rotorwrench
Well-known member
The day that an engine was built is likely an approximate but is likely close enough. Depending on where the engine was bedded into a frame may add a lot of time to a build date for the car as a whole.
we did it... our first Model A...
- Thread starter TomInCologne
- Start date
burner31
Well-known member
Tom, I'm wondering where you had to check to find out that your new "A" is a female?
Beautiful automobile by the way.
If you look really really hard you can find the utters hidden underneath the car, towards the backend, but you have to look really really hard, and above all, you have to believe.
I found them on mine and didn't even need my glasses
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TomInCologne
Senior Member
okay, Margarethe and i had our first problem. She didn't want to start, smell of fuel was there but no ignition. I had a long, hard think about it and i assumed that it must be the distributor. What did i find? No connection between the distributor cover and the plate below it. See photographs. Worn and used up metal in 91 years? The new distributor is ordered and the tdmporary fix is a bit of copper grease on top the metal lid and under the cover, giving better connection between the two parts.
Should this little dab of copper grease be part of the routine service work?
Should this little dab of copper grease be part of the routine service work?
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mgambuzza
Senior Member
I had this issue earlier and it was my ignition coil. I was driving fine and it suddenly quit. I had fuel but didn't seem to have spark. Using a test light, one side to frame, and the other to each side of the coil. I had light on one side and none on the other. Replaced the coil and voila - light on each side and immediate start.
Someone may want to chime in whether I had to have the key position on or off to test this, as I can't remember, but that was my issue.
TomInCologne
Senior Member
The new coil is also on the way, but once she starts, she has no problem. Maybe it has more to do with the generator and the battery. I tried to start her again an hour ago and she would not start. Starter rotated her very slowly. I don't know about the condition of the battery, it may be decades old. During driving, the ampmeter shows up to 7A charge and sometimes, at a traffic light in idle, a 2-3A discharge. All with lights off.
I don't want to throw money straight at it, a Powermaster 6V pos ground was planned but not yet...
I don't want to throw money straight at it, a Powermaster 6V pos ground was planned but not yet...
TomInCologne
Senior Member
Okay, another question...
Do you know the sound that a bag of hazelnuts makes when you shake it around? Providing you hear that sound when you are going down a hill and the car is pushing your model a... not always but sometimes. What would your thinking be? (Apart from 'oh ****...')
Do you know the sound that a bag of hazelnuts makes when you shake it around? Providing you hear that sound when you are going down a hill and the car is pushing your model a... not always but sometimes. What would your thinking be? (Apart from 'oh ****...')
TomInCologne
Senior Member
Hi guys,
update and a question...
I am preparing Margarethe for the german TüV, the inspection you have to go through before getting the certification to use the roads. i had to work on the indicators, brake lights,... so basically electrics.
I have a short term certificate right now and i have driven about 80 miles with her. What i do notice it is a misfire when the engine is being pushed, like down a hill or even during shifting. I have opened up the gav but i was not under the impression that that helped.
Next thing i am gong to check is for a leak on the intake manifold. any more recommendations?
Thanks in advance...
update and a question...
I am preparing Margarethe for the german TüV, the inspection you have to go through before getting the certification to use the roads. i had to work on the indicators, brake lights,... so basically electrics.
I have a short term certificate right now and i have driven about 80 miles with her. What i do notice it is a misfire when the engine is being pushed, like down a hill or even during shifting. I have opened up the gav but i was not under the impression that that helped.
Next thing i am gong to check is for a leak on the intake manifold. any more recommendations?
Thanks in advance...
Ed in Maine
Well-known member
It looks like an outstanding, well maintained Model A. However, I would do a complete lubrication before you take it out on the road keeping your eyes open toward future restoration/maintenance projects. Have fun, I have been in this situation before. I feel bad for other motorists who have never heard the sound of the Model A as it starts out in first and on to second gear. It is the sound of pure reliability. Ed
Marshall V. Daut
Well-known member
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M.
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TomInCologne
Senior Member
Thanks, Ed. I did a complete 'lube job' on her, service A, B and C. The wheel bearings have to wait.
I have a short term certificate right now and i have driven about 80 miles with her. What i do notice it is a misfire when the engine is being pushed, like down a hill or even during shifting. I have opened up the gav but i was not under the impression that that helped.
check your timing on the column.......
check your timing on the column.......
TomInCologne
Senior Member
Thanks Ronn. Whilst going downhill, i tried to move the spark advance lever up and down and the only thing it changed was that at full retard the misfire was louder. i also adjusted the gav 1/2 of a turn to 'fuel-rich', so counter-clockwise. I don't think that made a change.
another thought Tom- did the car sit for awhile before you bought it?
You may want to add some gas additive for the valves, carb and such. something could be sticking. Here most use Marvel Mystery oil. In Germany, I dont know what similar product you might have? It is sold at Walmart, btw- should one be near you.
You may want to add some gas additive for the valves, carb and such. something could be sticking. Here most use Marvel Mystery oil. In Germany, I dont know what similar product you might have? It is sold at Walmart, btw- should one be near you.
Your car is beautiful.
Check fluids in transmission, differential, and steering box, asap. If you order something from a vendor, order at least 3 bottles of 600W so you can drain and add new before running the car. Change the engine oil too. Front wheel bearings can be checked for adequate grease in about 10 minutes per wheel, add 30 minutes if you need to clean and grease them. Rear wheels are not so easy, read up on it here before doing the rears. Good spindles are not so easy to come by if you ruin one. Transmission bearings that are good are the same; I have read.
Do you have the Les Andrews Books, 1 and 2, a red and blue one? The red one is nicknamed the Model A bible. For troubleshooting I prefer the blue one. It has everything a newbie needs and then some for engine and electrical diagnosis. Vendors have them.
Kopr Shield, copper grease is good stuff for electrical connections.
An exhaust leak at the engine manifold or the muffler attachment can make some odd noises on deceleration. When warmed up and driving your GAV should be near 1/4 turn open. Cars do vary, but that's a rule of thumb. If I remember correctly, a popping sound coming from the carburetor on deceleration is a lean condition, and opening the GAV is sometimes the cure as you tried.
There are several methods to check the manifold to engine gasket for leaks. Be careful if you spray something flammable to stay clear of the spark plugs. Professionals use a smoke machine.
I would clean the cable connections at frame and battery under the floorboards to bright metal and apply your copper grease to the surfaces. (copper grease that is electrically conductive)
Many Model A's have had additional ground cables added to improve the grounding path of the starter. My second is a cable attached to a bolt at the top of the transmission. I use a trickle charger/maintainer to keep the battery at full charge. Check the fluid in the battery and keep the internal plates fully covered, but not much more as it will come out and make a mess if overfilled.
Good luck and please post your efforts here. We all can learn or relearn from them.
Check fluids in transmission, differential, and steering box, asap. If you order something from a vendor, order at least 3 bottles of 600W so you can drain and add new before running the car. Change the engine oil too. Front wheel bearings can be checked for adequate grease in about 10 minutes per wheel, add 30 minutes if you need to clean and grease them. Rear wheels are not so easy, read up on it here before doing the rears. Good spindles are not so easy to come by if you ruin one. Transmission bearings that are good are the same; I have read.
Do you have the Les Andrews Books, 1 and 2, a red and blue one? The red one is nicknamed the Model A bible. For troubleshooting I prefer the blue one. It has everything a newbie needs and then some for engine and electrical diagnosis. Vendors have them.
Kopr Shield, copper grease is good stuff for electrical connections.
An exhaust leak at the engine manifold or the muffler attachment can make some odd noises on deceleration. When warmed up and driving your GAV should be near 1/4 turn open. Cars do vary, but that's a rule of thumb. If I remember correctly, a popping sound coming from the carburetor on deceleration is a lean condition, and opening the GAV is sometimes the cure as you tried.
There are several methods to check the manifold to engine gasket for leaks. Be careful if you spray something flammable to stay clear of the spark plugs. Professionals use a smoke machine.
I would clean the cable connections at frame and battery under the floorboards to bright metal and apply your copper grease to the surfaces. (copper grease that is electrically conductive)
Many Model A's have had additional ground cables added to improve the grounding path of the starter. My second is a cable attached to a bolt at the top of the transmission. I use a trickle charger/maintainer to keep the battery at full charge. Check the fluid in the battery and keep the internal plates fully covered, but not much more as it will come out and make a mess if overfilled.
Good luck and please post your efforts here. We all can learn or relearn from them.
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TomInCologne
Senior Member
Update...
- I played around with the GAV whilst going downhill, that did not really make a change
- i played around with the spark advance lever, did not get any better
- the only way to make the misfires go away was to push the throttle down a little bit. Which is not what you want to do whilst going downhill.
What do you think?
- I played around with the GAV whilst going downhill, that did not really make a change
- i played around with the spark advance lever, did not get any better
- the only way to make the misfires go away was to push the throttle down a little bit. Which is not what you want to do whilst going downhill.
What do you think?
TomInCologne
Senior Member
Update:
i just started her up and let her run in idle. i sprayed some starter spray onto the intake manifold and on one of the two connections the rpms dropped. I think that's my culprit and i will have a look at new manifolds, gaskets, whatever...
Is there some cement or similar that could act as a 'quick and dirrrrrtyyyyy' fix until parts arrive?
i just started her up and let her run in idle. i sprayed some starter spray onto the intake manifold and on one of the two connections the rpms dropped. I think that's my culprit and i will have a look at new manifolds, gaskets, whatever...
Is there some cement or similar that could act as a 'quick and dirrrrrtyyyyy' fix until parts arrive?
TomInCologne
Senior Member
Margarethe is tired...
after swapping the manifolds and finding out that the gasket between inlet and carb was upstairs and i was too lazy run up the stairs i checked compression...
The engine was cold, since we bought her in January, we have driven about 270mls.
The results were 1st cylinder 36psi, 2nd 36psi, 3rd 34psi and 4th 35psi.
So, the good news is that the compression is equally bad? Just a tired engine?
after swapping the manifolds and finding out that the gasket between inlet and carb was upstairs and i was too lazy run up the stairs i checked compression...
The engine was cold, since we bought her in January, we have driven about 270mls.
The results were 1st cylinder 36psi, 2nd 36psi, 3rd 34psi and 4th 35psi.
So, the good news is that the compression is equally bad? Just a tired engine?