The Ford Barn

jrvariel48 · 03-11-2014, 07:04 PM

Pulled my coupe out to today for a quick ride around the block and noticed that when I mashed the pedal, the motor ran real rough and lost power. This was only at a higher rpm at first. I pushed in the clutch and pumped the pedal slowly to get the rpm up again and that made it worse.
I pulled over to the side of the road and after it seemed to clear itself out, it idled perfect. I tried pumping the pedal again and again it ran rough, bogged down and smoked. it was running very rich as I could smell the fuel in the exhaust. I shut it down and pulled the distributor cap to take a look. I have a rebuilt crab. I pulled the rotor off to take a look at the contact and I noticed there was about 1/4" play. I put the rotor back on the shaft and when I turned it clockwise to counter clockwise, back & forth it had all that play.
Is that supposed to be like that? Could that be the problem of it running so rich because it's not firing properly?
Any help is always appreciated!!
Thank you,
Joe

Vic Piano · 03-11-2014, 08:32 PM

Sounds like a bad Power Valve in the carb. I just lived through a similar experience with both our '39 CS & '39 LZ. The corn gas kills the PV in short order...

Contact Charlie NY (he post on the forum), he can set you up with good PV's.

FLA48 · 03-11-2014, 09:28 PM

Could be the fuel. I had the same problem after one of my vehicles sat for a while. It sputtered, stumbled and there was smoke coming from the tail pipe. After nursing it home, i put Marvel Mystery oil in the fuel tank and since then it runs like a top. I also had used Stabil the last time I had added gas. Good luck

jrvariel48 · 03-12-2014, 07:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vic Piano

Sounds like a bad Power Valve in the carb. I just lived through a similar experience with both our '39 CS & '39 LZ. The corn gas kills the PV in short order...

Contact Charlie NY (he post on the forum), he can set you up with good PV's.

I'm sending the carb back to the builder for a check up!
Thanks

jrvariel48 · 03-12-2014, 07:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FLA48

Could be the fuel. I had the same problem after one of my vehicles sat for a while. It sputtered, stumbled and there was smoke coming from the tail pipe. After nursing it home, i put Marvel Mystery oil in the fuel tank and since then it runs like a top. I also had used Stabil the last time I had added gas. Good luck

Gas was just put in last week with MMO. Doesn't mean it's good though!
I love that stuff and put a quart in everytime I fill up!!
Thanks

oj · 03-12-2014, 08:07 AM

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You didn't spec the carb but all carbs from back in your cars' era use a plunger type accelerator pump, the pumps' umbrella diaphram was originally leather but most modern kits provide a silicon/rubbery diaphram and these will glue themselves to the wall of the pump chamber when they sit for a long time. The diaphram will tear and you won't get a good pump shot.
The freeplay in the distr is the mechanical advance, they are springloaded and at rest they'd be in the fully retracted position and as rpm increases the counterweights advance the ignition timing. So, yes, that is normal.

Joe KCMO · 03-12-2014, 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jrvariel48

Gas was just put in last week with MMO. Doesn't mean it's good though!
I love that stuff and put a quart in everytime I fill up!!
Thanks

That might be a bit excessive. MMO recommends 4 ounces per 10 gallons. You are using close to 6 times to much.

51 MERC-CT · 03-12-2014, 08:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jrvariel48

I pulled over to the side of the road and after it seemed to clear itself out, it idled perfect. I tried pumping the pedal again and again it ran rough, bogged down and smoked. it was running very rich as I could smell the fuel in the exhaust.

Joe

As stated possibly from all the excess MMO.

scooder · 03-12-2014, 09:55 AM

Could be lean, but without it in front of me, it's a guess, and it could be anything. Don't assume rich if the exhaust smells gassy, lean will also have unburnt gas in the pipes, overly lean is hard to fire properly.
Again don't assume stuff, lots of carb problems are actually ignition, and vice versa.
The play in your ignition if it's just rotational play, I wouldn't be concerned, it's not that unusual, and wouldn't give the symptoms you describe.
Martin.

Matt in Alameda · 03-12-2014, 05:07 PM

I agree with Joe and 51 Merc... waaaayyyy to much MMO, It ain't no diesel!.....Matt in Alameda

jrvariel48 · 03-13-2014, 04:38 AM

Wow! I could swear I read here on the Barn that people were putting a quart in their tank!
I definitely will stop that and go with the recommended amount.
I sent the distributor & the carb back to the builder just to make sure everything is ok there.
Will keep you posted on results.
Thanks for everyone's input!

03-11-2014, 07:04 PM	#1
jrvariel48 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: New Jersey Posts: 1,427	Carb problem?? Pulled my coupe out to today for a quick ride around the block and noticed that when I mashed the pedal, the motor ran real rough and lost power. This was only at a higher rpm at first. I pushed in the clutch and pumped the pedal slowly to get the rpm up again and that made it worse. I pulled over to the side of the road and after it seemed to clear itself out, it idled perfect. I tried pumping the pedal again and again it ran rough, bogged down and smoked. it was running very rich as I could smell the fuel in the exhaust. I shut it down and pulled the distributor cap to take a look. I have a rebuilt crab. I pulled the rotor off to take a look at the contact and I noticed there was about 1/4" play. I put the rotor back on the shaft and when I turned it clockwise to counter clockwise, back & forth it had all that play. Is that supposed to be like that? Could that be the problem of it running so rich because it's not firing properly? Any help is always appreciated!! Thank you, Joe

03-11-2014, 08:32 PM	#2
Vic Piano Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Odessa, FL Posts: 7,611	Re: Carb problem?? Sounds like a bad Power Valve in the carb. I just lived through a similar experience with both our '39 CS & '39 LZ. The corn gas kills the PV in short order... Contact Charlie NY (he post on the forum), he can set you up with good PV's. __________________ Imagination is more important than knowledge.

03-11-2014, 09:28 PM	#3
FLA48 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Conroe TX Posts: 170	Re: Carb problem?? Could be the fuel. I had the same problem after one of my vehicles sat for a while. It sputtered, stumbled and there was smoke coming from the tail pipe. After nursing it home, i put Marvel Mystery oil in the fuel tank and since then it runs like a top. I also had used Stabil the last time I had added gas. Good luck

03-12-2014, 08:07 AM	#6
oj Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 293	Re: Carb problem?? Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) You didn't spec the carb but all carbs from back in your cars' era use a plunger type accelerator pump, the pumps' umbrella diaphram was originally leather but most modern kits provide a silicon/rubbery diaphram and these will glue themselves to the wall of the pump chamber when they sit for a long time. The diaphram will tear and you won't get a good pump shot. The freeplay in the distr is the mechanical advance, they are springloaded and at rest they'd be in the fully retracted position and as rpm increases the counterweights advance the ignition timing. So, yes, that is normal.

03-12-2014, 09:55 AM	#9
scooder Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 2,593	Re: Carb problem?? Could be lean, but without it in front of me, it's a guess, and it could be anything. Don't assume rich if the exhaust smells gassy, lean will also have unburnt gas in the pipes, overly lean is hard to fire properly. Again don't assume stuff, lots of carb problems are actually ignition, and vice versa. The play in your ignition if it's just rotational play, I wouldn't be concerned, it's not that unusual, and wouldn't give the symptoms you describe. Martin.

03-12-2014, 05:07 PM	#10
Matt in Alameda Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Alameda, California Posts: 335	Re: Carb problem?? I agree with Joe and 51 Merc... waaaayyyy to much MMO, It ain't no diesel!.....Matt in Alameda

03-13-2014, 04:38 AM	#11
jrvariel48 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: New Jersey Posts: 1,427	Re: Carb problem?? Wow! I could swear I read here on the Barn that people were putting a quart in their tank! I definitely will stop that and go with the recommended amount. I sent the distributor & the carb back to the builder just to make sure everything is ok there. Will keep you posted on results. Thanks for everyone's input!