1971 Mark III Restarting Issues & Follow Up

Bill,
I own a 1971 Mark III with 78k miles. I have major issues re-starting
the vehicle. It cranks right up when I start it, but after I drive a
while and park it…. It has to sit for about 2-6 hours before it
restarts even with a jump. I’ve taken it to a few mechanics but I’ve
spent a TON of money following their recommendations . Below are a
list of things that have all been replaced:
– new optima battery
– new starter
– new Carb
– new alternator
…. And a lot of labor hrs all paid by me and the problem is still
there. I am determined not to have to take my car back yo the shop so
I am tackling this on my own. Please Help.
Raheem
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Hi Raheem –
You don’t mention some key tune up and performance items such as spark plugs,ignition points,coil,condenser and high tension wiring etc. These tune up items along with their adjustments are extremely important for good starting and running. General engine condition and mechanical timing components such as timing chain and gears should also be within specifications. A properly maintained 78000 mile engine should be no problem in this regard. If an engine starts fine cold and then will not restart after it is hot may be out of tune as suggested above or the carburetor could be flooding the engine with fuel after a hot shut off. With a flooded engine you then need to wait until the engine returns to a cold temperature again in order for it to start. The needle and seat area inside the carb could be leaking excess fuel into the carb at engine shut off ( Not uncommon ) or the float setting may be incorrect. I assume that your battery is fully charged and that the starter motor is cranking the engine properly. The above suggestions are based on what you are telling us in your email and are good items to initially check for this type of problem. When you have more information contact us again for further advice if the above hints do not lead to a solution for you.
Sincerely,
Bill
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Bill,
Thank you for the reply. My 1971 Lincoln received a complete tune up in 2010 when it had approx. 75,000miles. I recently had the coil checked and it was in good working order. Looks like I may have to take it in and have the new carb double checked for leakage because it also bogs down when i give it a lot of gas while driving. Thoughts?
Sincerely,
Raheem
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Raheem –
The only other thoughts that I have from your recent “Bogs down” update is that you should revisit the tune up adjustments on your engine with respect to the very important Dwell adjustment of the ignition points (this MUST be done properly with a Dwell Meter) and the ign. timing adjusted with a Timing Light. Another critical tune up item that is many times overlooked is the Vacuum advance unit ( mounted on the distributor) and its vacuum supply routing from the carb. We find that close to 50% of them are faulty on any that we examine here at Lincoln Land. If all of the above is in good order I would still suspect that something could be amiss inside the carburetor and would be worth checking.
You have stated that you have a new carburetor installed on your car but “New” original carbs are no longer available for these cars so you must have a rebuilt original carb. or a new one that is a non original brand. Non original carbs are fine if they are the correct model for your car and are installed and set up correctly. The needle and seat area along with the floats are known leakage locations on the original carburetors. The seat itself is screwed into the carburetor inlet using a gasket and is known to leak if it is not tight or if a gasket is not used. To diagnose this issue correctly and in a timely manner you need to select a technician who is willing and well versed in the fuel and ignition systems on this era of vehicles. Good mechanics can still be found in many shops. Raheem if you are keeping this car you should look into purchasing the factory Service manual set. These will pay off in a short time with dollars saved in labor and parts etc. Any technician that you take your car to for service will be grateful with these manuals and if you do sell the car they will be another selling feature. These are great cars to own and when you have yours running properly you will be able to enjoy it for many years to come.
Sincerely,
Bill
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Bill,
Thank you again for your recommendations for my 1971 Lincoln. I just wanted to update you on the progress. I took your recommendations to change the ignitions points, ignition coil, spark plugs, and wires…. and she now starts right up hot or cold!
Raheem