1946 Ford sedan charging problem, or possibly a timing issue?

Question:

I recently completed a 1946 Ford sedan and am having a persistent problem keeping my battery fully charged. I have a new eight-volt battery, new wiring harness and recently installed a new six-volt alternator. The alternator greatly helped my charging problem, but did not solve it entirely. I still do not have enough power to turn the engine over after it is hot and has been stopped and started a few times. Do you think the timing could be off enough to cause the hard-starting problem? If so, how do I set the timing?

Answer:

I suspect that the slow starter motor problem you are experiencing is not the result of a charging system malfunction. It is likely the result of a defective starter motor. I have seen numerous “rebuilt” starter motors that did not work at maximum efficiency, but were repeatedly overlooked because they were “rebuilt.” Have a competent starter-motor rebuilder evaluate the function of your starter. One problem that would not prevent the starter from working altogether but would make it lame is a shorted field winding. Another possible problem could be corroded or inadequate battery cables. Six-volt cables need to be thicker than 12-volt cables and if your cables are thin you will likely experience a slow starter motor. The ignition timing for your ‘46 Ford is set with the distributor out of the engine and mounted in a special fixture. After the distributor is reinstalled, make adjustments to the vacuum brake by backing out the adjusting screw until the engine pings during a road test under load. Then turn the screw in just enough to stop the pinging.