Running rough & oil leak

[arefftx]

My '29 Roadster is running rough and doesn't have power to climb hills well. I noticed that there is oil leaking from the 2 front spark plugs, causing small bubbles.... what is the diagnosis?

[J Franklin]

Check the ignition and timing. adjust the carburetor and use new gaskets under the plugs or make sure they are tightened sufficiently.

[Gary WA]

check plugs for fouled and clean or replace! Simple things first and one at a time. 3X plugs?

[nkaminar]

You will need to do some analysis to determine the problem.

Is this car new to you or have you had it for a while? Is the problem new or has it been there all along? If it is new did it come on quickly or gradually.

How familiar are you the operating controls on the car. Do you know how to adjust the spark and GAV? The vendors sell the original instruction manuals that came with the car.

Is the car burning oil and has a grey exhaust? Do a compression test and if the readings are low do a leak down test to find out why.

Make sure all 4 plugs are firing by placing the plugs on the head with the flat brass "wires" connected and turning the engine over with the ignition on.

Check the point gap. It should be 0.018 to 0.020 when the points are fully open.

[Marshall V. Daut]

If you changed ignition points in the last 100 miles or so, you'll think the rubbing block must be made of Chinesium these days because the distributor cam will wear it down quickly, even if you lube the distributor cam. The points gap with close down as the rubbing block wears down. You'll have to check the points gap once in a while in the first 100 miles and adjust them according to how much more the block has worn away. It will reach a point where the block won't wear anymore and then it won't be necessary to regap the points. This just happened to me last Friday in less than 40 miles on a fresh set of original style points.
Marshall

[J Franklin]

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A word for Marshall- You need to get your distributor cam polished, it must be very rough.

[Marshall V. Daut]

It's a new cam with the "B" grind. The couple sets of original style points I have bought did the same thing - always needed re-adjusting in less than 50 miles, different engines, different cams.
M.

[katy]

Originally Posted by Marshall V. Daut

It's a new cam with the "B" grind. M.

Just because it's new doesn't mean it's up to snuff, check it, to be sure.

[J Franklin]

I allways polish even new cams that are usually not to Ford specs.

[Bob Bidonde]

Your first order of diagnosis is to perform a compression test.

[chap52]

Fuel, spark, compression... Chap

[old31]

Marshall, I think your problem is that you love driving at 7,000 rpm.

[Marshall V. Daut]

Hmmm...'Never thought of that. I think I'll back down to around 6500 rpm and see if that extends the life of the points rubbing block. Should it glow bright red???
M.