Driving the Model A

Not only am I a newbie at Model A restoration, but now I am a newbie at driving a Model A.



My restoration project is to the point where I can drive the Model A, and enjoy the rewards.



I have prepared for this event by reading "how to" start and drive the Model A. Obviously, there is no better way to learn than to get in and "get her done". I do not have any problems starting, however, when driving, the fuel mixture appears to be too rich and I get alot of "popping" explosions from the muffler. I believe it is caused by not having the correct combination of choke setting and retard/advance setting. I would also assume that every Model A car(engine)is different - i.e., what works in one may not work in another.



I just want to make sure something else is not causing the "popping", and that I will just need to experiment to get the right combination of choke setting and retard/advance setting.



Thanks for helping.





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Welcome Bob!!!



You are correct with the statement that each car is a little different.



Here is a procedure from www.model-a.org



1) Engage emergency brake by pulling back on it.

2) Push lever left of steering wheel (Spark Control) all the way up (Retard)

3) Pull lever right of the steering (Hand Throttle) half way down

4) Turn Gas Valve under dash on passenger side to open (Pointing down)

5) Turn Choke Control Valve (under right side of dash) full clockwise and back off 1/4 turn. If it's quite cold out, it may be better to open a full turn.

6) Turn Ignition Switch on (Clockwise)

7) Push in clutch and put Transmission in Neutral

8) Pull Choke Control Out

9) Turn engine over 3 Revolutions – Choke in on 3rd Revolution

10)When Engine Starts – Push Throttle Lever (Right Lever) Up

11)Put Left Lever all the way down. (Depending on how your engine is timed, 3/4 down might be better.)

12)Allow Engine to Warm Up. (The accelerator pedal will need to be used to keep engine running until it warms up.)

12)Turn Choke control (actually GAV) clockwise to smoothest operating condition.

13)When starting an engine, which is already warmed up, omit Choke steps.

14)Always put Left Lever (Spark Retard Position) all the way up when starting & then down when driving.

Have Fun Driving!





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Not trying to get technical, but there is no "choke setting". The only adjustments are the idle air screw, the idle speed screw, and the gas adjustment valve (GAV) where you turn the choke knob. You're right in that every Model A has it's own personality, and finding the right sombination for yours is part of the fun... and when you get it right, the car will change it's mind!!



First, you want to make sure your idle is set correctly. The link below gives a very good procedure. Once you're sure that's correct, the only thing that can be wrong is your GAV setting. Turn clockwise til it's closed (don't force it, just seat it), and open it at 1/4 turn intervals until it runs well. Usually 1/4 turn thru 3/4 turn is good.



If that doesn't work, you may have other problems. Backfiring is caused by the unburned fuel/air mixture getting into the muffler, so anything that can cause fuel to pass thru the engine into the exhaust can be the problem. That includes not enough spark (several likely causes), bad sparkplug, bad timing, or carb problems. Most of these are easy to fix, the main thing is tracking down what's wrong.



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<ul>[*]Idle Adjustment[/list]

Dammit, Mike, you beat me by 2 minutes!! I was writing a book while you just copied the page ... hehehe



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<ul>[*]Idle Adjustment[/list]

I forgot about the that part :>)



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Thanks, Dave & Mike for the information, and the resource. You guys must think alike.



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