Road testing the 32 after sitting

jim1932

jim1932

Well-known member
Short version of long story.... 1932 ford Tudor 4 cylinder. Had the car driving short distances on the road. Sold it, bought it back a year later. Been having issues getting it to run. Finally found a garage close to the house where I can work on it (Was storing it an hour a way.

Anyway, want to get it running and burn a few tanks through it without going too far.

a) likely culprits that I can watch for and fix on side of the road
b) Things to carry with me?

This is all motor and electrical (and I think electrical most of all). Replaced the cutout and the amp gauge which I think were the main issues.

Whats better, around the block 20 times? or some where where I can get it steady in 3rd gear. I can stay away from traffic OK where it is.

Thanks
 
Around the block 20 times first is a good start, then longer trips. That's what I did with my 39 after getting the fuel problems resolved. Make sure you have a AAA card. Never leave home without it.
 
You said you've been "having some issues getting it to run"...I'd suggest solving those issues. I'm not familiar with 4 cylinders of this era but if everything mechanical is good with the engine then all you're left with is the fuel and ignition systems. Bring a normal bag of tools with some electrical test tools and some basic tape and connectors. You'll never be able to be fully prepared for what these old cars can throw at you. I struggled with trusting my car a few years ago. It let me down a few miles from home a couple years ago and was able to limp it home. I solved that problem with a Skips coil. Broke down a half block from home last year with a broken axle...pushed it home. I was doing short jaunts in the beginning to build trust and fixing the problems that would arise from those. My last trip was 40 miles at the Dream Cruise and it was flawless. I'm gaining trust and am more comfortable taking longer trips now.
 
X2 on Capt Kirk. My avatar was not road worthy at first. Little by little fixed things and I had to learn to trust it-up to 200 mile trips now. I carry extra fan belt, small tool box, small floor jack, fuses and a roll of duct tape. So far so good!!

Good luck!!
 
Brings back memories... I bought my '32 Victoria in 1973 and it hadn't run since 1957. I replaced the points and a water pump, rebuilt the carb and fuel pump, and got it running about 5 days before I had to drive it from St. Louis to Miami, FL for my sophomore year of college. It had maybe 30 minutes of run-in time before I departed. It ran great the whole way, except for about 10 minutes of unexplained random missing that happened in northern FL. I don't think that I'd have that level of adventurism today.
 
Bruce what a trip. One would be afraid to do that today. I was talking to a old man in his 90's and he said all his friends are gone now also his enemies. The back roads are not friendly to old cars anymore the way people drive. Use to that did not bother me but does now. Maybe I am getting old also.
 
Old Redneck said:
Bruce what a trip. One would be afraid to do that today. I was talking to a old man in his 90's and he said all his friends are gone now also his enemies. The back roads are not friendly to old cars anymore the way people drive. Use to that did not bother me but does now. Maybe I am getting old also.
Click to expand...

I never thought I would say it, but the good thing is we have those packs of bicycle riders that roam the back roads. People drive a little slower worried about running up on one around a corner.
 
Right now it appear to be a fuel problem. Will have to work my way through. First take line off between carb an pump and see if pump is working... Got a feeling my gas line and tank are all crapped up. Gas in tank looks clear but it had a bad POR15 lining job (yes by me). Not sure if that is turning to gunk.
 
As far as making it for the 20 laps around the block, any problems will result from ignition and fuel. The ignition /electrical will be battery and coil,(maybe points). The fuel side is where you need to spend your time as that is the area that will raise its ugly head once you go out on the road. Everything that the fuel touches must be cleaned and/or renewed. This means everything. The good news is there is only one rubber hose and the rubber diaphragm in the fuel pump that needs to be replaced.
My opinion
 
When I first ran my roadster this year after a winter layup, I set off around what I call the "long block" which is an 8 mile run. About half way round it started misfiring and deteriorated slowly I only just about made it home. I then set about a round of troubleshooting work, using the "short block" which is about a 2 mile run. The first attempts did not fix it, it would not complete 3 laps of the short block without the misfire reappearing. But I was never far from home and could make it back no problem. When I did fix it and had ran 5 laps of the short block without problem I was then able to call it good. I then set out for Pendine Sands which is about 170 miles one way. It ran faultlessly all weekend and completed the home journey without hiccup.

I would definitely recommend multiple laps of a local route as a confidence builder.

Mart.
 
They all scoff at me over in the Model A forum.

But I reckon hooking up a timing light to the coil wire and hanging it on the dash where you can see it and going for a drive will tell you something when the engine starts to quit.

An engine quits with lack of fuel or lack of spark and I take the easy route first.

I have diagnosed a lot of problems with this gig.
 
Hmmmm old guy moment. Lack of gas may be due to no gasket in the fuel pump:o Not talking dried out, gone. I think it was dried out the first time I was messing with it and I took it out thinking I had a new one with me.... That's what happens when it is a month in between times I work on car.
 
Well, got the fuel pump working fine, but no gas in Carb. Brought it home and took it apart, no gas in bowl at all, just gas dust. Took off float valve, looked clean and moved fine. My guess is the evaporating old gas just stuck it enough to keep it closed. Will put it back on and give it another try. My deal on renting the garage is basic maintenance allowed, didn't want to work on carb there and make the place stink of gas, good way to scare off a non-car guy landlord.
 
Cut Out !! After with 2 BAD experience's with cut outs on my 32's I use FUN PRODUCTS cut out which is a voltage regulator set up in the cut out shape & size. JMHO kerk
 
Jim, As above the FUN PROJECTS round regulator in place of the cut out is a very good unit. I have fitted several of them to early Fords and they look just like a cut out. Ignition items are very important. If you have an old condenser and cant test it accurately then fit a new one on. Get rid of old spark plugs and fit new ones. Model Bs don't like old dirty sooted up plugs. Clean and check and gap the distributer points and also check and set the timing of the distributer cam. Your coil is probably OK being under the dash and not subject to heat like the V8 one mounted on the distributer. Check all wiring connections and terminals are clean and tight, like starter switch, ammeter, ignition switch, coil and battery terminals and ground connections. You have only 6.3 volts to start with and cant afford to loose any of it due to bad connections. Do you know that the choke control knob rotates to adjust the carb mixture ? Open it anticlockwise about half a turn or so for starting cold and close it right up when the engine fully warms up. This is somewhat different to the model A Ford which has to be left open a bit. Regards, Kevin.
 
I go with Pooch's idea. Recently I had a mystery problem with an old Landrover. I hooked one of these up to an HT cable and stuck it on the windscreen with some duck tape.
After 1/2 a mile no spark. Replaced the coil and all fine
 

Attachments

  • Spark-Plug-Tester-Ignition-12V-InLine-Spark-Quality-Checker.jpg
    Spark-Plug-Tester-Ignition-12V-InLine-Spark-Quality-Checker.jpg
    13 KB · Views: 7
tiger.1000 said:
I go with Pooch's idea. Recently I had a mystery problem with an old Landrover. I hooked one of these up to an HT cable and stuck it on the windscreen with some duck tape.
After 1/2 a mile no spark. Replaced the coil and all fine
Click to expand...

I too like Pooch's basic idea of monitoring spark but would use a timing light and simply clip the timing light sensor to a plug wire which will allow running the sensor cable in through the passenger window. Drive a bit and monitor the light in one's peripheral vision. Use duck tape to keep the trigger on.
 
jim1932 said:
...My deal on renting the garage is basic maintenance allowed, didn't want to work on carb there and make the place stink of gas, good way to scare off a non-car guy landlord.
Click to expand...

Get some OIL EATER at O'Relly's as you will need something to clean what you are working on. It smells like PERFUME and will cover the scent of anything which would irritate your landlord. Besides it is incredible as a hand wash or for removing anything oil based from a part.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top