Go Back   The Ford Barn > General Discussion > Model A (1928-31)

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 11-11-2018, 03:54 PM   #1
ryanheacox
Senior Member
 
ryanheacox's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Northwest CT
Posts: 1,092
Default Strange timing behavior

Just took the A out for the first time up and down the road. Stopped to see the a neighbor and heard it start to slow down and eventually die. Couldn't get it back going and ended up pop starting it. Seemed to only fire with the spark lever pulled down. Died again pulling into the driveway and had another hard time getting it going.

Attached is a video link. Seems that just the act of moving the lever keeps it going which confuses me.

Timed it so the points open about two notches down and the point gap is set at .020. Points are also third party NOS.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4I8ifqvupxU
ryanheacox is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-11-2018, 04:33 PM   #2
wmws
BANNED
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Coatesville, Pa
Posts: 719
Default Re: Strange timing behavior

You might have a bad wire between the distributor plates shorting out.
wmws is offline   Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)
Old 11-11-2018, 04:34 PM   #3
Jacksonlll
Senior Member
 
Jacksonlll's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Michigan-- Member of Oakleaf of MARC
Posts: 1,686
Send a message via ICQ to Jacksonlll
Default Re: Strange timing behavior

My first guess is that something must be loose. If it was a make-break short, it should backfire some of the times. Loose cam??? loose point plate??? water in the fuel???
Good luck.
Jacksonlll is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-11-2018, 05:01 PM   #4
arnhemmer
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: San Jose California
Posts: 150
Default Re: Strange timing behavior

Put lever in full retard and place pin in timing gear dimple (DTC) and recheck the distributor rotor position. Cam might have come loose. Idling in full advance when everything is normal is not good for the motor. It actually should stumble due to being too far advanced when idling.
arnhemmer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-11-2018, 05:54 PM   #5
ryanheacox
Senior Member
 
ryanheacox's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Northwest CT
Posts: 1,092
Default Re: Strange timing behavior

Well as far as I can tell, the terminal on the lower plate wire that attaches to the points was intermittently contacting the spring and grounding out. I noted that the old plate that came out had the flag terminal on the wire bent at a 90 and the new one was flat. I didn't think anything of it at the time but I knew it would be very close to the spring.

Timing was right were I had it and after bending the flag terminal it fired up and had no problems. Will have to drive it up and down the road tomorrow to make sure.
ryanheacox is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-11-2018, 06:11 PM   #6
Mike Peters
Senior Member
 
Mike Peters's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: South East Wisconsin
Posts: 1,279
Default Re: Strange timing behavior

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)
You fixed it. Yeah, the wire part of the flag terminal needs to bent down or it will contact the distributor body. Feels good, doesn't it?
Mike Peters is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-11-2018, 06:19 PM   #7
Gary WA
Senior Member
 
Gary WA's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Clinton,WA/Whidbey Island
Posts: 4,088
Default Re: Strange timing behavior

Walter agrees good fix!
Attached Images
File Type: jpg walter dripping nose.jpg (19.0 KB, 6 views)
__________________
www.whidbeymodelaclub.com
Gary WA is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-11-2018, 06:20 PM   #8
ryanheacox
Senior Member
 
ryanheacox's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Northwest CT
Posts: 1,092
Default Re: Strange timing behavior

It is a really good feeling. Now on to the other minor problems.
ryanheacox is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-11-2018, 07:35 PM   #9
Bob C
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: So Cal
Posts: 8,711
Default Re: Strange timing behavior

Here is a picture Marco posted of the flag terminal.


Bob
Attached Images
File Type: jpg distributor-02.jpg (65.8 KB, 158 views)
Bob C is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-11-2018, 07:35 PM   #10
Dick Steinkamp
Senior Member
 
Dick Steinkamp's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Bellingham, WA
Posts: 1,163
Default Re: Strange timing behavior

Quote:
Originally Posted by ryanheacox View Post
...ended up pop starting it...
__________________
All steel from pedal to wheel
Dick Steinkamp is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-11-2018, 08:21 PM   #11
ryanheacox
Senior Member
 
ryanheacox's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Northwest CT
Posts: 1,092
Default Re: Strange timing behavior

Bob, thats what mine looks like... now

Dick, we push started it. We had a nice long steep driveway.
ryanheacox is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-11-2018, 08:54 PM   #12
Dick Steinkamp
Senior Member
 
Dick Steinkamp's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Bellingham, WA
Posts: 1,163
Default Re: Strange timing behavior

Quote:
Originally Posted by ryanheacox View Post

Dick, we push started it. We had a nice long steep driveway.
Thanks, Ryan. I've never heard the term "pop start"...but then I've lead a very sheltered life.
__________________
All steel from pedal to wheel
Dick Steinkamp is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-12-2018, 10:18 AM   #13
Big hammer
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Land of Lincoln
Posts: 3,114
Default Re: Strange timing behavior

Quote:
Originally Posted by ryanheacox View Post
Bob, thats what mine looks like... now

Dick, we push started it. We had a nice long steep driveway.
When I was 16, I was pushing and starting my A way to much ! You don't need much of a rolling speed, a little hard on second gear grinding the gears. After school one day it wouldn't start, got some guys to push and I put it in second gear, they pushed and it started when in a arms length :-)
__________________
Don't force it with a little hammer tap, tap, tap
get a bigger hammer tap done
Big hammer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-12-2018, 11:04 AM   #14
ryanheacox
Senior Member
 
ryanheacox's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Northwest CT
Posts: 1,092
Default Re: Strange timing behavior

Quote:
Originally Posted by Big hammer View Post
When I was 16, I was pushing and starting my A way to much ! You don't need much of a rolling speed, a little hard on second gear grinding the gears. After school one day it wouldn't start, got some guys to push and I put it in second gear, they pushed and it started when in a arms length :-)
Takes a little bit longer when you aren't getting spark
ryanheacox is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-13-2018, 02:35 PM   #15
Y-Blockhead
Senior Member
 
Y-Blockhead's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Redondo Beach, CA
Posts: 5,817
Default Re: Strange timing behavior

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dick Steinkamp View Post
Thanks, Ryan. I've never heard the term "pop start"...but then I've lead a very sheltered life.
Comes from "popping" the clutch while the car is in gear and rolling.
Y-Blockhead is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-16-2018, 11:48 AM   #16
old31
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 2,087
Default Re: Strange timing behavior

Quote:
Originally Posted by ryanheacox View Post
Takes a little bit longer when you aren't getting spark
It also takes a little bit longer when your 66 vs 16!
old31 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 06:47 AM.