The Ford Barn

Eskildsm · 04-12-2017, 07:20 PM

So took model A out for drive -- started down my lane and going downhill and car lurches then dies. I have plenty fuel that's not issue. I put new condenser in-- no help-- I find the fuse blown ( yes should check that first) I put new fuse in and turn it over still won't start- look and fuse is blown -- get another one it blows while I'm trying to put it in. So disconnect battery and put fuse in then hook battery back up and before I can get to fuse its fried. So I bypass the fuse and have hot where battery hooks to starter but no where else. Earlier I had also put new amp meter in and no help!!! Any ideas???

1955cj5 · 04-12-2017, 07:22 PM

If you are blowing fuses you have a short.....if you bypass the fuse you are asking for that short to become something serious...like a fire...

How many amps were the fuses you used rated for?

RawhideKid · 04-12-2017, 07:23 PM

Pull the dash and check for grounding at the back of the new amp meter. I would tape the terminals as well as the switch.

If you pull the dash and insert a new fuse, that will also tell you if that is where the short might be.

Jacksonlll · 04-12-2017, 07:25 PM

No more fuses. You have a short that you must find. Don't change any more parts. Disconnect the light harness at the generator and scratch across the fuse block. If it sparks, the short is still there. If not, it's in the light circuit. Could be the brake light switch. Should be easy to find and fix.

Mitch//pa · 04-12-2017, 07:27 PM

A recent thread worth reading

http://fordbarn.com/forum/showthread...=Blowing+fuses

MikeK · 04-12-2017, 07:27 PM

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Did you touch any of the connections in the terminal box on the firewall? Some replacement terminal boxes will short to ground on the back side if the studs rotate while tightening.

msmaron · 04-12-2017, 07:29 PM

STOP Dive bombing....Do a logical trouble shooting program, start at the battery and continue from that point and follow the MODEL A Wire diagram.. No reason to change this and that....start from 1 point and go forward and you WILL find it....

Dick Steinkamp · 04-12-2017, 07:36 PM

Time to try the 5th fuse?

Mitch//pa · 04-12-2017, 07:43 PM

Put a testlight inline between the wire and the starter lug. With the short there the light will be lit. Once the short is found the light will go off. This saves fuses, wiring and a fire

Eskildsm · 04-12-2017, 07:55 PM

Per last response put test lite between wire and starter lug I assume u mean where the battery connects to starter but what wire are you talking about hooking to??

RawhideKid · 04-12-2017, 07:57 PM

Just put the 2 ends of the test light on the fuse holder clamps, like in place of the fuse.

Mitch//pa · 04-12-2017, 08:19 PM

Watch out on those fuse holders to. They come loose and sometimes cause a short. Yes the battery stud at the starter and the harness wire that connected to the fuse holder. Thats the only wire there

Eskildsm · 04-12-2017, 08:23 PM

Also when I put the second fuse in before it blew it sparked at the cut out on top of the generator. Does that part go bad frequently??

Eskildsm · 04-12-2017, 08:26 PM

Mitch -- understand now where to connect. Question -- when I bypassed the fuse and holder if the fuse holder is shorting than the car should have started correct.

Mitch//pa · 04-12-2017, 08:31 PM

With the test light installed it will not start

BILL WILLIAMSON · 04-12-2017, 08:34 PM

Eskildsm,
ALWAYS listen to Mitch//pa, he knows his SH*T & will never steer you wrong!----I "taught" him.
Mitchs' Dad

Eskildsm · 04-12-2017, 08:53 PM

The test lite wasn't in-- I pulled wire going from starter to fuse ( thus bypassing the fuse) but car still wouldn't start so leads me to believe the fuse holder isn't shorted out!! Am I thinking this correctly.

Tom Wesenberg · 04-12-2017, 09:06 PM

Remove the two wire terminals on the cutout, then see if the test light still stays lit. If not, then install the fuse and start the car. Since you saw a spark at the cutout, you know something isn't right up there. Someone might have used the wrong length screws, which can short to ground. The cutout has a thick and thin insulating washers. The thick one is for the output side.

Eskildsm · 04-13-2017, 12:39 PM

Ok so I did the light deal between fuse holder end. Light came on the wentout when I disconnected the single black wire at back of generator. Tried to start car nothing. The hooked black wire back up and put light back on fuses it stayed off so then disconnected 2 wires at other end generator and installed fuse and tried to start and nothing. Hooked both back up and fuse still good-- tried to start and nothing but fuse is blown now -- guessing something intermittent going on shorting out fuse. Ideas??

Tom Wesenberg · 04-13-2017, 01:00 PM

From what you just wrote, it sounds like you have one wire on one side of the cutout, and two wires on the other side. The cutout should have only two terminals on the output side of the cutout, and one of those terminals may have two wires, one for the lights and one for the horn.

The input side of the cutout should only have a metal strap to the generator stud. If you have a post Model A production generator, then it might have two wires coming out of the case, so one will feed power to the cutout, and the other wire is the field ground wire and gets mounted under the cutout mounting screw.

04-12-2017, 07:20 PM	#1
Eskildsm Member Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Helena Montana Posts: 45	Model A quit while driving -- won't start So took model A out for drive -- started down my lane and going downhill and car lurches then dies. I have plenty fuel that's not issue. I put new condenser in-- no help-- I find the fuse blown ( yes should check that first) I put new fuse in and turn it over still won't start- look and fuse is blown -- get another one it blows while I'm trying to put it in. So disconnect battery and put fuse in then hook battery back up and before I can get to fuse its fried. So I bypass the fuse and have hot where battery hooks to starter but no where else. Earlier I had also put new amp meter in and no help!!! Any ideas???

04-12-2017, 07:22 PM	#2
1955cj5 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Boise, Idaho Posts: 1,578	Re: Model A quit while driving -- won't start If you are blowing fuses you have a short.....if you bypass the fuse you are asking for that short to become something serious...like a fire... How many amps were the fuses you used rated for? __________________ Early '29 CCPU that had a 4-speed, but not any more.......in the family since '62

04-12-2017, 07:23 PM	#3
RawhideKid BANNED Join Date: Apr 2017 Location: Lower Left Coast Posts: 469	Re: Model A quit while driving -- won't start Pull the dash and check for grounding at the back of the new amp meter. I would tape the terminals as well as the switch. If you pull the dash and insert a new fuse, that will also tell you if that is where the short might be.

04-12-2017, 07:25 PM	#4
Jacksonlll Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Michigan-- Member of Oakleaf of MARC Posts: 1,686	Re: Model A quit while driving -- won't start No more fuses. You have a short that you must find. Don't change any more parts. Disconnect the light harness at the generator and scratch across the fuse block. If it sparks, the short is still there. If not, it's in the light circuit. Could be the brake light switch. Should be easy to find and fix.

04-12-2017, 07:27 PM	#5
Mitch//pa BANNED Join Date: May 2010 Location: Bucks County, PA Posts: 11,454	Re: Model A quit while driving -- won't start A recent thread worth reading http://fordbarn.com/forum/showthread...=Blowing+fuses

04-12-2017, 07:27 PM	#6
MikeK Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Windy City Posts: 2,919	Re: Model A quit while driving -- won't start Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Did you touch any of the connections in the terminal box on the firewall? Some replacement terminal boxes will short to ground on the back side if the studs rotate while tightening.

04-12-2017, 07:29 PM	#7
msmaron Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Wauconda, IL Posts: 3,600	Re: Model A quit while driving -- won't start STOP Dive bombing....Do a logical trouble shooting program, start at the battery and continue from that point and follow the MODEL A Wire diagram.. No reason to change this and that....start from 1 point and go forward and you WILL find it.... __________________ Mark Maron Ill., Region MARC & MAFCA MARC JSC Member MAFFI Trustee National Facebook Admin. https://www.facebook.com/groups/MARC.group/ A7191-Sport Coupe 29 Roadster 29-Town Sedan 29-Original Special Coupe

04-12-2017, 07:36 PM	#8
Dick Steinkamp Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Bellingham, WA Posts: 1,163	Re: Model A quit while driving -- won't start Time to try the 5th fuse? __________________ All steel from pedal to wheel

04-12-2017, 07:43 PM	#9
Mitch//pa BANNED Join Date: May 2010 Location: Bucks County, PA Posts: 11,454	Re: Model A quit while driving -- won't start Put a testlight inline between the wire and the starter lug. With the short there the light will be lit. Once the short is found the light will go off. This saves fuses, wiring and a fire

04-12-2017, 07:55 PM	#10
Eskildsm Member Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Helena Montana Posts: 45	Re: Model A quit while driving -- won't start Per last response put test lite between wire and starter lug I assume u mean where the battery connects to starter but what wire are you talking about hooking to??

04-12-2017, 07:57 PM	#11
RawhideKid BANNED Join Date: Apr 2017 Location: Lower Left Coast Posts: 469	Re: Model A quit while driving -- won't start Just put the 2 ends of the test light on the fuse holder clamps, like in place of the fuse.

04-12-2017, 08:19 PM	#12
Mitch//pa BANNED Join Date: May 2010 Location: Bucks County, PA Posts: 11,454	Re: Model A quit while driving -- won't start Watch out on those fuse holders to. They come loose and sometimes cause a short. Yes the battery stud at the starter and the harness wire that connected to the fuse holder. Thats the only wire there

04-12-2017, 08:23 PM	#13
Eskildsm Member Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Helena Montana Posts: 45	Re: Model A quit while driving -- won't start Also when I put the second fuse in before it blew it sparked at the cut out on top of the generator. Does that part go bad frequently??

04-12-2017, 08:26 PM	#14
Eskildsm Member Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Helena Montana Posts: 45	Re: Model A quit while driving -- won't start Mitch -- understand now where to connect. Question -- when I bypassed the fuse and holder if the fuse holder is shorting than the car should have started correct.

04-12-2017, 08:31 PM	#15
Mitch//pa BANNED Join Date: May 2010 Location: Bucks County, PA Posts: 11,454	Re: Model A quit while driving -- won't start With the test light installed it will not start

04-12-2017, 08:34 PM	#16
BILL WILLIAMSON Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: FRESNO, CA Posts: 12,560	Re: Model A quit while driving -- won't start Eskildsm, *ALWAYS listen to Mitch//pa, he knows his SHT & will never steer you wrong!----I "taught" him. Mitchs' Dad __________________ "THE ASSISTANT GURU OF STUFF"**

04-12-2017, 08:53 PM	#17
Eskildsm Member Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Helena Montana Posts: 45	Re: Model A quit while driving -- won't start The test lite wasn't in-- I pulled wire going from starter to fuse ( thus bypassing the fuse) but car still wouldn't start so leads me to believe the fuse holder isn't shorted out!! Am I thinking this correctly.

04-12-2017, 09:06 PM	#18
Tom Wesenberg Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mpls, MN Posts: 27,582	Re: Model A quit while driving -- won't start Remove the two wire terminals on the cutout, then see if the test light still stays lit. If not, then install the fuse and start the car. Since you saw a spark at the cutout, you know something isn't right up there. Someone might have used the wrong length screws, which can short to ground. The cutout has a thick and thin insulating washers. The thick one is for the output side.

04-13-2017, 12:39 PM	#19
Eskildsm Member Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Helena Montana Posts: 45	Re: Model A quit while driving -- won't start Ok so I did the light deal between fuse holder end. Light came on the wentout when I disconnected the single black wire at back of generator. Tried to start car nothing. The hooked black wire back up and put light back on fuses it stayed off so then disconnected 2 wires at other end generator and installed fuse and tried to start and nothing. Hooked both back up and fuse still good-- tried to start and nothing but fuse is blown now -- guessing something intermittent going on shorting out fuse. Ideas??

04-13-2017, 01:00 PM	#20
Tom Wesenberg Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mpls, MN Posts: 27,582	Re: Model A quit while driving -- won't start From what you just wrote, it sounds like you have one wire on one side of the cutout, and two wires on the other side. The cutout should have only two terminals on the output side of the cutout, and one of those terminals may have two wires, one for the lights and one for the horn. The input side of the cutout should only have a metal strap to the generator stud. If you have a post Model A production generator, then it might have two wires coming out of the case, so one will feed power to the cutout, and the other wire is the field ground wire and gets mounted under the cutout mounting screw.