The Ford Barn

BakesJr · 04-16-2018, 03:57 PM

Hello Everyone:
I am about to try start my car!! I purchased the car about a year ago and have done a lot of mechanical work to her. Brakes, shackles, rebuilt steering box, electric, cleaned gas tank and radiator, rebuilt carburetor, new gas lines etc.
I am waiting for a spark rod adjustment sleeve to finish setting the distributor. Are there other things I should be checking out on the motor before I just blindly go ahead and try start the car?
The previous owner said he had the car running a few weeks before I purchased it. I believe him as he sent me a video of it running. He used a donor gas tank and ran briefly as the gas tank and radiator were dirty. He had the battery pulled and put back into storage when I went to look at it so I did not see it run in person.
It is a 1929 Model A Steelback
Thanks!

Synchro909 · 04-16-2018, 05:34 PM

Don't make the same mistake a Canadian friend of mine did and start it without putting oil in it.

WHN · 04-16-2018, 05:54 PM

Hasn’t run in a year, that’s nothing.

Make sure you oil and grease everything! Do not forget the u joint.

If your really concerned, take plugs out and put some MMO in there. With plugs out, hand crank engine to get things moving. I would also add MMO to gas.

I have a barn find that had been setting 34 years. Added gas, water, and battery. Car started right up. Still running strong 39 years later. Car has only spent one night out of a garage in 73 years. There great cars. Enjoy.

BakesJr · 04-16-2018, 07:46 PM

This is my first car so I'm new, it sat for many years in a dairy barn at the previous owner.

chap52 · 04-17-2018, 07:01 AM

Get ready for your face to hurt for a few days after that first start-up. Smiling too much can be hazardous.
Enjoy the adventure, Chap

BILL WILLIAMSON · 04-17-2018, 10:17 AM

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Treat it like someone who has been laying in a SICK BED, for YEARS.
Dr. Bill W, Again

BakesJr · 04-17-2018, 07:50 PM

So it turns over hard, acts as if there is no spark, and I have gas leaking out of every crack and crevice of the carb!! I just sat back, patted her good night and went to sleep.
I cleaned all the battery and ground connections very well. I will look into the needle and seet on the carb and will do some checking into the distributor and coil for spark. I am going to pull the starter off and bring it to the local old timer who rebuilds starters and alternators.
If it was easy our wives would be out there doing it!

04-16-2018, 03:57 PM	#1
BakesJr Member Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: Hull Iowa Posts: 34	Starting a motor that hasn't ran in awhile Hello Everyone: I am about to try start my car!! I purchased the car about a year ago and have done a lot of mechanical work to her. Brakes, shackles, rebuilt steering box, electric, cleaned gas tank and radiator, rebuilt carburetor, new gas lines etc. I am waiting for a spark rod adjustment sleeve to finish setting the distributor. Are there other things I should be checking out on the motor before I just blindly go ahead and try start the car? The previous owner said he had the car running a few weeks before I purchased it. I believe him as he sent me a video of it running. He used a donor gas tank and ran briefly as the gas tank and radiator were dirty. He had the battery pulled and put back into storage when I went to look at it so I did not see it run in person. It is a 1929 Model A Steelback Thanks!

04-16-2018, 05:34 PM	#2
Synchro909 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 7,496	Re: Starting a motor that hasn't ran in awhile Don't make the same mistake a Canadian friend of mine did and start it without putting oil in it. __________________ I'm part of the only ever generation with an analogue childhood and a digital adulthood.

04-16-2018, 05:54 PM	#3
WHN Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2017 Location: Connecticut Shoreline Posts: 1,821	Re: Starting a motor that hasn't ran in awhile Hasn’t run in a year, that’s nothing. Make sure you oil and grease everything! Do not forget the u joint. If your really concerned, take plugs out and put some MMO in there. With plugs out, hand crank engine to get things moving. I would also add MMO to gas. I have a barn find that had been setting 34 years. Added gas, water, and battery. Car started right up. Still running strong 39 years later. Car has only spent one night out of a garage in 73 years. There great cars. Enjoy. Last edited by WHN; 04-17-2018 at 06:40 AM.

04-16-2018, 07:46 PM	#4
BakesJr Member Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: Hull Iowa Posts: 34	Re: Starting a motor that hasn't ran in awhile This is my first car so I'm new, it sat for many years in a dairy barn at the previous owner.

04-17-2018, 07:01 AM	#5
chap52 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Marana Arizona Posts: 1,776	Re: Starting a motor that hasn't ran in awhile Get ready for your face to hurt for a few days after that first start-up. Smiling too much can be hazardous. Enjoy the adventure, Chap

04-17-2018, 10:17 AM	#6
BILL WILLIAMSON Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: FRESNO, CA Posts: 12,560	Re: Starting a motor that hasn't ran in awhile Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Treat it like someone who has been laying in a SICK BED, for YEARS. Dr. Bill W, Again __________________ "THE ASSISTANT GURU OF STUFF"

04-17-2018, 07:50 PM	#7
BakesJr Member Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: Hull Iowa Posts: 34	Re: Starting a motor that hasn't ran in awhile So it turns over hard, acts as if there is no spark, and I have gas leaking out of every crack and crevice of the carb!! I just sat back, patted her good night and went to sleep. I cleaned all the battery and ground connections very well. I will look into the needle and seet on the carb and will do some checking into the distributor and coil for spark. I am going to pull the starter off and bring it to the local old timer who rebuilds starters and alternators. If it was easy our wives would be out there doing it!