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Basic advice I've gotten interested in fixing up my great grandfather's model A pickup and I'm in need of some basic advice.
It's sat in a shed for close to 40 years and I finally got it running thanks to the help of the archives on here, but I've still got a few issues, I've gotta get worked out before she's road worthy. She leaks gas out of the carb (tilly) where the half's meet and out of a port or something where the gas line comes in, oil leak where the flywheel housing bolts to the block and she's running hot. Any advice on the carb leak would be great, as for the oil leak I was wondering if it would be easier to pull the motor or block the engine up and take the tranny out, and for the running hot I'm going to flush the radiator and block out tonight, any other ideas on what would cause it to over heat would be great. |
Re: Basic advice Tillys are notorious for warping. Replace it with a Zenith. Overheating is caused by bad radiators and rusty clogged water jackets in the engine, at least. There are myriad other things that can cause it: bad timing; brakes misadjusted; rings too tight: bearings too tight; incorrect use of the spark lever; bad head gasket; cracked block and/or head; malfunctioning water pump; or, if you have one, a stuck thermostat.
The oil leak is most likely a bad rear main, but could be a clogged filler pipe or return pipe on the rear main. Probably some other stuff I haven't experienced yet! Good luck! |
Re: Basic advice You can get rebuild kits for the Tillotson..
https://parts.modelastore.com/show_Product.asp?ID=3998 Most auto parts stores sell a gallon can of carb cleaner with a tray.... More info here.... https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=226173 . |
Re: Basic advice Other useful general information here....The Model A Instruction Book....
http://www.motormayhem.net/wp-upload...ion-Manual.pdf |
Re: Basic advice I really appreciate the advice, but I really don't believe it's the rear main because it's leaking from the outside on the passenger side right behind the valve cover, all I was wondering was could I just remover the tranny and get to the gasket between the flywheel housing and the block?
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Re: Basic advice That kind of oil leaking usually does mean either the flywheel housing-to-block gasket is bad or wasn't installed, as you suspected. It's an easy thing to miss during engine assembly, especially for amateurs doing their first Model A engine. It's not intuitive where it goes, so it's easily overlooked or ignored, as are other gaskets in an engine set that fit certain applications, but not all.
If you are certain the rear main is not leaking or the back lower corner of the valve cover, you'll be pulling the engine just to install this 75 cent gasket. 'Sorry... :( Marshall |
Re: Basic advice So you can't get to it from the tranny side?
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Re: Basic advice Even dropping the tranny without pulling the engine involves dropping the whole rear-end, and I understand the rear spring makes that a very difficult process.
I asked the same question and went through this process just to replace clutch and pedal bushings. I also replaced the whole clutch, but it involved an engine pull to change out the clutch. One friend said in his mind it was 50/50 as to whether to pull the engine or rear end. Two others said hands down, engine is easier. I have never dealt with the rear, but threads on this forum indicate that it might be a little above my pay grade. |
Re: Basic advice If it is not a gusher I think you may find yourself with more work than you think. Once open there will be other considerations before buttoning it up. There really shouldn't be much oil in the flywheel housing anyway except from worn cam bearing area.
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Re: Basic advice 1 Attachment(s)
This might be the source of the oil leak. The cam has no oil seal at the back, and that is where that gasket is needed.
In this picture of the back of the engine you are looking at the cam in the upper right side.... |
Re: Basic advice As to your running hot.
Make sure the timing is set correctly. Start by making sure the arm on the back side of the distributor body travels fully side to side in the slot. If not rectify that first then re-set the timing and see if that stops the overheating. Are you sure it is actually running hot? Have you checked the water temperature with a thermometer? An inexpensive meat thermometer dipped into the coolant is one of the best ways to actually know what the temperature is. If re-setting the timing does not correct it... Check to see that the fins have a good connection to the tubes. There is not super thick paint on the tubes and fins. Fan belt is turning the fan. (Do not get it too tight) If those are good then... Pull the radiator out and clean it by turning it upside down and back flushing it to get rust flakes that may be sitting on top of the tubes out. After giving it a good rinsing in all directions plug the bottom tube and the overflow tube. I use a piece of scrap inner tube and a hose clamp for the large outlet and a small piece of dowel or such pushed into the overflow tube to plug it. Put in 1 gallon of undiluted Simple Green in and replace the cap. Invert it several times a day for a few days to a week. This will get the grease and grime out of it. If you had a bunch of rust come out in the initial flush you may need to put in something to dissolve that. Others will have suggestions for that. While the radiator is out put a garden hose at full bore into the inlet on the side of the engine along with air from your compressor and flush the block out. All worth a try as a new radiator is pretty spendy. |
Re: Basic advice Thank you, I will try that, I hadn't thought to use a meat thermometer I'll try that tomorrow if I get home in time, as for the carb leak the two half's are warped and the float was cracked I sanded the bottom half with 800 grit sand paper against a 1in. Sheet of metal I got it flat, but I don't know how to sand the top half as I don't have a mill to set it in, I read somewhere that you could put two gaskets in and take up the space, and as for the oil leak, could I clean up the outside and put a bead of high temp rtv down where the two meet?
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Re: Basic advice Mr.J One thing you can do to help out the over heating is while you have the radiator off the car, simply lay it down flat and pour a gallon of vinegar in it and let it sit a couple days. I have back flushed and even with all that done, after removing the vinegar, I was able to wash out the radiator from the bottom and got quite a few chunks of rust out of it, and this is after a radiator shop did a weekend in the hot tank to clean it!
When you empty the vinegar out, strain it through a cloth and see how much rust comes out. BTW, the vinegar can be used more than once. I don't recommend using vinegar through the engine, because if you don't get it ALL out of the engine, it WILL continue to eat the cast iron! |
Re: Basic advice The reason I thought it might be gummed up is it has been sitting snice 84, but lucky the first time it had even seen daylight since 02 was this past weekend
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Re: Basic advice All good advice above and I'm with pulling the engine if it's truly leaking badly from that area. Be sure to look closely and make sure it's not leaking from the oil return tube as it can run down to the back as well. If you do decide to pull the engine and do all that make sure you Clean it well, use rtv around the rear cam hole and then the gasket. I might suggest pulling the half moon rear main cover behind the oil pan and running the engine to see where things are leaking. Wipe it down well first so you can see the fresh oil.
Of course while the engine is out if that's the direction there's lots of other work to do I'm sure. Engine mount rubber and check mounts for cracks. Etc Larry Shepard |
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It is leaking down from here it wet wet from about where the cam is, I'm sorry I couldn't get a better pic of it.
The other one is where my tilly is warped |
Re: Basic advice Heck you might just have a valve cover that is leaking badly.
With a carburetor warped that much I would get a different one. |
Re: Basic advice For a clutch or tranny work I would always pull the rear end, but if the flywheel cover needs to be removed, then I'd pull the engine, since the flywheel cover has the two rear motor mounts on it.
Be sure to locate the leak before you pull the engine. As some have said, it might only be a valve cover or drain pipe. If you pull the engine, then do as Rawhidekid said to the radiator, and I'd block off the inlet and outlet and let the block soak with RUST911 or Evaporust. |
Re: Basic advice Reseal the valve cover and deck the bowl of the Tillotson by rubbing it on a sanding block.
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