Practically Classics Forum

Hi.
A few days ago I got myself a1951 Ford Prefect. I fell for it right away. It is the slowest car I have ever driven. But I am happy with this.
It started up like a dream and I soon learned to be careful with the clutch. However, there has turned out to be one little problem though, that is a concern. When the engine is shut down and not allowed to cool down completely, it is virtuellt impossible to get it started again. The starter runs with good power so there is no lack of battery, but no ignition. However, with the smallest push ever, once by one friend on a gravel surface, the engine fires away like a dream, so the ignition seems flawless.
I assume there could be many reasons for this problem but can anyone give me a hint weer to start looking?

Is it definitely no ignition or is it getting too much fuel?

If it is no spark at all I would check the coil is getting power first of all. If it is then pull the king lead and put a screwdriver in the end (WITH THE IGNITION OFF!), hold the screwdriver close to the block and turn the engine over, if you don't get a spark then the coil is duff, if you do then it is cap / arm / points.
If the coil is getting no power then you will have to trace back through the loom and see where the interruption is. I don't know if a pop has a ballast resistor so it could be that or the ignition switch itself. It could also be a corroded joint somewhere that doesn't work too well when hot.

If it is fuelling then check that the choke is working properly and not stuck partially on and that the mixture is correct.

Probably the rubbish that passes for petrol these days vaporising in the float chamber with the heat from the engine causing flooding and making the mixture a bit rich. When you operate the starter it probably pulls the voltage down too much for it to fire but when you push it, there's a bit more voltage available for the coil and the engine is turned over that little bit faster. All I can suggest is that you make sure the ignition system is in tip-top order.