The Ford Barn

Mister Moose · 05-26-2021, 06:31 PM

Drove the Tudor today and it was 85 degrees. Car got up to operating temperature. Pulled into a gas station to squirt in a few gallons. Started right up, drove 200 feet, and it was like turning the key off. No sputtering, no surging, just dead. On a 4 lane busy road no less with no shoulder. Luckily a few guys from a business across the street came over to help push me to the next driveway.

After 10 minutes it occurred to me to check the temps of the condenser. The exhaust manifold was about 350 and the condenser was 210.

After the condenser cooled to 100. I tried the starter and it fired right up. Ran great.

In the past when I had a bad condenser it would run sputtery and weak. This just went dead. Is this symptomatic of a condenser as well. or something else?

Ivan in southeast va. · 05-26-2021, 06:47 PM

Possibly vapor lock.

nkaminar · 05-26-2021, 06:58 PM

As Ivan said it could be a vapor lock but also could be the condenser. Carry some water and a rag to wrap around the fuel line. The later Model A's had a heat shield over the exhaust manifold to protect the condenser. In my car I have the modern points and condenser that lives inside the distributor body and I have a dummy original type condenser for cosmetics.

As you said, not the usual failure mode for a condenser.

Mister Moose · 05-26-2021, 07:29 PM

As you can see with the manifold heater, the usual condenser heat shield doesn't fit. On top of that, there's more mass of hot iron closer to the distributor. When you stop and there's no airflow, it's easy to see there's a lot of heat there.

Where does vapor lock usually occur? In the carb? Fuel line?

I'm going to try to rig something out of aluminum flashing to deflect some heat.

Tacoma Bob · 05-26-2021, 07:37 PM

Could be crud in the gas cap blocking the vent. Next time immediately turn the gas cap. If you hear a swoosh that's the culprit.

jb-ob · 05-26-2021, 08:22 PM

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Mister M.

Very common in summer months, usually from the gas in the carburetor boiling and flooding the engine while you where stopped. Hard to re-start & initially runs very badly. Next time in the same situation, turn off the gas and let the engine run the carburetor dry. Restarting with fresh cold gas from the tank much easier.

My second thought might be the condenser cooking from the heater manifold.

Experiment.

McMimmcs · 05-26-2021, 08:28 PM

I’ve experienced the exact same and it was vapor lock.

Big hammer · 05-26-2021, 08:31 PM

Check your points gap......check your timing...... Are you still running antifreeze? water runs 20* cooler!...... I'll trade you my flat top Otwell manifold for yours..lol

Ranchero50 · 05-26-2021, 09:11 PM

Pretty easy to check for spark on these old girls but your arm might go numb.

700rpm · 05-26-2021, 09:16 PM

I’m sure you know that FORD stands for Found On Road Dead, right?

MickyD · 05-26-2021, 09:58 PM

And I thought it was Fix Or Repair Daily.

700rpm · 05-26-2021, 10:09 PM

That too. Like FIAT: Fix It Again Tony.

Stew Masche · 05-26-2021, 10:55 PM

How about
F’d Over Rebuilt Dodge
You know, in the early years, the Dodge Brothers did manufacture transmissions and chassis components for the Model T’s.

updraught · 05-26-2021, 11:52 PM

From my reading the Dodge Brothers were the backbone of Fords success in the early days. I gather they slept, eat and breathed machining and manufacturing.

DBrer · 05-27-2021, 12:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 700rpm

I’m sure you know that FORD stands for Found On Road Dead, right?

First on race day.

Synchro909 · 05-27-2021, 05:01 AM

Found On Rubbish Dump!

Jacksonlll · 05-27-2021, 05:36 AM

This happens all the time in hot weather. Just pour about half a bottle of water on the carb bowl and keep going. Don't change anything.

Bob-A · 05-27-2021, 09:31 AM

I use to have a vapor lock problem until I started using Marvel Mystery oil.

Even had the problem in my '29 Chevy and it had a mechanical fuel pump. Again MMO to the rescue.

Bob-A

Skirts are for women not car fenders!

nkaminar · 05-27-2021, 02:23 PM

Moose, You might try a heat gun to see if you can replicate the failure. Be careful with the heat gun around gasoline. Start out with a low setting, maybe 250 F. Have a fire extinguisher handy.

Please let us know what you find out.

ryanheacox · 05-27-2021, 03:42 PM

I see you're in the Hartford area. We just moved to Newington. The A is still back home but I can imagine driving it around here will be a tad more stressful than back home in the country.

My money is on vapor lock too.

05-26-2021, 06:31 PM	#1
Mister Moose Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2020 Location: Hartford area, CT Posts: 374	Dead A on the side of the road question Drove the Tudor today and it was 85 degrees. Car got up to operating temperature. Pulled into a gas station to squirt in a few gallons. Started right up, drove 200 feet, and it was like turning the key off. No sputtering, no surging, just dead. On a 4 lane busy road no less with no shoulder. Luckily a few guys from a business across the street came over to help push me to the next driveway. After 10 minutes it occurred to me to check the temps of the condenser. The exhaust manifold was about 350 and the condenser was 210. After the condenser cooled to 100. I tried the starter and it fired right up. Ran great. In the past when I had a bad condenser it would run sputtery and weak. This just went dead. Is this symptomatic of a condenser as well. or something else?

05-26-2021, 06:47 PM	#2
Ivan in southeast va. Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Portsmouth, Virginia Posts: 307	Re: Dead A on the side of the road question Possibly vapor lock.

05-26-2021, 06:58 PM	#3
nkaminar Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Western North Carolina Posts: 5,874	Re: Dead A on the side of the road question As Ivan said it could be a vapor lock but also could be the condenser. Carry some water and a rag to wrap around the fuel line. The later Model A's had a heat shield over the exhaust manifold to protect the condenser. In my car I have the modern points and condenser that lives inside the distributor body and I have a dummy original type condenser for cosmetics. As you said, not the usual failure mode for a condenser. __________________ A is for apple, green as the sky. Step on the gas, for tomorrow I die. Forget the brakes, they really don't work. The clutch always sticks, and starts with a jerk. My car grows red hair, and flies through the air. Driving's a blast, a blast from the past.

05-26-2021, 07:37 PM	#5
Tacoma Bob Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Tacoma, WA Posts: 1,042	Re: Dead A on the side of the road question Could be crud in the gas cap blocking the vent. Next time immediately turn the gas cap. If you hear a swoosh that's the culprit.

05-26-2021, 08:22 PM	#6
jb-ob Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 788	Re: Dead A on the side of the road question Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Mister M. Very common in summer months, usually from the gas in the carburetor boiling and flooding the engine while you where stopped. Hard to re-start & initially runs very badly. Next time in the same situation, turn off the gas and let the engine run the carburetor dry. Restarting with fresh cold gas from the tank much easier. My second thought might be the condenser cooking from the heater manifold. Experiment.

05-26-2021, 08:28 PM	#7
McMimmcs Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2019 Location: Fort Gratiot, Michigan Posts: 2,296	Re: Dead A on the side of the road question I’ve experienced the exact same and it was vapor lock.

05-26-2021, 08:31 PM	#8
Big hammer Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Land of Lincoln Posts: 3,432	Re: Dead A on the side of the road question Check your points gap......check your timing...... Are you still running antifreeze? water runs 20* cooler!...... I'll trade you my flat top Otwell manifold for yours..lol __________________ Don't force it with a little hammer tap, tap, tap get a bigger hammer tap done

05-26-2021, 09:11 PM	#9
Ranchero50 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2019 Location: Hagerstown MD Posts: 224	Re: Dead A on the side of the road question Pretty easy to check for spark on these old girls but your arm might go numb. __________________ Building a '29 Speedster, the hard way...

05-26-2021, 09:16 PM	#10
700rpm Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 6,039	Re: Dead A on the side of the road question I’m sure you know that FORD stands for Found On Road Dead, right? __________________ Ray Horton, Portland, OR As you go through life, keep your eye on the donut, not the hole.

05-26-2021, 09:58 PM	#11
MickyD Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: Welcome NC Posts: 211	Re: Dead A on the side of the road question And I thought it was Fix Or Repair Daily.

05-26-2021, 10:09 PM	#12
700rpm Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 6,039	Re: Dead A on the side of the road question That too. Like FIAT: Fix It Again Tony. __________________ Ray Horton, Portland, OR As you go through life, keep your eye on the donut, not the hole.

05-26-2021, 10:55 PM	#13
Stew Masche Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Lake Mills, WI Posts: 261	Re: Dead A on the side of the road question How about F’d Over Rebuilt Dodge You know, in the early years, the Dodge Brothers did manufacture transmissions and chassis components for the Model T’s. __________________ Always one bad decision away from a good time.

05-26-2021, 11:52 PM	#14
updraught Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Australia Posts: 2,143	Re: Dead A on the side of the road question From my reading the Dodge Brothers were the backbone of Fords success in the early days. I gather they slept, eat and breathed machining and manufacturing.

05-27-2021, 05:01 AM	#16
Synchro909 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 8,044	Re: Dead A on the side of the road question Found On Rubbish Dump! __________________ I sometimes wonder what happened to the people who asked me for directions. Even at my age, I still like to look at a young, attractive woman but I can't really remember why.

05-27-2021, 05:36 AM	#17
Jacksonlll Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Michigan-- Member of Oakleaf of MARC Posts: 1,686	Re: Dead A on the side of the road question This happens all the time in hot weather. Just pour about half a bottle of water on the carb bowl and keep going. Don't change anything.

05-27-2021, 09:31 AM	#18
Bob-A Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Central FL, USA Posts: 1,182	Re: Dead A on the side of the road question I use to have a vapor lock problem until I started using Marvel Mystery oil. Even had the problem in my '29 Chevy and it had a mechanical fuel pump. Again MMO to the rescue. Bob-A Skirts are for women not car fenders!

05-27-2021, 02:23 PM	#19
nkaminar Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Western North Carolina Posts: 5,874	Re: Dead A on the side of the road question Moose, You might try a heat gun to see if you can replicate the failure. Be careful with the heat gun around gasoline. Start out with a low setting, maybe 250 F. Have a fire extinguisher handy. Please let us know what you find out. __________________ A is for apple, green as the sky. Step on the gas, for tomorrow I die. Forget the brakes, they really don't work. The clutch always sticks, and starts with a jerk. My car grows red hair, and flies through the air. Driving's a blast, a blast from the past.

05-27-2021, 03:42 PM	#20
ryanheacox Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Northwest CT Posts: 1,092	Re: Dead A on the side of the road question I see you're in the Hartford area. We just moved to Newington. The A is still back home but I can imagine driving it around here will be a tad more stressful than back home in the country. My money is on vapor lock too.