# Ford 2000 Starting and running problem



## aron (Jan 29, 2018)

Have a 1968 Ford 2000 3 cylinder has a problem after sitting all night long doesn't want to start. 
Replaced distributor, points, condenser, plugs, wires, cap, roter and coil. Rebuilt carberator with kit. 

After it gets cold does not want to start and as I keep trying it improves, what am I missing ? 
Posted video of it below in link.. 

https://www.amazon.com/photos/share/pvzpsX4smKcOiVYA2NmlgZvHm7nR8GU1HRZzjuEoisH 

Any ideas ?


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## Hoodoo Valley (Nov 14, 2006)

Welcome to the forum aron! Have you checked the tank vent to be sure it's unplugged?


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## RC Wells (Dec 26, 2008)

Helpful video. It looks and sounds as if the carburetor float level is too high, or you are over choking the engine when attempting to start.

The heavy volume of white smoke and gasoline running out of the carburetor when cold starting would lead me to believe you are flooding the engine.

However if the smoke does not smell like unburned gasoline, you may have a compression leak that is allowing coolant into one or more combustion chambers. The latter is usually easy to check by removing the radiator cap and watching for bubbles in the coolant while it runs.


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## aron (Jan 29, 2018)

Tractor Beam said:


> Welcome to the forum aron! Have you checked the tank vent to be sure it's unplugged?


Tank vent . I can leave the cap off and it makes no difference..


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## aron (Jan 29, 2018)

RC Wells said:


> Helpful video. It looks and sounds as if the carburetor float level is too high, or you are over choking the engine when attempting to start.
> 
> The heavy volume of white smoke and gasoline running out of the carburetor when cold starting would lead me to believe you are flooding the engine.
> 
> However if the smoke does not smell like unburned gasoline, you may have a compression leak that is allowing coolant into one or more combustion chambers. The latter is usually easy to check by removing the radiator cap and watching for bubbles in the coolant while it runs.


NO radiator level is fine , and smoke more black than white, I'm steering toward a flooding problem... might take carb off again and readjust float level..see if that helps.. gRRRRRRRR..


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## Guest (Jan 30, 2018)

Questions: What's the ambient temperature when you're trying to start first time?
What carburetor do you have on it? What is the ignition system? What are your compression readings? How does it start/run after work or a good warm up?


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## Guest (Jan 30, 2018)

Ok, my bad. I see you are using points and condenser. What is your gap set for on points and plugs? What's the voltage available when tractor is running? Do you have blue spark at the plugs or orange? Do you have a copy of the owner's/operator's manual?


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## deerhide (Oct 20, 2016)

Doesn't seem to have much compression and seemed to be running on 2 (kind of)at first......might be the head gasket is blown between 2 of the cylinders, or worse (the block could be cracked). After it warmed up some it seemed to smooth out, maybe because the head expanded and squeezed the gasket enough ??????or the crack narrowed????


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## FredM (Nov 18, 2015)

on a safety note, I would assume you have an exhaust fan in the building.
I also agree with RC Wells, carby is flooding and these old girls don't like a gutful of fuel.


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## Ultradog (Feb 27, 2005)

Those are pretty far fetched conclusions you are drawing there deerhide.
And we don't operate on hunches here.
We operate on test results. If you 'think' you have low compression do a compression test. If you dont have good spark get a multimeter and do some tests.
Just do the simple things first like recheck points, plugs, wires, timing and fuel before you go down the road of blown this or cracked that.
Remember, the Holley carbs on those 3 cyl fords are notoriously lousy.
Second, remember there are no less than 3, sometimes 4 fuel filters on that tractor.
Lastly, do you have a manual for that tractor?
You do need one.


deerhide said:


> Doesn't seem to have much compression and seemed to be running on 2 (kind of)at first......might be the head gasket is blown between 2 of the cylinders, or worse (the block could be cracked). After it warmed up some it seemed to smooth out, maybe because the head expanded and squeezed the gasket enough ??????or the crack narrowed????


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## Guest (Feb 2, 2018)

Absolutely agree with all Ultradog recommended. Additionally the governor over ride controls what the carb does. In fact it controls what the carb does....not the throttle setting. I have seen comments from a Ford mechanic who worked on these Thousand series when new, and he noted metal on metal wear in the accelerator bowl of the Holley carb as early as 500 hours due to the governor over ride constantly adjusting gas flow to the carb.
In order to start and run you need a correctly working charging circuit, a correctly working ignition system including timing, a correctly working carburetor/governor system, air, and compression.
When you get it right, it will start as the operator's manual states: Throttle closed, turn key to start, should fire in 10 sec or less. In cold weather, use choke if needed, gradually reduce choke until not needed.
My 50 yr old 2000 starts and runs better than anything the Ford dealer had on the lot new in 1967. It took perseverance and $ but worth it to me. Nothing worse than a tractor that won't tractor.


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## deerhide (Oct 20, 2016)

Ultradog, you are right proper tests are the way to go, If you are there. Not there and from seeing the video I can only give my opinion or hunch.


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## dj54 (May 14, 2009)

Float should be pretty level with the top portion of the carb., where it joins. Maybe just a smidge low, so it will shut of quicker.

An easy way to "see" what the fuel level is in the fuel bowl, is to get a brass, 1/8" pipe, to barbed fitting, and put in in place of the 1/8" pipe plug in the bottom of the fuel bowl, after shutting the fuel off. You'll also need 18" to 24" of clear tubing to slide on the barbed fitting. Turn it up, in a wide enough sweep not to crimp the tubing, and up higher than the fuel level in the gas tank. Clamp it off to the hood to hold in place. A spring clamp, or even a spring loaded clothes pin works great. Turn the fuel on, and watch where the fuel seeks its level. The level of the fuel in the tubing, is the level in the fuel bowl. I like to set mine, about 1/4"-5/16" below the top of the fuel bowl. "Seeing" where the fuel level sure beats taking apart 6-8 times, and still guessing where the level is.

I'm also wondering, since you did all of this work, I'm assuming it was hard to start before the work was done. I'm wondering if you used starting fluid to get it started before. If you did, and quite often, you may have washed the cylinder walls down of oil. Too much of that causes premature wear, and they will start using oil.

It's definitely getting too much fuel, but without being right there, hard to say if it's blubbering because of excess fuel, causing the smoke, or oil on the plugs somewhat fouling them out. It looks pretty white to me, but don't know where you are, and the temps. I've never seen anything that didn't shoot out and exhaust plume when cold. But, the more times it's started, and it runs better leads me to believe it may be more than a fuel issue.


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## deerhide (Oct 20, 2016)

Ultradog said:


> Those are pretty far fetched conclusions you are drawing there deerhide.
> And we don't operate on hunches here.
> We operate on test results. If you 'think' you have low compression do a compression test. If you dont have good spark get a multimeter and do some tests.
> Just do the simple things first like recheck points, plugs, wires, timing and fuel before you go down the road of blown this or cracked that.
> ...


 Not so much a hunch, or maybe it is, w/o being there hands on. Seen
a LOT of older ones with problems and took them as trade-ins.......


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## Slader (Aug 6, 2020)

Graysonr said:


> Ok, my bad. I see you are using points and condenser. What is your gap set for on points and plugs? What's the voltage available when tractor is running? Do you have blue spark at the plugs or orange? Do you have a copy of the owner's/operator's manual?


i have a similar problem with a ford 2000 on a clark forklift. the spark seemed rather orange. just installed new points set to .025


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