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What has gone wrong on the road? I was reading the thread asking what tools should be taken on a road trip, and am interested in hearing about things that have actually gone wrong.....either to your own model A, or others on the trip.
What is the most common break-down.....and, the least likely? EOG |
Re: What has gone wrong on the road? Coil, distributor, generator, fuel system……I’ve seen about equal amounts of such
Sometimes tires… |
Re: What has gone wrong on the road? If your car is in GOOD mechanical condition! Just the standard Ford tool kit that came with the car from the factory.
If not ready for the road. Stay home. 60 plus years driving Model A’s. Never needed a tow. Oh! Always have a reliable spare tire. This would be true for any car. Enjoy. |
Re: What has gone wrong on the road? In 50 years and 125,000 miles of Model A driving, the only things I have had to replace on the road have been: Fan Belt (2), Flat tire (patched the tube), Brake light switch shorted and blew the fuse (disconnected wire to get home), clutch disc springs fell out (towed home), bendix bolt broke on tour one day from home, (just parked on hill to jump start), same situation with a dying battery (jump started to get home), and 1 coil (replaced). I have made many long distant trips (1000 miles or more) in the Model A and have never had any real problems. Well, except for one trip which the engine blew not too far from home. I had the A towed home, put a spare engine I had and started off again for the 7500 mile trip. Model A's are really very reliable.
A friend had a piston split in half on a long tour. We found a local guy with model a parts who had a piston that matched and made the swap in a tractor dealership garage. Total time to diagnosis and complete repair was 5 hours. |
Re: What has gone wrong on the road? Quote:
I have done a lot of miles in remote areas where there is no help available - not even communications. I've had all sorts of things go wrong. Remember the days of useless tubes? there have been broken bolts and belts. Bolts that have vibrated out, head and manifold gaskets, carburettor problems, failed stater motors, broken wheels and many other things I couldn't list them here. There was even a sore thumb!! :) I believe the best thing a guy can take is a thorough knowledge of his car and an ability to work around a problem. For example, I know a guy who was on a trip on the gun barrel highway https://www.hemamaps.com/explore/tra...barrel-highway. He took NO spares and when his Model A started to misbehave, the problem was eventually tracked to a faulty rotor button. It was repaired on the road and I DO mean ON the road. There is no point pulling off the "road" because nobody might come for weeks. Anyway, he got to the other end with a feeling of achievement he would not have got if he carried all of the spares he could have thought he might need. He figured there was less chance of breaking something if he travelled light. I often travel with a handful of other guys in a variety of cars - Chevs, Chryslers and others but all from the 1920s. On the most recent trip, one guy broke 2 axles on his '28 Chev. That mudguard (fender) was a bit second hand by the time he got back! I could go on about these trips for ages but I'll leave you all thinking I am crazy. |
Re: What has gone wrong on the road? I had a drive shaft snap. Another time I had a crankshaft snap. Hopefully my bad luck is all used up, and I'm on to good luck. I have owned my car since 1994.
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Re: What has gone wrong on the road? We had our main road into our neighborhood wash out over a year ago and there is no sign that it is going to be fixed any time soon.
Other than a flat tire, the Model A never has a problem but the road not so. I take that back, I did have a slight gasoline leak due to a loose fitting, but that was my fault. |
Re: What has gone wrong on the road? The most serious things that have happened to me were the clutch disk disintegrating, the old, crappy aftermarket radiator falling apart, and the pinion loosing all of its teeth.
Keep in mind, my car was not well restored mechanically. A properly restored mechanical system will run for a long time. Clutches, condensers, coils, points, switches, batteries, and light bulbs all go out eventually. The least common break down I think would be a rear end. Those guys can go many many miles before something bad happens and usually there is a warning. |
Re: What has gone wrong on the road? Things I've had to call a hook for include, Broken rear axe. and broken original clutch arm all in the same driving season. A year to forget.
Other problems that were repaired on the road include, flat tires, points closing up, loose distributor cam, muffler fell off, overheating (add water and continue on), 28 stoplight switch shorted out, original popout switch shorted out, safety fuse mounted on starter shorted out in a rainstorm, cap jet came loose inside a Zenith carburetor and almost got sucked into the engine, just to name a few. |
Re: What has gone wrong on the road? The most common problems tend to small easy ones. I had the car die and I quickly discovered that the coil wire had fallen out of the coil. Another one was the starter jamming up which is common.
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Re: What has gone wrong on the road? I don't travel great distances so........
My A is covered for unlimited towing......that's the tool package I use! :) |
Re: What has gone wrong on the road? When we've caravanned in a group to regional and national meets, we've experienced water pump failures, a generator seize ups, blown head gaskets, a broken rear axle, mufflers falling off, connecting rod cap bearing failure (in addition to the the minor things like points/condensors, overheating etc.) The only one that wasn't fixed along the way was the broken axle. That car got trailered home. The best fix imo was the connecting rod cap. The driver limped the car into the hotel lot where the meet was held, and a swap meet was under way. He found a connecting rod for sale at the swap, dropped the pan, changed the cap, and drove the car the rest of the week end and all the way home with no problems.
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Re: What has gone wrong on the road? Chrs, How did the pinion gear fail? I’m just not familiar with that happening. I’ve always considered the rear end to be pretty bulletproof except for bearings and seals.
w. Michael |
Re: What has gone wrong on the road? Michael, I am not sure exactly what happened but I was having these weird vibrations for a few weeks and then a really bad shuddering and locked up rear wheels. Once inspected, the pinion gear had pretty much no teeth left. The ring had damaged teeth. This can happen when something gets in the oil, or more likely, things just wear over a long period of time and nobody bothers to check on it. I don't think anybody had been in my differential for a long long time.
You can also ruin a pinion by flying through the air over a set of railroad tracks. |
Re: What has gone wrong on the road? In 30 years and about 27,000 miles I have only had a few problems. Once my pinion gear failed. It was the only part of the car not restored! There was a big bang as I accelerated away from the gas station and two teeth were knocked off the cog. Once on a long trip my rear brakes failed (in steep terrain) when oil got on the brake shoes from that zerk you are not supposed to grease. Had to replace the shoes. Also had points and (cheap repro) condensers fail.
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Re: What has gone wrong on the road? I routinely push in the clutch and coast across railroad tracks to avoid stressing the rear end and transmission. I’m not sure that’s really necessary, or even a good idea, but it seems right to me. I have a friend who locked up a transmission on a washboard road.
W. Michael |
Re: What has gone wrong on the road? Here is what I carry. Especially important is a spare clutch release arm and the carb return spring
MODEL A TOOL KIT FRONT TOOLBOX Wooden cheese box Clothes pins Distributor wrench Door hinge pin Fuses-30 Amp Goop/duct and elect. tape Ignition Switch bypass Misc. wrenches/Feeler gauge/screw drivers Muffler seal Point file Short Phillips screwdriver for timing Spark plug wires Tire weights Tube repair kit Wire Bendix spring Carburetor Clutch release arm Coils-2 + wires Compression gauge Cut out Switch-2 Distributor drive gear and spring Exhaust Clamp and gasket Fan Belt Float adjustment tool Funnel Gallon of H2O (on running board) Gas cap Gasket seal Grease gun Glue Ignition harness cork and nail (replaces bad switch) Instant Beer JB weld Leather belt (Bearing replacement) Oil Misc. nuts, bolts and washers Multimeter Polish Rags Rod bearing cap Rubber gloves Spritzer Starter switch Timing Gear (socket and tool in tool bag) Voltmeter Water pump and gasket Water pump grease Wheel bearings-2 sets Wheel bearing Grease PACKAGE TRAY Batteries Business cards Bratton’s catalogue Flashlight Fire Extinguisher (on running board) First aid kit Good luck charms Hand wipes Light bulb box Model A club Roster (in door pocket) Repair manual Snacks Walkie talkies Work gloves UNDER SEAT Plastic Parts Box Accelerator return spring Ammeter-2 Axle key and shims Axle nut remover Carb gasket set plus needle valves Condenser and Points Gas filter screen and glass gasket Generator brushes Distributor cam and cap and bottom plate Engine bearing shims Light Bulbs Plug wires Rotor Spark plugs Speedo gear Starter Bendix bolts Water pump packing Wire ties Valve and guide Cotter pins Crank Distributor body Fan belt Gas gauge repair kit and tools Small hyd. Jack with base Lug wrench 8x10 Glossy of Sandy Stethoscope Tire tube Tow rope RUMBLE AREA American flags Blanket Bungees Calico chicken Chock Flares Folding chairs (sometimes) Generator (No) Head gasket Paper towels Poncho Torque wrench Tool bag |
Re: What has gone wrong on the road? Once, on a tour in Ct., my timing gear failed. I was about 2 miles from our destination when the gear lost half of it's teeth. Got a tow back to Mystic, winched the car onto the trailer and drove the truck and trailer to Worcester to get a new aluminum gear. Replaced the gear when I got home, no trouble since. The engine was rebuilt before I got the car. I bought the car with 300 miles on the rebuilt engine and the gear stripped at 3000 miles. It was a fiber gear.
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Re: What has gone wrong on the road? The only problem I have ever had was a bad condenser and a broken door latch spring. That spring broke the first day a Glidden tour and no one had one to loan or sell me. I completed the tour with the drivers door bungeed to the steering column. Not the safest solution but I completed the tour.
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Re: What has gone wrong on the road? The only time I was ever left on the side of the road by my A was when I'd had it only a couple months, I had the family all in the car and we'd driven to a restaurant for dinner about 45 miles away. On the way home, about 3 miles from home, it ran out of gas. I now know when it reads just under a quarter tank, its EMPTY!
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