Am I allowed to win?

nhusa

nhusa

Well-known member
I have a 31 Town Sedan that my Dad got in the late 50s. To be honest it is not my vehicle - it belongs to my wife. My car is the 1919 Model T.

The body and interior on the A have not been restored but a few years ago I had the motor and transmission rebuilt.

The end of this week was a bit warm so I dusted the T off and it started easily.
Then I focused on the A to keep my wife happy. It started quickly with just a little choke and seemed to run OK as it warmed up. I drove it out of the garage so I could sweep it out and shut the A off.

About a half hour later my wife came out of the house and said let’s take the A to the post office. (About 5 miles away) It didn’t start easily and would stumble when we came to a stop so I kept it running when she went into the post office.
I shut it off when we got home and finished cleaning the garage.
When I tried to start it it would turn over but didn’t run so I checked the gas. - plenty. Because it was getting late I put the T in the garage and got my wife to help me push the A into the garage.

Today I tried to figure out what was wrong.
I started with the electrical system and even went as far as checking the wire under the distributor plate that meant I needed to time everything.

Next I checked the fuel system. There seemed to be plenty of gas when I loosened the fitting at the carb but I drained the tank just to be sure something wasn’t plugged. Then I noticed that the carb seemed to be dry so I took it off and disassembled it.

I still don’t know what is wrong but I am now waiting for Snyders to send me gaskets for the carb and bunch of parts. I had them include a new condenser just-in-case.

At least I didn’t have to get my computer or OBD error reader out.
 
I use Stabil in all the toys that are going to sit for more than a few months.

Wwirz. We lived in Corning in the early 70s. Moved to Grannon Drive in 72.
 
nhusa,

After sitting for a winter season, remove & soak the jets in lacquer thinner or blast carb cleaner thru them. Reassemble with new gaskets, return to the scene of the crime, ie road test to the post office & back.

Borrow one of the wife's emery boards to clean the points.

Report Back,
 
First step should always be to check for spark at the sparkplugs. Lift the straps a quarter inch and crank engine. Should be nice hot and steady spark. You then have made probably the most important troubleshooting discovery...is it a spark or a gas issue...and then you can follow the track from there. Its not a good idea to start replacing anything until you have identified and verified a malfunction. If you start throwing parts at it, you will introduce problems and pretty soon you won't know where you're at. The way you describe the issue, if you do the above test and spark is weak or nonexistent, id first check to see if points are clean and gapped, then check condenser etc. If spark is hot and steady, then check fuel flow at carb, gas in throat when choking, etc. Good luck!
 
Thanks guys! :-)

I was kinda hoping that someone would say that I was not stupid to start at the battery end and take everything apart instead of checking for spark at the plugs, then make sure gas was flowing to the carb etc. to make me feel better about being stupid! ( how’s that for a run-on sentence?)

At least I got to review the A wiring diagram again, practice setting the timing and pulling the carb apart. It got me off the family room easy-chair and into the fresh gas smelly air in the garage for part of the day.

Next week I’ll take the transmission apart because one of the tires has low air pressure.
 
nhusa said:
Thanks guys! :-)

I was kinda hoping that someone would say that I was not stupid to start at the battery end and take everything apart instead of checking for spark at the plugs, then make sure gas was flowing to the carb etc. to make me feel better about being stupid! ( how’s that for a run-on sentence?)

At least I got to review the A wiring diagram again, practice setting the timing and pulling the carb apart. It got me off the family room easy-chair and into the fresh gas smelly air in the garage for part of the day.

Next week I’ll take the transmission apart because one of the tires has low air pressure.
Click to expand...


Lucky for you only one tire is low......if you had two I recommend taking the engine apart :D
 
In the last few years I've had the needle and seat stick closed after sitting for several months, same on my Weber side-draft. All that was needed was to tickle the needle, and gas started to flow, no other problems.
 
Jim Brierley said:
In the last few years I've had the needle and seat stick closed after sitting for several months, same on my Weber side-draft. All that was needed was to tickle the needle, and gas started to flow, no other problems.
Click to expand...

This afternoon I think I found the problem when I used some carb cleaner on the partially disassembled carb. The needle valve seemed to be stuck closed.

I have seen them not close but never stuck closed. I can’t figure out why it ran OK in driveway for about 5 minutes and went the 2 miles to the post office and back.
 
nhusa,

Farmer had a cow for many years but eventually the poor old cow died.

Farmer said " Well she never did that before'............
 
nhusa said:
This afternoon I think I found the problem when I used some carb cleaner on the partially disassembled carb. The needle valve seemed to be stuck closed.

I have seen them not close but never stuck closed. I can’t figure out why it ran OK in driveway for about 5 minutes and went the 2 miles to the post office and back.
Click to expand...

Is the needle valve steel or the rubber tipped? I've saw that rubber deteriorate and get just a little bit sticky, enough to stick closed periodically. I think they are called Viton.
 
I didn’t look at the needle valve when I had the carburetor apart other than making sure that it moved.
I still can’t win and haven’t started the car due to fuel leaks. At first it was the fitting on the carb that required that I remove the fuel line from the filter. Next I decided to chase a slight gas drip on the inside and messed up the fitting on the other end of the filter. I finally got that fixed and then the filter glass gasket leaked. I got an o ring gasket at the hardware store and it still leaked. Then I saw two small cracks in the glass at the rim.
Now waiting for new gaskets and a glass filter bowl.

Am I allowed to Win or am I doomed to play with this for the rest of my life?
 
Last edited:
Nope, you are doomed....but you are in good company !

You may have to double gasket that glass sediment bowl as the pot metal upper housing tends to warp with heat & time. Tighten only enough to stop the drip.

Lastly with the gas line disconnected from the carb, watch for a constant drip even if the under tank shut off valve is in the off position. Very common source for leaks 'down stream'.

Be patient with 'Grandpa' and reach out when you get frustrated.
 
This reminds me of Hee Haw
Doom, Despair, and Agony On Me.
If it weren’t for bad luck, I’d have no luck at all.

All I need is a jug of shine to make it tolerable.
 
My personal pain killer comes from 'Kings County Distillery, Brooklyn NY'

Excellent bourbon and in summer very fine 'moonshine' for pondering what else can go wrong.

Your mileage may vary .......
 
It runs again! I win, at least for the moment.
It was most likely a stuck float, but since I took a bunch of stuff apart I’ll never know for sure.

The only issue is that it doesn’t start easily, but that is not new.
It takes a lot of choke even when warm but runs OK.
I’m guessing that the idle passage is wanky because the needle valve doesn’t seem to do much when I turn it a 1/2 revolution in either direction.
 
Dear Winner.

Patience always wins !

Repo choke rod ?? Often the knob becomes loose from the shaft and all the twisting doesn't rotate the shaft.

Cold start, try opening the the choke a full turn. As each 80 year old has a different personality, maybe more.
Warms up, twist the choke rod closed, off seat 1/4 - 1/2 turn.

Lastly with the final parking in the barn for winter, leave the engine running with the gas valve under the tank closed. When it stalls, shut off the ignition and remove the drain plug from the bottom of the carburetor to drain the last of the gas out.
With the carburetor completely dry for winter, hopefully next spring hopefully the jets & float valve won't be gummed closed.

Keep driving.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top