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11-23-2015, 11:24 PM | #1 |
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Help! Car ain't running so well today...
Hey Everyone -
Car was running GREAT on Saturday and this morning - went to leave work and the car would not stop popping on decel, played with the GAV, and the car still backfires on decel. Noticed on the highway that it was bogging around 50-53 real bad. Yesterday it kept up pretty good at those speeds. Could a condensor be causing this? It really feels like it was good yesterday and terrible today. Other than svrewing around with the GAV a bit, nothing done to the car. So, symptoms are backfiring on decel, bogging and occasionally popping on accel - all sprung up today. Ideas? Thank you all in advance, this is my first Model A, and I'm not wise to the inherent quirks of this roadster yet. Thanks, Jake |
11-23-2015, 11:29 PM | #2 |
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Re: Help! Car ain't running so well today...
You should have an extra condenser under the seat anyway, buy one and try swapping it out. I think A&L has the best one. If you have the choice of two from your supplier, buy the better one.
Charlie Stephens |
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11-23-2015, 11:42 PM | #3 |
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Re: Help! Car ain't running so well today...
Thanks Charlie - I'm guessing that's what it is. The car isn't idling well either, which could be
a) my inexperience, b) something wrong, C) a little of both... Would a bad capacitor cause this? I feel like I have to really bump up the idle so it doesn't die. Had to bump start it three times when coming to a stop. Thanks!!! |
11-24-2015, 12:18 AM | #4 |
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Re: Help! Car ain't running so well today...
Sounds like it's running lean. Check your manifold gaskets, including the carb to manifold gasket. You might be sucking air somewhere. Also check your gas flow from sediment bowl to the carb. That bowl should be cleaned out every year.
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Ray Horton, Portland, OR As you go through life, keep your eye on the donut, not the hole. |
11-24-2015, 12:41 AM | #5 |
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Re: Help! Car ain't running so well today...
Hold the coil wire 1/4" from a head nut and check for a hot blue spark. If you get a weak yellow spark, then try another condenser.
Does it hit and miss at random? Does moving the spark lever change it, either help or hurt? |
11-24-2015, 12:51 AM | #6 |
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Re: Help! Car ain't running so well today...
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Ray Horton, Portland, OR As you go through life, keep your eye on the donut, not the hole. |
11-24-2015, 05:52 AM | #7 |
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Re: Help! Car ain't running so well today...
clean and set your points first
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11-24-2015, 06:21 AM | #8 |
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Re: Help! Car ain't running so well today...
All good ideas. Also loosen gas cap and see if it helps with the bog [ vent].
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11-24-2015, 06:37 AM | #9 |
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Re: Help! Car ain't running so well today...
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11-24-2015, 02:48 PM | #10 |
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Re: Help! Car ain't running so well today...
Several good suggestions already.
Set points. Running lean. Check for air leaks at carb and manifold. Replace condenser. Another one to check is the flexible wire under the movable plate in the distributor to make sure it is not frayed, shorting or broken.
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11-24-2015, 04:26 PM | #11 |
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Re: Help! Car ain't running so well today...
Thank you guys. Noticed this morning with the petcock turned on there's a fuel leak running down the carb on to the air filter (not sure if stock).
Gonna get some parts just in case, can't hurt to have another capacitor laying around... I just took care of something like this on my Mom's '58 - possibly a stuck needle and/or out of adjustment float? Other than a leak at a fitting, any common culprits for a fuel leak? I didn't get a good look, but definitely saw fuel dripping off the linkages. That would explain the lean condition I've never been so happy to see a fuel leak. |
11-24-2015, 04:29 PM | #12 |
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Re: Help! Car ain't running so well today...
Points/Timing/Capacitor are definitely on the old "to-do" list.
Again, I was praising how well the thing was running on Sunday....Monday evening was a different story. I'm assuming timing is still good, but points and condensor are still possibilities. I'll connect a spark tester tonight and see what's up (after I fix the fuel leak haha....) Thank you all again for the support - this is my first A and I'm loving it |
11-24-2015, 04:31 PM | #13 |
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Re: Help! Car ain't running so well today...
P.S.S
Ive also had a hell of a time trying to get the thing to idle at stops (one of the new problems from yesterday), a fuel leak/lean condition makes sense. The throttle lever would either put me in a situation where it was too low to idle, or was revving way high. |
11-24-2015, 04:37 PM | #14 |
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Re: Help! Car ain't running so well today...
Sounds just like an experience I had. My problem was loose bolts holding the carb to the intake manifold.
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11-24-2015, 06:58 PM | #15 |
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Re: Help! Car ain't running so well today...
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11-24-2015, 08:37 PM | #16 |
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Re: Help! Car ain't running so well today...
It sounds like you may have a couple issues. Stopping and dying are usually due to incorrect float setting in the carb. The leak could also be a bad float valve. Your timing won't change by itself, but your point setting can. Don't mess with the timing, just check your points and condensor.
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Ray Horton, Portland, OR As you go through life, keep your eye on the donut, not the hole. Last edited by 700rpm; 11-30-2015 at 07:43 PM. |
11-24-2015, 09:01 PM | #17 | |
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Re: Help! Car ain't running so well today...
Quote:
I wonder if half the people's timing problems aren't because they reset the timing, instead of resetting the points. |
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11-25-2015, 02:06 AM | #18 |
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Re: Help! Car ain't running so well today...
That's definitely some good advice! Here's what I found!...
Opened the fuel petcock, ran the motor for a minute and inspected for fuel leaks. BINGO. Fuel leaking from the carb base/intake manifold surface. Shined a flashlight at that location and saw the gasket was broken and the right carburetor bolt was loose, the lockwasher was not collapsed. Removed the carb, found a broken gasket and remnants of a previous gasket. Cleaned it up, installed a new gasket, and started to tighten up the carb. Found the right bolt threads were stripped (Tilly carb), so tomorrow I need to put a nut and bolt on that side. Maybe that's all!? - I will definitely check the point gap tmmrw and post pics. Thanks everyone!! |
11-25-2015, 06:36 AM | #19 |
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Re: Help! Car ain't running so well today...
Since it has Tilly you might want to check the flange. They have a tendency to warp and can be filed flat.
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11-25-2015, 08:37 AM | #20 | |
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Re: Help! Car ain't running so well today...
Quote:
or a http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-5521-5-H...IAAOxyuR5TZFSQ |
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11-25-2015, 10:53 AM | #21 |
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Re: Help! Car ain't running so well today...
As promised...
Here's the engine after 30 seconds at idle - notice the fuel seepage at the carb base gasket. I noticed when taking the picture the lockwasher was sprung on the right side. Not only fuel seepage, but the gasket broke and was likely sucked into the motor. Here's the old gasket compared to the new one Kept digging, here's more gasket that was on the carb base, compared to new... |
11-25-2015, 10:55 AM | #22 | |
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Re: Help! Car ain't running so well today...
Quote:
Good info there - I'm gonna bandaid it with a bolt, but would definitely rather helicoil in the near future. Thank you again for the links |
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11-25-2015, 07:37 PM | #23 |
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Re: Help! Car ain't running so well today...
What is that piece of plumbing coming out of your carb?
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Ray Horton, Portland, OR As you go through life, keep your eye on the donut, not the hole. |
11-26-2015, 02:00 AM | #24 |
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Re: Help! Car ain't running so well today...
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11-30-2015, 05:19 PM | #25 |
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Re: Help! Car ain't running so well today...
You know, I thought that looked funny. I just thought it looked 1920's funny. I'll take a look tonight and track it, it appears to be a vacuum line - I just for the life of me can't remember where it goes.
Window washer? Not sure though, will take a look when I get home. |
11-30-2015, 05:19 PM | #26 |
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Re: Help! Car ain't running so well today...
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11-30-2015, 06:09 PM | #27 |
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Re: Help! Car ain't running so well today...
In the first pic it looks like a hose attached to the "nipple". I'll bet it's to "balance" the carb??
Paul in CT |
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