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08-06-2021, 07:59 AM | #1 |
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Join Date: Jul 2021
Location: Walworth, New York
Posts: 138
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Engine sputtering - where to go from here?
I just replaced the timing gear on my Special Coupe and managed to get it started. It idles so smoothly I cannot believe the difference. However, the engine sputters when I drive it, low speed or high speed, no difference. It has a tendency to want to stall.
I also adjusted the timing, and before the timing gear went out, I had carburetor issues. Since changing the timing gear (which it has been established is installed correctly) I have been working hard to get the ignition system working. I have good spark, I have adjusted the points and the other things called for in Les Andrews' manual. So, I believe that the ignition system is good, although it might need some tweaking. I have three carburetors at my disposal and swapped them out after working on the ignition system. They all have problems with sputtering and stalling, and hard starting but do not behave exactly the same way. Two of them were subjected to gas tank grit and were cleaned out. My question is where do I go from here. I will field questions if it helps to fill in any gaps. Bill Walworth, NY Last edited by philcobill; 08-08-2021 at 09:04 AM. |
08-06-2021, 08:13 AM | #2 |
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Re: Engine sputtering - where to go from here?
gas cap vent? vacuum leak in manifold or ww wiper motor? Just some ideas.
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08-06-2021, 08:38 AM | #3 |
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Join Date: Jul 2021
Location: Walworth, New York
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Re: Engine sputtering - where to go from here?
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08-06-2021, 08:46 AM | #4 | |
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Location: Eastern Tennessee
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Re: Engine sputtering - where to go from here?
Quote:
Without being able to physically hear and see things on the engine, we are all just throwing darts as what it could be. I think your time would be much better served getting someone local to you that has Model-A experience to have a look at it first before you start changing a bunch of things. |
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08-06-2021, 10:20 AM | #5 | |
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Join Date: Jul 2021
Location: Walworth, New York
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Re: Engine sputtering - where to go from here?
Quote:
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08-06-2021, 10:28 AM | #6 |
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Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Central New Jersey
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Re: Engine sputtering - where to go from here?
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As an aside perhaps check the bolts holding carb and intake/exhaust and then try the old trick of spraying some WD-40 or something around the area and see if idle changes (looking for a leak). If it's carb Bullock will fix it. https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showt...hlight=bullock |
08-06-2021, 10:48 AM | #7 |
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Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Florida Panhandle
Posts: 585
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Re: Engine sputtering - where to go from here?
Had a similar problem which turned out to be sticking/sluggish valves. Sucked some Marvel Mystery Oil in the carb and the problem went away. Now add 4 oz of MMO to gas tank at every fill up. Might check the valve lash if everything else checks out.
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08-06-2021, 12:55 PM | #8 |
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Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Western North Carolina
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Re: Engine sputtering - where to go from here?
__________________
A is for apple, green as the sky. Step on the gas, for tomorrow I die. Forget the brakes, they really don't work. The clutch always sticks, and starts with a jerk. My car grows red hair, and flies through the air. Driving's a blast, a blast from the past. |
08-06-2021, 06:14 PM | #9 |
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: Portland, Oregon
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Re: Engine sputtering - where to go from here?
Didn’t we go through this in your previous thread on 8/2, and you thought it was solved? What happened? Did you put an original distributor in?
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Ray Horton, Portland, OR As you go through life, keep your eye on the donut, not the hole. |
08-06-2021, 07:58 PM | #10 |
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Join Date: May 2018
Location: Birch Bay WA
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Re: Engine sputtering - where to go from here?
I had something similar. It turned out to be my key switch was shorting on the firewall and would cause the hesitation and hard starting.
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08-06-2021, 09:36 PM | #11 | |
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Join Date: Jul 2021
Location: Walworth, New York
Posts: 138
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Re: Engine sputtering - where to go from here?
Quote:
I only have one distributor, but have several distributor parts (modern and original). Our local Model A chapter mechanic might come over tomorrow and see if he can help figure out what is going on. Bill Walworth. Last edited by philcobill; 08-07-2021 at 06:59 AM. |
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08-06-2021, 11:22 PM | #12 | |
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: Portland, Oregon
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Re: Engine sputtering - where to go from here?
Quote:
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Ray Horton, Portland, OR As you go through life, keep your eye on the donut, not the hole. |
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08-06-2021, 11:57 PM | #13 |
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Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Long Island
Posts: 172
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Re: Engine sputtering - where to go from here?
Check the fuel,I've found water in my fuel and had similar problems. I took apart the carb and found just a few little drops I cleared the sediment bowl and carb and was good to go. Hopefully its as simple for you.
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08-07-2021, 12:51 AM | #14 |
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: Oregon
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Re: Engine sputtering - where to go from here?
A loose/bad coil wire, or faulty distributor body can cause good idle but poor running at load.
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08-08-2021, 01:48 AM | #15 |
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Join Date: Jul 2021
Location: Walworth, New York
Posts: 138
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Re: Engine sputtering - where to go from here?
The local Model A chapter mechanic and I spent the better part of the day troubleshooting the sputtering issue of my Special Coupe.
1. We went through the electrical system starting with the battery cables and going through the ignition system. We tightened connections. There was some mis-wiring in the terminal box which we straightened out. We also cleaned up the ground connections and changed out the lower distributor plate because of a worn out wire. 2. We finely tuned the timing on the distributor. The mechanic used a degree gauge to pinpoint even better timing. I am not sure how it worked, but the engine did idle even better. 3. Checked the cylinder compressions and they were all just below 75psi. This means the engine is still in good condition. 4. We checked out the fuel system from the gas tank to the intake manifold. Don't need to go into a lot of detail, but we tried five, yes five different carburetors and all of them acted the same regarding the sputtering issue. There was sufficient flow and the filters were doing their job keeping the sediment out. In fact, we did not see any sediment in the carbs or the filters. So, because the fuel flow was fine, either all of the carburetors had exactly the same problem (unlikely) or the problem lies elsewhere (more likely). 5. We ran out of time to test the condenser and possibly the coil. This will be done in the next day or two. Is there anything else we can look at? Results - 1. the engine starts quicker than before, 2. the engine idles nicely but still sputters when test driving or revved up standing still, 3. we pretty much eliminated (fingers crossed) the fuel system/carburetion as the cause of the sputtering issue, 4. the car is still un-driveable, and 5. we have some more things to check out starting with the condenser and coil. Bill Walworth, NY Last edited by philcobill; 08-08-2021 at 05:55 AM. |
08-08-2021, 06:37 AM | #16 |
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Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Western North Carolina
Posts: 3,897
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Re: Engine sputtering - where to go from here?
Model A mechanics are good to carry in the tool box in the trunk. Be sure to feed them will or they could become cranky.
__________________
A is for apple, green as the sky. Step on the gas, for tomorrow I die. Forget the brakes, they really don't work. The clutch always sticks, and starts with a jerk. My car grows red hair, and flies through the air. Driving's a blast, a blast from the past. |
08-08-2021, 07:10 AM | #17 |
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Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Lincoln, Nebraska
Posts: 1,908
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Re: Engine sputtering - where to go from here?
Ask your club mechanic to bring over a different distributor and try it. Yes I know you have gone through yours several times but you haven't switched it out like you have carburetors.
Another thing to try is to bypass the cable from the ignition switch to the distributor.
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Dave / Lincoln Nebraska |
08-08-2021, 10:10 AM | #18 |
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Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Central New Jersey
Posts: 407
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Re: Engine sputtering - where to go from here?
After 5 carburetor swaps it sure appears to be the spark is breaking down. Be sure the timing rod isn't hitting the # 4 spark plug wire in all it's motion, the rod flips around. I know you mentioned plugs, are they new? Carbon inside the plug or a cracked porcelain is hard to find. # 14 post above is a good place to start. Good luck sorry you got this problem...You got a lot of support.
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08-08-2021, 10:18 AM | #19 |
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: Mpls, MN
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Re: Engine sputtering - where to go from here?
If the problem is electrical, I've seen poor contacts in ignition switches, switch terminals hitting the gas tank and shorting out, dirty or loose connections inside the terminal box, distributor bodies shorting, mostly between #3 and #4, bad popout wires at the distributor end, and shorting lower plate wire in the distributor.
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08-08-2021, 02:27 PM | #20 |
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Join Date: Jul 2021
Location: Walworth, New York
Posts: 138
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Re: Engine sputtering - where to go from here?
I think I may have fixed the problem of sputtering. I simply replaced the condenser and it is no longer sputtering. What bothers me is that the condenser that was apparently "bad" was a "new" one from one of the Model A online stores. Is there a problem with quality control on these condensers?
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