Why does my engine die when stopping?

Check your motor mounts also. I once had your problem, and it was because the engine sat too low at the rear(needed new rubber mount pads). The brake cross-shaft hit the bottom of the torque tube at the rear of the transmission and moved it enough to affect the throttle linkage. I've also found that very small adjustments to the float level make a difference.
 
Hi Pat,

When one (1) exact same problem occurs with (2) separate carburetors, maybe one (1) way to look at it is, it may not be two (2) problems, but only one (1) single problem.

1. As parochial as this may appear, one (1) problem may be that the face of the manifold is not true & flat where it joins the carburetor. After removing the carburetor, very carefully paint the intake manifold surface with typewriter "white-out", then very carefully & slowly run a flat file over this flat surface. While verifying wih a mirror, if paint remains on part of this surface, this surface is not flat & needs to be almost perfectly flat. Experiment: Place a tiny pin hole in a straw & try to draw Coke out of a bottle.

2. Also, another single problem may be that only one (1) person is setting the fuel level in the two (2) carburetors. Many former Model A era mechanics were very familiar with this one (1) Model A carburetor fuel level problem. For example:

a. In Paul Moller's book on carburetors, page 55, he states: "Fuel level that is a bit LOW in the gas bowl is better than a bit HIGH."

b. In Gordon Biggar's book, (with great detail & photos), he quotes Rex Reheis on page 21, "He beleives in lowering the fuel level, (i.e., less than 5/8" below the gasket surface to the lower casting), by lowering the float level. He says a bowl full of fuel is not necessary. On page 22, he says by adding an extra gasket under the float valve, (step 3), he was able to lower the fuel level sufficiently "TO PREVENT STALLS ON SUDDEN STOPS". Rex says in SUDDEN STOPS, the main & cap jets are starved, AS THE FUEL SURGES FORWARD, but they then become flooded AS THE FUEL SURGE REVERSES ITS DIRECTION & that a lower fuel level in the bowl should prevent this potential for a flooding condition.

This problem was discussed concerning Model A carburetors many times in the past -- hope this helps.
 
joltesvig said:
My 31 Coupe does the same thing but only on those quick stops like when I'm going down hill and have to get stopped quickly. I have checked the float level, vacuum leaks. Pulling down the throttle lever a little to bring the idle up before she dies has worked well for me. I'll also do another check for vacuum leaks...is that a visual check or can vacuum be checked with a gage?
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John,
Use a cheap stethescope with the probe removed to find vacuum leaks. It'll SCREAM LIKE A BANSHEE,:eek: and pinpoint the leak, exactly! Bill W.
 
I might be confused about Pat's descriptions but I had once had a quirky problem with the engine stalling and it eventually emerged that the brake pedal had been hitting the battery cable and worn off the insulation and shorted out the system when I braked.
 
Pat
If you have several compensator jets, measure the bores and select the largest one to try. This may help to insure proper fuel level in the secondary well to prevent stalling after de-accelerating. This worked for me when I had the same problem.
Roland
 
In order to really diagnose this, a known carburetor ( one that is running well now on another car) can be installed to see if it changes anything. If so, its the carburetors. If not, its somewhere else in your engine. If you can find a local club, someone there would probably loan you a known good carburetor for test purposes. Alternatively, you could install your carburetor on an engine known not to stall and see if it stalls.
 
I give up! Like talkin' to the wind.:p No one seems to accept that stalling with a Zenith on very abrubt stops is typical!:eek: First, the carb is starved as your tires are screeching, then flooded at the end of the stop as the *** end of your car comes back down where it belongs and at the same time your "honey" is barraging you with words that curled your hair, (if you have any) for driving like an idiot to keep up with "Moe" ahead of you in his fizz-bang '29 OCPU!!:eek:
Ever pour slop in a hog trough and a skinny hog climbs in one end,:p and a fat hog plops in the other end?:eek: "Porky" gets drowned while "Bones" gets starved!!
This is about what happens in your carfully restored ZENITH. I knew, and put you a hand throttle to keep the damned thing chugging.:D
I think, if your Zenith NEVER stalls on a stop, either you're not driving over 15 MPH, or you'd better improve your brakes.:eek:
Respectfully, HENRY FORD'S GHOST.
 
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Tom Wesenberg said:
Bill, my 28 Zenith agrees with you!:D That's another reason I do easy braking.
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Yup! you are an intelligent man Tom!:cool: Some years ago, someone even made a poor 4 barrel carb that would starve out one bank of cyls. on sharp turns.:eek:
I wonder if "VERMIN" was idling & we had one of our CHA, CHA, California earthquakes,:eek: would he DIE? Bill W.
 
I agree, sudden stops will always kill a Zenith. Its normal. Its the reason the B zenith had the float hinged on the side. It didn't seem to me that was the only problem though.
 
Again, thank you to all who have provided great advice to me!

I have found a fix to the problem, but with a compromise.

I disconnected my vacuum wiper motor and plugged the intake manifold and the car no longer stalls-out when stopping.

Of course, now I have lost use of my wiper, and I am not happy about that.

Because my wiper motor works great, and I could "hear" no air leaks whether it was turned on or off, I assumed my engine stalling when stopping problem was not due to the vacuum line up to, and including, the wiper motor. I wonder where and what the problem is that is prohibiting my from keeping the wiper motor connected?
 
You've removed the vacuum line and wiper from the equation and now everything works (except the wiper). Good. How about replacing the vac hose from the end of the steel vac line to the wiper, then you may have wipers again, if not, maybe the steel line that runs from the f/wall up the pillar is at fault??
Paul in CT
 
1931 flamingo said:
You've removed the vacuum line and wiper from the equation and now everything works (except the wiper). Good. How about replacing the vac hose from the end of the steel vac line to the wiper, then you may have wipers again, if not, maybe the steel line that runs from the f/wall up the pillar is at fault??
Paul in CT
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If replacing the lines doesn't work, the problem must be a leak in the wiper's on/off switch. I'm not sure you would be able to hear the leak there. Liberal application of heavy grease around the switch might help--I used some of my Lucky Tiger hair wax when I was young (and had need of such a product). Easy to tell whether line or motor is the problem by disconnecting and plugging the line where it attaches to the wiper motor.

Steve
 
Thanks, Flamingo and Steve.
I suspect possibly the black rubber hose that runs from the body window pillar to the wiper needs to be replaced since it is old and not as flexible as it should be, and I have already ordered a replacement.
Any chance you can tell me, for my Slant Windshield Fordor, how to take apart the headliner strip above the windshield to replace the rubber hose?
Thank you.
 
Pat Martone said:
... Any chance you can tell me, for my Slant Windshield Fordor, how to take apart the headliner strip above the windshield to replace the rubber hose?
Thank you.
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Can you just "fish" the channel with a heavy, but not too heavy, wire, then somehow attach hose to wire and pull it back through? You could do this while you're waiting on the mail--for sure, give it a try before tearing stuff apart! As I recall, I used moderately stiff polyethylene tubing (from the lab) for the run through the header (of my town sedan).
 
Well, whadya know?

Zenith carb stalling can be overcome with perserverance.

Life is too short to put up with stalling, futzing with levers and GAV's at a stop. ;)

Good luck with the vacuum leak, Pat.
 
Pat Martone said:
Thanks, Flamingo and Steve.
I suspect possibly the black rubber hose that runs from the body window pillar to the wiper needs to be replaced since it is old and not as flexible as it should be, and I have already ordered a replacement.
Any chance you can tell me, for my Slant Windshield Fordor, how to take apart the headliner strip above the windshield to replace the rubber hose?
Thank you.
Click to expand...

Congratulations on a successful diagnosis. Remove the windshield arms from the side posts. Open the windshield and prop it with a wood block placed on a cloth on top of the gas tank. Carefully remove the side garnishes so as not to scratch the top garnish or the dash. Depending on your car, you might have to loosen the dash panel too to allow the side garnishes to be removed.. Remove the screws fastening the top garnish strip. The strip often catches at the corners, so carefully lower the strip and remove it.
 
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Reconnect the vaccum line and stick a golf tee in the rubber hose end at the wiper to see if the problem is the line or the wiper motor.
 
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