Engine Quitting

Are you sure the gas tank is venting properly? The vent hole in the gas cap may be plugged off. try driving the car around with the gas cap off.

Tom Endy
 
I haven't read where the spark was checked right after the problem shows up. Always start by holding the coil wire 1/4" from a head nut then look for a hot blue spark. If you get no spark or a weak thin yellow spark I'd try a new condenser. I've seen more bad condensers than bad coils. I've never lost a coil or condenser on any of my cars, but have seen some bad coils on customer's cars, and have bought some bad condensers at swap meets. Every coil I've bought at a swap meet has tested good so far.

Always start with a diagnosis rather than start by changing parts.
 
Tom Wesenberg said:
I haven't read where the spark was checked right after the problem shows up. Always start by holding the coil wire 1/4" from a head nut then look for a hot blue spark. If you get no spark or a weak thin yellow spark I'd try a new condenser. I've seen more bad condensers than bad coils. I've never lost a coil or condenser on any of my cars, but have seen some bad coils on customer's cars, and have bought some bad condensers at swap meets. Every coil I've bought at a swap meet has tested good so far.

Always start with a diagnosis rather than start by changing parts.
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Good point Tom. I didn't think about trying that.
 
After years of observing old Datsuns, with a BIG glass float bowl window, it's amazing how quick the gas boils, after shutting off a warm engine!
With hot restart problems, holding the throttle WIDE open during cranking "might" help.
Bill W.
 
I am shooting from the hip here, but it appears to me that you may have a worn or mal-adjusted carb. Your fuel/air mixture is in question.

Or perhaps it's just 'operator error' (no offense intended!)

An OBD2 car can make itself run regardless. But you have an OBD -0 car.
 
mshmodela said:
Suffice to say, Tom is 100% spot on... I've only just now tried 100% gasoline (1st tank of it) and will tell you my car runs with more power, smoother (100% gas has more energy than 10% corn juice)... I'm sold on it... thankfully I can buy it near me... a bit more costly than 10% corn juice laced gasoline but I think worth it... If you can buy it, try it... :)
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I am late into the discussion as usual, but I had exactly the same symptoms. Luckily, all of the premium gas available locally is straight petroleum, no ethanol. It is a bit more expensive but all three of our oldies run better with it. The 28 Tudor benefitted the most.
 
Problem solved..... I had recently replaced the original cast iron sediment bowl with a glass bowl. With the glass sediment bowl I purchased a pleated paper fuel filter. Over the period of a couple of months rust particles had accumulated inside the filter. Removing the filter has eliminated the problem. I haven't completely figured out the reason why the engine would run perfectly until it was shut down for a few minutes, and restarted. One possibility is that the combination of a partially loaded filter, and the increase in temperature under the hood after stopping could have caused a vapor lock in the filter. There may be other possible explanations, but, the filter is gone, and so is the problem.

Now..to get that tank cleaned up.

64-24751.jpg
 
If you mean the little cylindrical screen that fits up into the gas tank upstream of the shut off valve, I have one, but have not installed it. For now, I have a brass screen at the top of the glass sediment bowl.
 
I'll have to agree that the 10% ethanol gasoline vapor locks incredibly easily, but I notice that in my two older car engines that have downdraft carburetors that sit above the exhaust/intake manifold combination (1950 Plymouth flathead six) or above a hot V-8 (1963 Thunderbird) much more so than in the Model A with it's updraft carburetor that sits below all that heat at the exhaust manifold/top area of engine.

At least, I've wondered that that's the explanation why I don't see it on the Model A. Nevertheless, I burn non-ethanol gas for the benefit of the gas tank inside surfaces and the cork float on my gas gauge and just to be safe, I close the gas tank valve inside the car (1930) when I park and let the engine burn out the fuel in the carb bowl.

The Thunderbird will run until the ethanol gas starts boiling (I've taken the lid off the autolite 4 barrel and video'd the boiling mixture just to show those who doubt this) and the Plymouth once parked with the engine warm can't be restarted for about a couple hours.
 
This is a pic of what I have. I am hesitant to use it because if it gets clogged, it will be more difficult to take out and clean than a filter down stream of the shut of valve.
64-24767.jpg

Another Option I've considered is going back to the original cast iron sediment bowl and using the filter screen shown below.
64-24749.jpg

I have made the decision to do a major restoration of the car this coming year, and that restoration will include either coating the gas tank or putting in a new one.
 
Use the tank valve screen. I've never seen one get totally clogged, and if you have that much junk in the tank, then the tank needs a good flushing. Just keep dumping the gas through a cloth covered funnel and dumping it back into the tank until the junk quits coming out. Then install the valve screen and have fun driving.
 
Yep post 31, 33 and 37 again in conjunction with the bowl and filter. take whatever route you feel is best for you.
Good luck
 
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