QuestionQUESTION: Jack,
I have a 1930 model A that is puzzling me. I love driving the car but lately it seems so unreliable. It was running fine then all of sudden it started having problems when idleing and when starting to accelerate into first gear. I noticed a few pops and misses too in first gear too. I have all the books from Les Andrews so I cleaned the plugs, replaced the points & condenser, and retimed. Used a volt meter to check the proper setting. Also verified the #1 Piston TDC. As far as spark advance lever, I noted that the connector rod from the advance to the distribution didn't move much in the first two clicks, then moved much farther in the next two. So I was happy with the timing at 4 clicks. Should I shorten the connecting linkage rod so I get more movement starting with the first click and retime? The car idles well with only a few "putts" but no backfires. Engine starts and revs-up just fine while sitting still so I don't think it's fuel blockage. However, as soon as I try to go into first gear she wants to stall and sputter on me even when I put down the accelerator lever a few clicks. Also, when I pull the plugs, they are sooty even after my retiming effort. Plan to try some new 3X plugs and re-check points and timing again. I would like to get timing set at one click. Any other ideas? Rebuild the carb? What would you try next?
John
ANSWER: I would clean the plugs again and then try a different carb. Assuming you have one or can borrow one. disconnect the fuel line from the carb and make sure that the ferrule is not set back too far from the end of the tube. If the end of the tube goes way into the carb, the tube end can hit the screen filter in there and it will block the fuel. Just make sure. If your plugs fowl that quickly, the carb must be pouring fuel in there. Just take the carb apart and clean everything and put it back together. Make sure the float still floats OK and is not sinking. 4 clicks to light the light is OK. Another thing you can do is to try a different condenser. With the key on, and the points closed, separate the points and you should have just a very small spark. If it is a big spark, then your condenser is bad. There is a higher probablity of getting a bad new cond. than there is one going bad. Although, an A can cook the cond.
I ran into what you have and new points fixed it. Make sure that the point arm is not hitting the cam. I have seen new points do this.
Try all this and let me know.
jack
Hey John, how about water in the gas????
jack
John, I assume you have your mixture adjustment closed all the way. In the fuel tank, I hope you have the little stand-up filter that fits into the gas valve. But I think your are getting too much gas. If it ran good before, look for what has changed.
jack
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QUESTION: Jack,
I suppose there could be water in the gas tank. Don't know. I've tried to avoid it by using ethanol free gas and, in winter, using Sta-bilz. I've put about 5 gallons of new gas (ethanol free) in the tank since these problems started. How do you get rid of the water problem if there is water? Drain the tank?
I did check TDC for #1 cylinder but I used the timing detent. Maybe the timing gear is off. I looked in the #1 spark plug hole. I saw the piston head and it was about half an inch down from the edge of the combustion chamber with the pin in the detent. At the time I wondered if the piston was all the way to the top and if it should be flush with the chamber. I assumed it was right. Now I wonder if it was all the way up. Maybe my timing detent is not right. I tested to see if the piston would go down by moving the wrench clockwise from the right side of the car (passenger side) and the piston did go down. What I didn't do was go counter clock wise to see if the piston would go up past the detent mark. I will try that just to be sure. This might account for incomplete combustion, sooting up the plugs, and general lack of performance.
I'll have to get another carborator to test the other potential problem we spoke about. Got to get this car running smooth again.
Thanks, John
ANSWER: John, the piston should be at the very top. Use a coat hanger or something and get it to the top, then time your car. The b engine had a different front cover for the timing gear and it placed the pin in the wrong position. Try this before trying anything else.
For water, just put in a can of "dry gas" All it is a alcohol that absorbs the water if it is in there.
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QUESTION: Jack,
Results are in on engine retiming. I put the #1 piston at TCD by looking down the #1 spark plug opening and retimed the car. Saw voltage on 4th click on advance lever and decided this was good. Started a little hard but once going it was running and idleling 100# better - started on third try. Confirmed that timing gear detent was in the wrong position. Took it out for a test drive and she idles and runs much better. Much more power. The only new "noise" I noticed is what I would call a very slight engine "knock" when driving in 1st and 2nd gear. Doesn't seem to hurt performance. Definitely and engine noise and not related to drive train. Seems to mitigates once in 3rd gear. I had a lot of carbon build up on my plugs before I got it right, maybe carbon is causing the problem inside the engine? Changed the oil. Also, I'm running on H16Y spark plugs. Should I switch to Champion 3x? Still need to put in the gas dryer.
I just got a new set of Champion 3x plugs. I was going to put them in. but the metal rings kind of threw me. They are not flat out of the box, sort of curved or concave. Which side of the seal goes toward the spark plug - top of curve or bottom of curve. I decided not to put in so I didn't introduce another variable.
John
AnswerSounds good, but I like two clicks on the spark lever, but 4 won't hurt. It means you are not getting full advance when you pull it down. When it is right, it should start by just looking at the starter button. The noise could be piston slap, or something else going into resonance under the hood. If you have those brackets that hold the hood up, they are a source of vibration that is hard to find. The noise could also be the pistons hitting the head gasket when it comes all the way up. I have seen this make noise. Run the car hard for a while. Maybe 40 to 45 for 10 straight. If it does not overheat, then your rad. is good. The more you run it, the better it will run. Don't baby it, make it work hard to get things going.
Don't worry about those plug rings. Any way is OK.
Good luck
jack
