First drive of the season, and stalled

[rosenkranswa]

Well, we took the '31 Station Wagon out for its first drive of the season now that its finally starting to look like Spring. Started fine, ran like a top up to the grocery store, then stalled in the parking lot. Just quit, no sputtering which made me suspect ignition rather than gas. Openned the hood and checked fuel to the carb - good flow. Started running down the electricals - 6v at the starter, fuse, both poles of the junction box, both poles of the coil, movable arm on the points. Pulled the center wire on the distributor and checked for spark - weak and stringy. So coil or condensor, neither of which I had on hand.

At this point a group of kibitzers were around giving all kinds of advice, but the best was a young lad who suggested checking the error codes. A very pleasant older gent looked at him kindly and suggested he review his automotive history.

By now AAA had arrived with a rollback, but I didn't have my registration and insurance cards along, just my AAA card. The young driver refused to tow the vehicle unless I had them, and couldn't wait for my wife to go get them so off he went while my wife went to get the documents. I had to place a new call and a new rollback appeared. I offered the documents to the older driver who waved them off saying, "anybody with a car like this can't be scamming me." He knew just how to hook onto a Model A and we were up on the rollback in jiffy headed for my garage.

Home the next day I did a full diagnostic and determined the coil was OK, but the condensor was the likely culprit. Had to essentially rebuild the distributor to get the new condensor into it (modern lower plate with the copper spring replacing the pigtail which didn't fit quite right). Reassembled everything, retimed the ignition, and she fired right up. Even seems to be running a little better.

Moral of the story, don't forget to keep some spares with you - coil, condensor, fanbelt, points and some key tools even for small trips. Also the systematic diagnostic in Les Andrews Vol. 2 works really well. Would have made the day for some of the kibitzers in the store parking lot to have it start there...

[Gary WA]

always Great to get it back running!!!and to enjoy!Don't forget the error codes!

[P.S.]

"Error codes"... Bwahahahahaa!!!

Curious (seriously)- What is the "right way" to put a Model A on a rollback? I've never had to have mine towed, but would like to know in case that happens.

Also, I always keep a pre-timed complete distributor in the car as a spare. Rationalle, it's good to have spare points, condenser, etc. but even BETTER to have an entire working, timed distributor. Then, no matter what the problem with it is, you just pop out the old one and pop in the spare and start her up and go. Then, when you get back to the comfort of your own garage, tear into the broken one to find out what is wrong and fix at your leisure.

I can swap the whole distributor faster than I can change the points.

[rosenkranswa]

Excellent point P.S.!

Hooked onto the front axle outboard of the spring perches, chains configured to put force on the entire axle. Couple rags where the chains might rub the front splash apron.

[P.S.]

Thanks for the info! That will be really helpful to know "someday".

[Tom Wesenberg]

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"Home the next day I did a full diagnostic and determined the coil was OK, but the condensor was the likely culprit. Had to essentially rebuild the distributor to get the new condensor into it (modern lower plate with the copper spring replacing the pigtail which didn't fit quite right). Reassembled everything, retimed the ignition, and she fired right up. Even seems to be running a little better."

I hope it's fixed for you, but I've never liked the idea of the copper rubbing strap and have had to grind away metal so the copper didn't short on the top plate. The fine original style wire has never failed me.

[Jazzjr]

[QUOTE=P.S.;
Also, I always keep a pre-timed complete distributor in the car as a spare. [/QUOTE]

Can you Explain a Pre-Timed Distributor ??

[P.S.]

A complete distributor that I have previously installed, set timing, and run on the car. Then, removed it, wrapped up and stored under the back seat as the "pre-timed spare" distributor. That way, it's been road tested in the car already and the timing already set. If the distributor on the motor has a failure of any kind, simply remove the spark plug straps, loosen the block screw, lift the distributor out, unscrew the ignition cable (just unscrew the whole distributor, keeping the cable stationary and thus not disturbing the cable). Reverse procedure for the spare distributor installation, start the car and go.

I can swap the distributor in under 3 minutes from start to finish, only tool required is a flat blade screwdriver. Sure beats messing with points, condenser, etc. along the side of the road or in a parking lot as above.

[Mitch//pa]

if your still running the modern lower plate with the copper strap keep your AAA card with you,,, your going to need it

[George Miller]

Like Tom that brass rubbing is not the best thing in the world. Original way work well for 8o + years. Those got a bad rap when people replaced the wire going from the upper to lower plate with a wire that broke when flexed. You should always use a wire with at least a hundred strands of wire inside the cover.

[Jazzjr]

P.S. What Kind of Dist. are You using??
Every time I pull a Dist. I have to use the timing pin to find TDC, usually reset the point gap, then set the timing, by advancing the cam CC wise till the points just start to close-open, and lock down cam screw.
I use this procedure https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Xc7r0djEKo
Your Dist. would be a lot easier than the one I am Using

[tomwhi]

just remove cap and notice where rotor points. then when you put other distriubutor in loosen cam move rotor to same place, this should be close on timing if you dont have the right tools.

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Originally Posted by rosenkranswa

Excellent point P.S.!

Hooked onto the front axle outboard of the spring perches, chains configured to put force on the entire axle. Couple rags where the chains might rub the front splash apron.

Afore' my tow dude put them BIG hooks on my rear axle to anchor it down, he threaded his leather gloves on the hook, yep! right into the middle finger-------"Are you givin' me a MESSAGE"?--------------He 'bout split a GUT laughin'--Almost had to call 911 ------ Bill W.

[P.S.]

You must be using the long shaft type. I have the split shaft type. The lower shaft stays in the block, the upper stays in the distributor. They line up one way only. Therefore, assuming the distributors have been previously timed, you can swap out any number of them without having to re-time them.

Altogether, I have 3 distributors. One on the motor (running), one under the back seat (spare), one in the garage (spare to the spare). All pre-timed, ready to go. Though, I have never had a distributor failure since switching to the original style for everything.

[ctlikon0712]

Jazzjr, I hope I don't muddy the water here. The A distributor is timed internally where the points cam is indexed and locked down. If you pull your initial distributor and note the rotor alignment and reinstall a secondary previously timed distributor in the same rotor clocking the engine the distributor will still be in time because of the dowel pin and corresponding hole in the distributor and head. Just lock it down and you’re done. On a stock setup the distributor does not get turned to time the engine.

[2935ford]

That's the first thing I do before I take my A out is....check my error codes!

Great story!

[1931 flamingo]

Works great if you dist has been in/out recently. Had to use a 3 ft crow/pry bar to get mine out, and no it did not break.

Paul in CT

[Bob-A]

Great thread! The waffle type heater exhaust manifolds can be a real
PIA when it comes to changing your distributor on the"A".
One of these days I'm going to try and see how a long enough bolt and lock nut will work instead of the original slotted screw & nut set up.

Bob-A

[Tom Wesenberg]

Originally Posted by 1931 flamingo

Works great if you dist has been in/out recently. Had to use a 3 ft crow/pry bar to get mine out, and no it did not break.

Paul in CT

I've had to work with a couple distributors like that.
That's why I recommend using antiseize on the distributor shaft that fits into the head.

[rosenkranswa]

I'm with George, Mitch and Tom on the copper rub strip. All my other A's have the stock setup, but the Station Wagon came this way. Think I'll change it back when I have some time.