Runs for about 10 minutes and the just quits

[tagroff]

I have a 1928 it starts fine runs like a top for about minutes then quits and won't retire.

[Tom Endy]

Take the gas cap off and see if it still does it. If so, the vent hole in the cap is plugged.

Tom Endy

[burner31]

Are you sure your not sitting in a Chevy?

[Ernie Vitucci]

A second place to look would be the needle valve in the carburetor. It could be mostly closed and only dribbling fuel. A little holy water on the gas cap can't hurt! Ernie

[SeaSlugs]

Need more info...

When it dies is it like you just shut a key off or is there alot of stumbiling backfiring coughing before it sputters and dies?

What are you doing when it dies? (driving, idiling in the driveway, etc)

Did you change anything fuel or electrical on the car?

6 or 12V normal or electronic ign?

When your trying to restart can you smell raw fuel?

If you let it sit another 30 minutes does it restart or does it have to sit till everything is cold again to restart?

Did you just take it out of winter storage or was it driving fine last week?

[tagroff]

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Just like you shut the key off. No stumble or try to stay running just does and will not restart till next day..I kind of wondered if it might be the float sticking

[tagroff]

No been sitting awhile it's 6volt and just sitting in the shop idled up when running and quits . Won't restart till next day.

[eagle]

Did you check for spark? Also try holding your hand over the carb intake while running the starter, should have gas on your hand shortly. You need to isolate it to fuel or spark and then some or no one here is going to be able to give you anything more than a random wild guess. Be prepared for every possible issue that has ever come up on everyone's car. Here it comes...

[Gary WA]

Pull gas line off at carb,let run in container for a bit see if it keeps running the gas that is?what kind of carb etc setup?

[bkensinger]

If you have a weak coil it will work when cold and then dump you when hot. Happened to me twice.

[holdover]

With an abrupt stop, it sounds like electrical, I'd look at the coil first them maybe a defective condenser.

[Kohnke Rebabbitting]

Coil, or condenser, if you back fire, spark is on, and off.

[Bill G]

It didn't look like you checked Tom Endy's suggestion. One thing I noticed with my '29 is the gas cap and the radiator cap are essentially the same except for the vent. If you mistakenly switched caps, then the gas cap would have no vent and could create a vacuum. I think if it was a carb float issue, you would get way less than 10 minutes out of it.

[SeaSlugs]

Originally Posted by Magicbox51

It didn't look like you checked Tom Endy's suggestion. One thing I noticed with my '29 is the gas cap and the radiator cap are essentially the same except for the vent. If you mistakenly switched caps, then the gas cap would have no vent and could create a vacuum. I think if it was a carb float issue, you would get way less than 10 minutes out of it.

also when this happens it acts like it runs outa fuel because it does. His case says its like someone switched the key off so id start looking for spark.

SO yes when it does die see if you have spark via pullign the main wire from the distributor housing and rest it about 1/4" away from a head nut. Should have a nice bright blue spark.

[Big hammer]

Gas vavle not turned on? and it leaks through a little!

[PalAl]

Do you have a pencil filter in your tank at your gas shut off. Had the same thing, it was a flap of gas tank coating that would occasionally block the gas flow. The filter prevents that from happening.

[TerryO]

My '31 Sport Coupe started doing this Saturday and My son found the fuse block on the starter had a loose terminal. I have driven it since last May with no issues until now.

TerryO

[Glenn Thoreson]

Partially plugged gas line. I have an A that only gets driven in parades twice a year. I drain everything down afterward. Invariably, some little piece of junk gets sucked into the line. Blow it back with compressed air with the shutoff valve open. You'll be good 'till next time. It's very hard to get into the tank to clean it out without removing the tank. I have had some luck with siphoning fuel off the tank bottom with a 3/8" hose. No guarantee on that one, though. Get one of the little screens that insert into the valve inlet inside the tank. Works great! Mac's, etc has them.

[3.6rs]

Originally Posted by tagroff

I have a 1928 it starts fine runs like a top for about minutes then quits and won't retire.

Maybe you should fuel in it to run for more then 10 minutes

[Ernie Vitucci]

Tank junk suggestion...If the tank is dirty, one can drain it and let it dry out overnight and then take the hose of your shop vacuum and then vacuum out the tank the following morning. You will most likely hear and feel 'Junk' coming up the hose. I'll grant that you can't get everything out of the tank, but if you do this a couple of times, you will get a great deal of the junk out of the tank. I have also put a second glass sediment bowl in the fuel line, like one from a 55 Thunderbird or such...put it level in the fuel line and put a good sized magnet in the bowl...the car will run much better and the magnet will catch lots of fine stuff that would clog up the carburetor. Ernie

[SeaSlugs]

Originally Posted by Ernie Vitucci

Tank junk suggestion...If the tank is dirty, one can drain it and let it dry out overnight and then take the hose of your shop vacuum and then vacuum out the tank the following morning. You will most likely hear and feel 'Junk' coming up the hose. I'll grant that you can't get everything out of the tank, but if you do this a couple of times, you will get a great deal of the junk out of the tank. I have also put a second glass sediment bowl in the fuel line, like one from a 55 Thunderbird or such...put it level in the fuel line and put a good sized magnet in the bowl...the car will run much better and the magnet will catch lots of fine stuff that would clog up the carburetor. Ernie

PLEASE do not do this.... unless your life insurance and homeowners insurance and car insurance is paid off and you got an extra life in your pocket...

shop vac + explosive fumes = huge bang.

[100IH]

No,No,No. Do not vacuum the tank. The fumes will ignite in the vacuum and explode and burn. Also don't assume without verifying that the fuel is starving. see#13.

[Gary WA]

Originally Posted by Ernie Vitucci

Tank junk suggestion...If the tank is dirty, one can drain it and let it dry out overnight and then take the hose of your shop vacuum and then vacuum out the tank the following morning. You will most likely hear and feel 'Junk' coming up the hose. I'll grant that you can't get everything out of the tank, but if you do this a couple of times, you will get a great deal of the junk out of the tank. I have also put a second glass sediment bowl in the fuel line, like one from a 55 Thunderbird or such...put it level in the fuel line and put a good sized magnet in the bowl...the car will run much better and the magnet will catch lots of fine stuff that would clog up the carburetor. Ernie

Very dangerous to do even after draining tank, Metal will still hold fumes and can explode
, not many people will weld on a drained cleaned out tank!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Tom Endy]

The same goes for using a vacuum to clean up the old gasket material when replacing the gas gauge components. Resist the temptation to use the vacuum or you may likely suck gas fumes into the vacuum where the sparking brushes in the vacuum motor will light things off.

Tom Endy

[Curtis in MA]

A guy I knew hocked up a hose to the exhaust of his modern car, ran it into the tank and the welded it. No oxygen so no explosion.
I would not try it but he did.

[Jw]

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condenser

[Jw]

condensor

[Jack S.]

I had an unusual one about 12 years ago. Same issue as you described. Turned out the add on pipe on top of the shutoff inside the tank had come loose and fall off. It was rolling around in the tank as you drove. It would eventually end up just over the hole that the gasoline flows into at the center bottom of the tank. The piece of pipe would then, in turn, block the flow of fuel down the line to the shutoff and carb. If you sat and waited for about 5 minutes, the flow of gas got around the blockage and the car would run for another 5 to 10 minutes and then would repeat the situation once again. A long pair of tweezers grabbed the culprit out and never had a problem since.

[Tom Wesenberg]

Originally Posted by Jw

condensor

That's 2 condenser in 2 hours. You need to buy better quality condensers.

[pooch]

Does it run and stop in 10 mins NOT being driven?

Easy elimination check whether fuel or spark.

[3.6rs]

Already found the solution to your problem, "tagroff" ?

[Robert/Texas]

I got interested in this thread because I also have a '28 RPU and the exact same thing happened to me some time ago. It turned out that the gas cap vent was clogged as others have mentioned.
The other thing that interested me were the gas tank postings. Back in 1960 when I was stationed in the army in southwest Germany I had a 10 year old Mercedes 170S. Two of my friends and I had leave and decided to drive to Paris in it. We didn't get far when it started missing badly. We pulled in to a Mercedes dealer in Saarbrücken and they found that there were a lot of leaves in the gas tank. They fished a lot of them out so I paid them and we continued on. We only got about 50 km or so when the problem continued. We stopped in an auto repair shop in a little French town and my buddy, who spoke some French, explained the problem to the mechanic. He put the car on his lift and then drained the gas. Next he took a cutting tool and cut a hole in the tank. Lots of leaves came out which lead me to believe that I had been vandalized. After that he welded a patch on it with an acetylene torch. All three of us backed up when he did this but nothing bad happened. I paid him and we went on to Paris and had a good time there (another story).
Robert

[1928Mik]

In my case, it's the needle valve, sticks occasionally. I carry a small hammer and just tap the side of the carb and it always starts after that. I'll take it out at some point this winter and use carb cleaner and a Q-tip....

[Patrick L.]

Its been a few days and will be interesting to hear what he found.

It should be fairly easy. When it quits, check for secondary spark ASAP. If there is spark, check for a good solid fuel flow.

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

You should try to deal with a tank that LITTLE KIDS added Berries from a Chinaberry Tree +&%^%$$%#@--- Or a roaming GUM WRAPPER, or a Handi-Wipe, disintegrating in the tank. Or when Little Kids topped off the tank, with the GREEN Garden Hose!!!!
Bill Beenthere

[Gary WA]

Originally Posted by tagroff

I have a 1928 it starts fine runs like a top for about minutes then quits and won't retire.

Any updates????

[mike657894]

Check the plugs after it shuts down .

[100IH]

Well, looks like he mighta/did use the vacuum.

[Jw]

so what was the root cause of failure?

[Big hammer]

Originally Posted by 100IH

Well, looks like he mighta/did use the vacuum.

Oh I hope not! I think it was something simple! And he got it going, he’s probably been on a nice long drive.

[Fred K-OR]

I would vote for coil till he lets us know.

[Scottio57]

WELL ????? The suspense is killing me. ��

[1930marie]

Fuel starved - start at the tank and verify fuel flow rate to carb. If you have steady flow to the carb, remove the carb for a thorough cleaning (and I mean every passage). Was your car sitting at idle when the problem occurs? Because if you were driving and experiencing fuel starve, the motor will stumble (or what ever term you like). Good luck.

[Bill G]

I don't think we've heard from the guy for a while. Presumably he got it figured out or gave up???

[Fairview]

Originally Posted by bkensinger

If you have a weak coil it will work when cold and then dump you when hot. Happened to me twice.

Yes, I agree, I’d guess the coil. It shorts out after getting hot with an abrupt stop as if the switch is turned off. Then after it cools down, will, start back. Such a coil left me on the side of the road headed to Hershey last October!

Jeff

[J Lambert]

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WARNING! Do not vacuum gasoline fumes with a vacuum cleaner.
The vacuum could explode or catch fire.

[Tom Wesenberg]

Originally Posted by J Lambert

WARNING! Do not vacuum gasoline fumes with a vacuum cleaner.
The vacuum could explode or catch fire.

But it makes such a good "Funniest Home Videos" clip.

[Wick]

Bottom of tank plugged with old cork float pieces. Gas seeps thru and fills line and carb. Runs at idle until all fuel is gone. Takes time for more fuel to seep slowly. Found a rag one time and also a cigarette filter in a Model A tank. Same results.

[Tom Wesenberg]

Originally Posted by Fred K-OR

I would vote for coil till he lets us know.

I vote this will become an episode on "Unsolved Mysteries".

[cpf240]

It's not like he hasn't been back to the site. Maybe it was something simple and embarrassing...

[SeaSlugs]

Originally Posted by cpf240

It's not like he hasn't been back to the site. Maybe it was something simple and embarrassing...

even if it is we've all overlooked the simplest things at one point (or multiple points...). Ive thought our battery charger was dead till i realized after fiddiling with every switch it wasnt plugged in

[WHN]

My vote goes to a fuel problem.

If you have fuel at the carburetor? Take carb off and clean all the passages.

If your running a Zenith, I am really more inclined to think it’s a carburetor problem.

Do you have a fuel filter? Dirt and small rust particles might have clogged passages.

[California Travieso]

Everybody PM the guy so we can find out what happened.

I vote that he couldn't figure it out and sold the car.

David Serrano

[gustafson]

looks like he last logged on Feb 5, but did not swing by this thread

[eagle]

This thread must get the prize for the most speculation with the least facts. Maybe we should broaden the aproach... you don't suppose it's the whitewall tires causing it? Or detergent oil? Maybe he drove 60 mph all day and that did it? Let's all HOPE it's not the dreaded hydraulic brakes!! I had this exact problem one time, it was a slipping radiator belt, except that was on a 1980 datsun...it had low blinker fluid as well. it's been fun watching this one.

[twilder]

I made the mistake of putting 93 octane fuel in my ‘30 coupe. She was running fine before on 87. Drained tank, put paper filter in bowl, filled up with 87 octane, and she runs like brand new

[Benson]

Originally Posted by Wick

Bottom of tank plugged with old cork float pieces. Gas seeps thru and fills line and carb. Runs at idle until all fuel is gone. Takes time for more fuel to seep slowly. Found a rag one time and also a cigarette filter in a Model A tank. Same results.

I know this thread is 2 1/2 years old BUT ...

Had a car once that would run fine mostly then started the dying while idling trick, Died while cruising intermittently.

But if you romped on it hard it ran fine while accelerating mostly.

Finally found that the Grand Kids were playing around and decided to put two marbles in gas tank!

Marbles rolled to gas tank outlet and stopped flow!

All of this drama IN MY CASE could have been avoided by using a "pencil filter!

[tagroff]

Should have posted this long ago. It was the coil. Replaced it and the truck has been running fine ever since. Thank you all for.sharing your knowledge and in trying to help get my truck back on the road.

[Patrick L.]

Boy that was a long time for us to hold our breath. I think some of us passed out.

[SSsssteamer]

Originally Posted by Patrick L.

Boy that was a long time for us to hold our breath. I think some of us passed out.

Laughing out LOUD.. A Good response!