 5 in a resealed can. 94 octane as well.
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