hotrodrich
Junior Member
1930 A My engine runs not too good. I pulled the spark plugs. Never saw plugs this bad. Black and thick as coal. Is it ignition or carb? I'm going to dig into it tomorrow.
Black spark plugs
- Thread starter hotrodrich
- Start date
The Master Cylinder
Well-known member
What plugs are you running? Could be too cold. How far is the GAV open? Start with some of the small things.
Jacksonlll
Well-known member
Just clean them and see how long it takes for them to foul again. Model A plugs need frequent cleaning. No big deal. Slow driving for a long time, a parade, running rich can all foul them.
wmws
BANNED
Most likely you carburetor running too rich. Won't hurt to check the timing also. But make sure your GAV is closed and the choke plate is all the way open. Also be sure the plug heat range is right. Properly tuned a Model A should not foul plugs. I have never cleaned a spark plug in my A.
Purdy Swoft
Well-known member
If the spark is weak it can cause those problems .
I would first check the gaps at the rotor tip .
Be sure to check ALL four contacts in the distributor cap body , while you are at it .
Ford recommended a conservitive gap of twenty five thousands .
I run mine with a thirty five thousands gap at the rotor tip for a hotter spark at the spark plugs .
Back in the day , poor people would cut the plug wires and connect an old button between the two halves of the cut wire .
This operation gave a gap where the spark would jump across the button
Spark gets hotter when it jumps a gap , to a point .
Increasing the gap at the rotor has the same affect ..
It doesn't need a fouled spark plug for more gap to increase spark . A wider gap at the rotor tip gives hotter spark .
I like to also use a Pertronix flame thrower coil for hotter spark .
. Believe it or not , I can feel the power that the Flame thrower coil gives .
My spark plugs run clean …
I would first check the gaps at the rotor tip .
Be sure to check ALL four contacts in the distributor cap body , while you are at it .
Ford recommended a conservitive gap of twenty five thousands .
I run mine with a thirty five thousands gap at the rotor tip for a hotter spark at the spark plugs .
Back in the day , poor people would cut the plug wires and connect an old button between the two halves of the cut wire .
This operation gave a gap where the spark would jump across the button
Spark gets hotter when it jumps a gap , to a point .
Increasing the gap at the rotor has the same affect ..
It doesn't need a fouled spark plug for more gap to increase spark . A wider gap at the rotor tip gives hotter spark .
I like to also use a Pertronix flame thrower coil for hotter spark .
. Believe it or not , I can feel the power that the Flame thrower coil gives .
My spark plugs run clean …
hotrodrich
Junior Member
I've gotta say thank you to all the help you guys sent out to me. Got the dirty plugs issue cleaned up: Points were at .009 now they are at .020. Plugs were cleaned and gapped at .035. Runs great. Now I need some help on bad engine oil leaking at front and rear of pan. I'm going to find out what kind of seals the pan has and pray that's it. If not I think it might be the bearing seals. Hey, that's why I got this ol' thing....it's therapy!
hotrodrich
Junior Member
Don't send them over here!:eek