The Ford Barn

dlfrisch · 09-20-2014, 04:21 PM

In the past few days, I got my new (to me) '30 coupe all organized. Adjusted the brakes, installed signal lights, changed the radiator coolant, the oil, etc. Today my wife and I took it out for our first ride. Went about 30 miles to a restaurant we like. I drove about 35 -45 MPH, checked all components and it ran and drove A OK. All went well until we were on our way home and the "A" started to knock. It is a hard knock under pulling load. Specially going up a hill. If I push the spark advance-up to start mode the knock soothes out. It don't knock under a higher steady RPM. From what I know, it is a main bearing, not a rod. Had my close neighbor, who is an "A" and a "T" owner, to give a look and check my engine. He did so and also, confers it is a main bearing knock.

I will have to find someone in the Spartanburg / Greenville-SC area, who knows and works on Model A Fords. Does anyone have a suggestion ?

kwisor · 09-20-2014, 04:45 PM

hello
James Rogers in ashville nc rebuilt my eng runs like new http://api.viglink.com/api/click?for...bangers.com%2F
kevin
1930 model a tudor
1923 model t roaster p/u

montanafordman · 09-20-2014, 04:50 PM

Sorry to hear the news... That's no fun, but assuming your car is the avatar pic its a nice looking coupe! It might cost you and hurt a bit to fix, but definitely worth it and you'll get a lot of enjoyment out of the car. I'm not that familiar with engine builders out that way but I believe James Rogers from DreamWorks is relatively in your neck of the woods. He posts on here regularly. I would probably send him a personal message and get his input. Good luck!

Joe K · 09-20-2014, 05:01 PM

Drop your pan and check it out first.

The original engine for my truck was loose - and I know from measuring the crankshaft rod journals were egg-shaped.

I did the best I could with it. Used plastigauge and set it up (yes I filed the caps) to be as tight as I dared. Each bearing adjusted in turn and each set so it was on the near edge of binding on the newly narrowed rod caps.

I drove it like that for quite a while. As it was wont to wear, I went in again and tighted each bearing similarly and again later.

One of my last excursions on that engine I wound it up on the highway to typically highway speed. About 15 minutes into that trip it sounded REALLY bad - so I turned around and limped home.

Dropping the pan I found one of the rod nuts had come off and was rattling around in the bottom of the oil pan.

Made me appreciate how conservatively designed the Model A engine was.

Check out that engine - it may be simpler than you think.

Joe K

dlfrisch · 09-20-2014, 05:57 PM

Thanks for the reply notes. I will search around my Spartanburg- SC area a little bit and maybe give Jim Rogers a call. I recently sold my '29 roadster pick-up and I just purchased this coupe. It's nice all the way around. Just rebuilt - frame up and supposedly complete motor job. I sure didn't expect this engine problem to come popping up.
Dave

Ross/Kzoo · 09-20-2014, 06:48 PM

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Quote:

Originally Posted by dlfrisch

I will search around my Spartanburg- SC area a little bit and maybe give Jim Rogers a call.

With Asheville less than 100 mile away why would you chance more failure?

Rex_A_Lott · 09-20-2014, 06:54 PM

PM me your phone number and I will try to help you out. Good Luck.

Mitch//pa · 09-20-2014, 08:31 PM

pm sent

tbirdtbird · 09-21-2014, 05:37 PM

it may not be as bad as you think but the pan has to come down by someone.
I have tightened up a lot of rod and main bearings. On one car the knock was so bad I would have sworn the babbit on the main in question was gone gone gone. To my surprise all the babbits were in superb condition and just needed to be tightened up

There are numerous posts here with step-by-step procedures given including a couple by myself. Or, as mentioned above, James Rogers is very close to you if you would rather not check it out yourself. Get a U-Haul trailer and haul it on up there.

C26Pinelake · 09-21-2014, 06:20 PM

[B I have only heard great things about James Rogers.
Wayne's[/B]

Tinker · 09-21-2014, 06:26 PM

Ugh that's a bugger.

BILL WILLIAMSON · 09-21-2014, 07:20 PM

Dl,
"Maybe" too much advance on the HILL, causing it to detonate/ping???? Is your gas reasonably "fresh"?

09-20-2014, 04:21 PM	#1
dlfrisch Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Florida - 32128 Posts: 416	Not So Good News In the past few days, I got my new (to me) '30 coupe all organized. Adjusted the brakes, installed signal lights, changed the radiator coolant, the oil, etc. Today my wife and I took it out for our first ride. Went about 30 miles to a restaurant we like. I drove about 35 -45 MPH, checked all components and it ran and drove A OK. All went well until we were on our way home and the "A" started to knock. It is a hard knock under pulling load. Specially going up a hill. If I push the spark advance-up to start mode the knock soothes out. It don't knock under a higher steady RPM. From what I know, it is a main bearing, not a rod. Had my close neighbor, who is an "A" and a "T" owner, to give a look and check my engine. He did so and also, confers it is a main bearing knock. I will have to find someone in the Spartanburg / Greenville-SC area, who knows and works on Model A Fords. Does anyone have a suggestion ?

09-20-2014, 04:45 PM	#2
kwisor Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: lexington sc Posts: 456	Re: Not So Good News hello James Rogers in ashville nc rebuilt my eng runs like new http://api.viglink.com/api/click?for...bangers.com%2F kevin 1930 model a tudor 1923 model t roaster p/u

09-20-2014, 04:50 PM	#3
montanafordman Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Meridian, ID Posts: 583	Re: Not So Good News Sorry to hear the news... That's no fun, but assuming your car is the avatar pic its a nice looking coupe! It might cost you and hurt a bit to fix, but definitely worth it and you'll get a lot of enjoyment out of the car. I'm not that familiar with engine builders out that way but I believe James Rogers from DreamWorks is relatively in your neck of the woods. He posts on here regularly. I would probably send him a personal message and get his input. Good luck! __________________ Aaron in T̶a̶c̶o̶m̶a̶ Meridian, Idaho (although still a Montana hillbilly at heart ) 1931 Coupe 1931 slant window sedan

09-20-2014, 05:01 PM	#4
Joe K Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Cow Hampshire Posts: 4,610	Re: Not So Good News Drop your pan and check it out first. The original engine for my truck was loose - and I know from measuring the crankshaft rod journals were egg-shaped. I did the best I could with it. Used plastigauge and set it up (yes I filed the caps) to be as tight as I dared. Each bearing adjusted in turn and each set so it was on the near edge of binding on the newly narrowed rod caps. I drove it like that for quite a while. As it was wont to wear, I went in again and tighted each bearing similarly and again later. One of my last excursions on that engine I wound it up on the highway to typically highway speed. About 15 minutes into that trip it sounded REALLY bad - so I turned around and limped home. Dropping the pan I found one of the rod nuts had come off and was rattling around in the bottom of the oil pan. Made me appreciate how conservatively designed the Model A engine was. Check out that engine - it may be simpler than you think. Joe K __________________ Shudda kept the horse.

09-20-2014, 05:57 PM	#5
dlfrisch Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Florida - 32128 Posts: 416	Re: Not So Good News Thanks for the reply notes. I will search around my Spartanburg- SC area a little bit and maybe give Jim Rogers a call. I recently sold my '29 roadster pick-up and I just purchased this coupe. It's nice all the way around. Just rebuilt - frame up and supposedly complete motor job. I sure didn't expect this engine problem to come popping up. Dave

09-20-2014, 06:54 PM	#7
Rex_A_Lott Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Upstate South Carolina Posts: 794	Re: Not So Good News PM me your phone number and I will try to help you out. Good Luck.

09-20-2014, 08:31 PM	#8
Mitch//pa BANNED Join Date: May 2010 Location: Bucks County, PA Posts: 11,454	Re: Not So Good News pm sent

09-21-2014, 05:37 PM	#9
tbirdtbird BANNED Join Date: May 2012 Location: inside your RAM Posts: 3,134	Re: Not So Good News it may not be as bad as you think but the pan has to come down by someone. I have tightened up a lot of rod and main bearings. On one car the knock was so bad I would have sworn the babbit on the main in question was gone gone gone. To my surprise all the babbits were in superb condition and just needed to be tightened up There are numerous posts here with step-by-step procedures given including a couple by myself. Or, as mentioned above, James Rogers is very close to you if you would rather not check it out yourself. Get a U-Haul trailer and haul it on up there. __________________ '31 180A

09-21-2014, 06:20 PM	#10
C26Pinelake BANNED Join Date: May 2010 Location: Michigan / Ontario border, Sarnia, Ontario. 50 miles from Detroit and 150 from Toronto. Posts: 5,800	Re: Not So Good News [B I have only heard great things about James Rogers. Wayne's[/B]

09-21-2014, 06:26 PM	#11
Tinker Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: MN Posts: 7,063	Re: Not So Good News Ugh that's a bugger.

09-21-2014, 07:20 PM	#12
BILL WILLIAMSON Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: FRESNO, CA Posts: 12,560	Re: Not So Good News Dl, "Maybe" too much advance on the HILL, causing it to detonate/ping???? Is your gas reasonably "fresh"? __________________ "THE ASSISTANT GURU OF STUFF"