Go Back   The Ford Barn > General Discussion > Model A (1928-31)

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 09-16-2012, 07:25 PM   #1
t&ajim
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: monmouth iowa
Posts: 4
Default please help my model a is makin me nuts

ok heres whats going on.i bought this car in may a 1930 fourdor it ran ok when i bought it but on the drive home it bucked a little.i got home and took my wife for a ride we nearly didn't make it home car was running so bad.i call the guy i got it from he said he never had any problems with it.but he and the guy that rebuilt the motor years ago would come out to look at it.so they came and looked said it had burned the points.so we replaced them.no good so he said you need new plugs.put in new plugs ran great.he told me i needed a new distributor .so i ordered a new one from mac's i went ahead and replaced all the ignition parts cap rotor plugs again, coil and wires armor cable. the car ran great i was so happy itook my wife for a long drive and we put on about 75 miles.a little later in the day i went for a drive and it started to run really bad again.i made it home just in time for it to die and not restart.with the coil wire off and cranking it.i have a nice blue spark but then it stops for a few seconds then starts sparking again.the plugs get black and gas soaked in just a few seconds of cranking no mater how lean i have it set.please help
t&ajim is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-16-2012, 07:33 PM   #2
Fred K-OR
Senior Member
 
Fred K-OR's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Stayton, Oregon
Posts: 3,806
Default Re: please help my model a is makin me nuts

Join the crowd of nuts! All Model A'er are that way.

Do you have a short somewhere in your wiring? I had one behind the key switch. Wire touched the gas tank. Just my $.02 guess.
__________________
Fred Kroon
1929 Std Coupe
1929 Huckster
Fred K-OR is offline   Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)
Old 09-16-2012, 07:46 PM   #3
Huckster Dave
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Ronan, Montana
Posts: 158
Default Re: please help my model a is makin me nuts

condensor?
Huckster Dave is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-16-2012, 07:48 PM   #4
Hyperion
Junior Member
 
Hyperion's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 8
Default Re: please help my model a is makin me nuts

Does it run ok at speed, but won't idle?
Hyperion is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-16-2012, 07:59 PM   #5
t&ajim
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: monmouth iowa
Posts: 4
Default Re: please help my model a is makin me nuts

it won't run at all right now and the condensor is new and i tryed two old ones with the same results.when i try to start it it just gases up so bad the plugs are drippin in gas in just a few seconds
t&ajim is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-16-2012, 08:02 PM   #6
Mendotaman
Member
 
Mendotaman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Sunny Northern California
Posts: 59
Talking Re: please help my model a is makin me nuts

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)
Certainly you have a capital problem.
Mendotaman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-16-2012, 08:05 PM   #7
redmodelt
Senior Member
 
redmodelt's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Portland OR
Posts: 6,339
Default Re: please help my model a is makin me nuts

Are you opening the GVA one turn open from being seated then back 3/4 to 1/2 when warmed up? Are you adjusting the spark for the speed and load? Have you checked the coil?
redmodelt is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-16-2012, 08:26 PM   #8
t&ajim
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: monmouth iowa
Posts: 4
Default Re: please help my model a is makin me nuts

yes to the gva and yes to the spark advace and the coil is new.the 2 one i have tryed.i have had a model t for four years so i'm not new to driving these cars i drive my t 3or4 times a week with no problems.

Last edited by t&ajim; 09-16-2012 at 08:28 PM. Reason: spelling
t&ajim is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-16-2012, 09:29 PM   #9
Fred K-OR
Senior Member
 
Fred K-OR's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Stayton, Oregon
Posts: 3,806
Default Re: please help my model a is makin me nuts

You mentioned the plugs are dripping with gas. Is this when it has quit on you or after you try to restart it? If they are dripping when it quits on you, and your spark is good, then as you probable realize, it would seem like it would have to be something with your carb. Again just a "swag" on my part not being an expert in this area.
__________________
Fred Kroon
1929 Std Coupe
1929 Huckster
Fred K-OR is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-16-2012, 09:56 PM   #10
Mike V. Florida
Senior Member
 
Mike V. Florida's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: South Florida
Posts: 14,054
Send a message via AIM to Mike V. Florida
Default Re: please help my model a is makin me nuts

OK you state that you have spark then don't have spark then have it again.

A couple of things come to mind,

Misadjustment of the gap in the points, or a bad dist cam. As we know it is the points opening and closing that "turns on and off" the spark.

The ignition switch is intermittent shutting the power off to the points. Check with a voltmeter on the input to the coil while cranking (running).

The ignition switch cable is turned in too far into the distributor.
also check with a voltmeter on the input to the coil while cranking (running).
__________________
What's right about America is that although we have a mess of problems, we have great capacity - intellect and resources - to do some thing about them. - Henry Ford II
Mike V. Florida is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-16-2012, 10:17 PM   #11
Brian T
Senior Member
 
Brian T's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: San Diego,Ca
Posts: 1,377
Default Re: please help my model a is makin me nuts

I would make sure the point gap has not changed as you say they are new, possibly closed up from a lack of lube or even a poorly ground distributor cam, you may also have a carburetor flooding over, the plugs should not get that wet from not firing.
Brian T is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-16-2012, 10:50 PM   #12
columbiA
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: B.C. Canada
Posts: 1,746
Default Re: please help my model a is makin me nuts

Check that the short wire under the breaker plate is not worn or have loose strands that touch side of dist hsg & ground it when spark lever is moved.Silicone covered fine strand wire available from hobby shops is very flexible & not affected by engine heat & will last indefinately.
columbiA is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-17-2012, 12:20 AM   #13
BILL WILLIAMSON
Senior Member
 
BILL WILLIAMSON's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: FRESNO, CA
Posts: 12,560
Default Re: please help my model a is makin me nuts

If there's NO spark, the plugs Will get drippin'wet! Bill W.
__________________
"THE ASSISTANT GURU OF STUFF"
BILL WILLIAMSON is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-17-2012, 08:43 AM   #14
SLPreston53
Senior Member
 
SLPreston53's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Long Beach, CA.
Posts: 219
Default Re: please help my model a is makin me nuts

Did you make sure the little "lock washer" is under the dist. cam? If not,the screw alone can't get the cam tight enough to stay in place. Then, you have a situation like you describe.
I had that exact situation on my PU until I looked really close to the diagram in the Snyder's catalog. The washer fixed the problem!
SLPreston53 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-17-2012, 11:58 AM   #15
Mitch
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Dayton, Ohio
Posts: 182
Default Re: please help my model a is makin me nuts

Slpreston,

Do you mean lock washer "on top of distributor cam" and under cam screw plus a thrust washer?
Mitch is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-17-2012, 01:17 PM   #16
gweilbaker
Senior Member
 
gweilbaker's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Lindenhurst, IL
Posts: 792
Default Re: please help my model a is makin me nuts

Also check if the armored cable is not threaded too far into the distributor body. They can distort the bus bar and short it into the body, sometimes can exhibit as a intermittent problem.
gweilbaker is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-17-2012, 04:20 PM   #17
t&ajim
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: monmouth iowa
Posts: 4
Default Re: please help my model a is makin me nuts

i.m headed out to check some of the things you guys have came up with i,ll let you know what i find thanks
t&ajim is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-18-2012, 12:07 AM   #18
SLPreston53
Senior Member
 
SLPreston53's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Long Beach, CA.
Posts: 219
Default Re: please help my model a is makin me nuts

Mitch, yep, that's what I meant!
SLPreston53 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-18-2012, 01:43 AM   #19
pooch
Senior Member
 
pooch's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: South Coast NSW Australia
Posts: 2,596
Default Re: please help my model a is makin me nuts

Check the charging voltage.

I had same problem, it was a haywire powerhouse that burned the points.
pooch is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-18-2012, 05:51 AM   #20
Patrick L.
Senior Member
 
Patrick L.'s Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Largo Florida
Posts: 7,225
Default Re: please help my model a is makin me nuts

are you running 12v or 6v ??
Patrick L. is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 02:39 PM.