My Model A motor has been running flawlessly for over 9 months and then suddenly last week it started to die every time I came to a stop... And now it even dies when idling. The only way to keep it running is to play with the throttle while stopping. What is my problem? Dirty gas? The photo shows some sediment in the bottom...
Engine dying when coming to a stop
- Thread starter edgar44
- Start date
goodoldvic
Senior Member
The carburetor may be dirty check the websites on the A homepage for this problem you are experiencing. Also search this problem as it has been discussed many times. It's all good reading, and educational.
Big hammer
Well-known member
Dirty filters/screens, clogged gas cap vent ?
H. L. Chauvin
Well-known member
Hi Edgar,
FWIW: Not the very best more expensive solution, but in trying to assist:
1. Those flakes from your 80+ year old tank I have seen very often before .. not at all good ..... they plug up your shut off valve and carburetor and are a life safety hazard if your Model A engine kills on today's highways with today's drivers ..... if so ...... just be prepared to be rear-ended by a car traveling at minimum 55 mph.
2. Quickest fix is to:
A. First remove shut-off valve, clean it, and properly install the cylindrical vertical in-tank screen filter sold for above the shut-of valve.
B. Second, clean glass bowl and correctly install a NAPA 3036 paper filter in bowl to
collect "fine" particles of sand and rust which clogs your jets.
C. Third, thoroughly clean carburetor and reinstall.
3. Expect tank to slowly continue to rust over the next 80 years, but you can stop the current fuel starvation as such for many years. Adding MMO can oil you tank like a light coat of oil on a shotgun to help prevent rust ... 4 ounces to 10 gallons.
4. Under "Search" there are so many helpful opinions from others, but this is mine in short form in as few words as possible.
5. If fuel is clean and engine still stalls, go to Plan B, not written herein.
FWIW: Not the very best more expensive solution, but in trying to assist:
1. Those flakes from your 80+ year old tank I have seen very often before .. not at all good ..... they plug up your shut off valve and carburetor and are a life safety hazard if your Model A engine kills on today's highways with today's drivers ..... if so ...... just be prepared to be rear-ended by a car traveling at minimum 55 mph.
2. Quickest fix is to:
A. First remove shut-off valve, clean it, and properly install the cylindrical vertical in-tank screen filter sold for above the shut-of valve.
B. Second, clean glass bowl and correctly install a NAPA 3036 paper filter in bowl to
collect "fine" particles of sand and rust which clogs your jets.
C. Third, thoroughly clean carburetor and reinstall.
3. Expect tank to slowly continue to rust over the next 80 years, but you can stop the current fuel starvation as such for many years. Adding MMO can oil you tank like a light coat of oil on a shotgun to help prevent rust ... 4 ounces to 10 gallons.
4. Under "Search" there are so many helpful opinions from others, but this is mine in short form in as few words as possible.
5. If fuel is clean and engine still stalls, go to Plan B, not written herein.
H. L. Chauvin
Well-known member
Many Thanks to Mr. WKaufman ....... that would have been a good recommendation for starting off with Part B.
Sounds like you may have a round bottom Zenith carburetor; notorious for killing "idling" engines at stops ........... but not killing faster rpm engines at stops.
Ford's recommended Zenith carburetor float level setting is too high & not great for slow idling engines ... Mr. Rex Reheis's in Mr. Gordon's book for float lower level is far superior for Zenith A and early B carburetors.
Sounds like you may have a round bottom Zenith carburetor; notorious for killing "idling" engines at stops ........... but not killing faster rpm engines at stops.
Ford's recommended Zenith carburetor float level setting is too high & not great for slow idling engines ... Mr. Rex Reheis's in Mr. Gordon's book for float lower level is far superior for Zenith A and early B carburetors.
I had the exact same problem, until I removed my Nappa 3036, dumped out the sediment caught in the filter, and drove home with no more problems.
H. L. Chauvin
Well-known member
Good point in #7 ...... just like with a residential air conditioner air filter .... when it get stopped up and the air conditioner ceases to function ...... remove dirty air conditioning filter to allow air passage ...... for Model A's .... don't forget to install a new 3036 fuel filter very soon or immediately ..... or face the same deep doo-doo Model A blockage and/or fuel shortage experiences.
Richard in Anaheim CA
Well-known member
All good responses BUT before getting down to work on the carburetor. open the GAV mixture 1/4 turn when in stop and go traffic.
Often, that is all that is necessary
Richard
Anaheim CA
Often, that is all that is necessary
Richard
Anaheim CA
Mitch//pa
BANNED
You should carry a fresh filter on board along with a cork bowl gasket. Never reuse a clogged filter
I not only changed the filter and bought an extra, I took the tank out, cleaned it, etched and sealed it. By the way, you can get the Nappa 3036 direct from Nappa for $5.
H. L. Chauvin
Well-known member
Hi Edgar,
In trying to further assist, thought of something else that "may" or "may not" help if your tank has accumulated rust etc. at the tank's bottom:
An answer to one (1) question may help for everyone with Model A's to decide what would be a further recommendation for your gas tank?
Question: Approximately how many miles of driving did it take to accumulate the rust shown in your sediment bowl?
For example, if one accumulates this much rust in about say 100 miles, (or even within a year), it can never hurt, and depending on your particular fuel tank, it may be a good idea, (prior to installing the in-tank filter), to use about (2) gallons of fuel as a flushing agent as follows:
1. Close shut-off valve.
2. Disconnect gas line at carburetor and position gas line to flow into a tube or hose which leads to a white cotton sock or other similar filter at the lower end prior to dumping fuel into a bucket or fuel container.
3. Close shut-off valve; then pour about (2) gallons of fuel in tank, open shut-off valve, and allow fuel to flow into bucket down below and "see" if the sock trapped any sand, silt, fine rust, large rust flakes, pieces of old former fuel tank sealer dissolved with new ethanol fuel, etc., etc.
4. Pour this same "filtered" (2) gallons back in your tank, shake car at front bumper, and side to side, and repeat Steps 3. & 4. until you feel comfortable that with this simple method, you have removed as much deleterious material from your tank as possible.
Hope this helps.
In trying to further assist, thought of something else that "may" or "may not" help if your tank has accumulated rust etc. at the tank's bottom:
An answer to one (1) question may help for everyone with Model A's to decide what would be a further recommendation for your gas tank?
Question: Approximately how many miles of driving did it take to accumulate the rust shown in your sediment bowl?
For example, if one accumulates this much rust in about say 100 miles, (or even within a year), it can never hurt, and depending on your particular fuel tank, it may be a good idea, (prior to installing the in-tank filter), to use about (2) gallons of fuel as a flushing agent as follows:
1. Close shut-off valve.
2. Disconnect gas line at carburetor and position gas line to flow into a tube or hose which leads to a white cotton sock or other similar filter at the lower end prior to dumping fuel into a bucket or fuel container.
3. Close shut-off valve; then pour about (2) gallons of fuel in tank, open shut-off valve, and allow fuel to flow into bucket down below and "see" if the sock trapped any sand, silt, fine rust, large rust flakes, pieces of old former fuel tank sealer dissolved with new ethanol fuel, etc., etc.
4. Pour this same "filtered" (2) gallons back in your tank, shake car at front bumper, and side to side, and repeat Steps 3. & 4. until you feel comfortable that with this simple method, you have removed as much deleterious material from your tank as possible.
Hope this helps.
BILL WILLIAMSON
Well-known member
Add the "PENCIL" filter, in the top of your fuel valve, they're a GODSEND!
Bill W.
Bill W.
Dollar Bill
Well-known member
SSsssteamer
Well-known member
Ditto..... Works for me too.
Iam looking at the box now, it Nappa 3039 gold filter