New to A's...

[five-oh]

So, Been a member here for years, lurking as I didn't have an A....
But today, this little 1930 model followed me home. It's an old restoration, I suspect and very needy, although it runs and drives. I'm gonna have a ton of questions I expect... first one being this. It is still 6v positive ground..
It is a chore to get it to fire off. Whether it is a first start or a restart after stopping for a pop.
The procedure I have been using is making sure the fuel is on, key turned on, retard spark or timing, whatever you call it all the way "up" on the column, press starter floor switch.
It has a very positive sound of engagement and turns over, but it seems to take forever before she will finally come to life and I have to work the throttle a bit..
For what it is worth, I suspect the old girl has sat for a while. The guy I got it from has had it several years and told me today, he'd driven it more this morning than he had in the past two years- and he'd driven it a total of about 4 miles to the meeting place.
Look forward to learning from y'all.
I do not want a hotrod...this will be a bone stocker to run around in. I don't want hydraulic brakes, or overdrives, or any of that, although slightly wider tires wouldn't break my heart. lol

[Zax40]

What about GAV and choke?

[Brentwood Bob]

Get a copy of the owners manual. It will explain the starting sequence. The parts houses sell the manual.

[1955cj5]

Try This...

https://www.motormayhem.net/wp-uploa...ion-Manual.pdf


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[Pete]

Originally Posted by five-oh

I do not want a hotrod...this will be a bone stocker to run around in. I don't want hydraulic brakes, or overdrives, or any of that, although slightly wider tires wouldn't break my heart. lol

Oh, come on, not even a 5 speed transmission and fuel injection?
You will also need disc brakes to take advantage of wider tires.

[Chuck Dempsey]

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Welcome to the 'Barn! Good Luck.

[rotorwrench]

If it set up for long periods then a lot of little things can add up. Check compressions to see where they hold up or not. Keep a spare condenser handy. Check the timing. Run some Marvel Mystery Oil in the fuel for a while to decarbonize rings & limber up the valves.

Fuel systems build varnish if they set up too long. A lot depends on how it was stored. Modern fuel doesn't keep well for long periods. Learn how to adjust the GAV and set the idle screw for best running. If compressions are fair then it should start pretty easy if ignition and fuel delivery are up to snuff.

[kbinde2]

You might investigate the ground to frame attach points also, I found the extra cable to the bell housing, with a good connection and fresh battery, did wonders for how my car started.. Just a thought/kb

[five-oh]

Thanks all, especially 1955cj5, that attachment is helpful. Showing my ignorance what is "GAV"?
I've used the choke , but didn't realize there was an adjustment on it by turning the knob too...
Sorry for the dumbness, but I'd owned it two minutes before I drove it 15 miles home, and wound up putting about 50-60 miles on it yesterday. Lots of fun, but alot of concentration needed- it makes my mostly stock '52 Chevrolet pickup appear to drive like a new Caddy in comparison. lol

[David in San Antonio]

@five-oh - Welcome! I just celebrated my one year anniversary of ownership (or stewardship) of a Model A. The best advice I received: Join your local Model A club and go to the meetings. Ask for help getting your car started and watch what happens.

[rotorwrench]

The gas adjustment valve or GAV is a way to adjust main fuel flow while on the fly. It's basically an adjustable main jet so that fuel mixture can be adjusted for various different conditions such as low altitude to high altitude changes. This link to the SB calls it the dash adjustment.
https://modelagarage.com/service_bul...-adjustment-2/

The different carburetors such as the Tillotson and the Marvel also have the adjustable valve but they do react a little differently depending on valve and port sizes. They still function the same way as the old cast iron Zenith types. They have softer castings so a person has to be more careful when torquing fasteners for them. Warped castings can cause vacuum leaks or fuel leaks.

[bobbader]

First of all .............. Welcome five-oh to the owner side of the hobby!

Hey guys, while we all have the best of intentions for helping a new owner, please try to remember that they are not privy to acronyms (initials) that we are share. Even some old-timers don't know what a GAV is. Even if we said "Gas Adjusting Valve", the newbie (or the old-timer) might need further explanation. We might know that SB might mean "Service Bulletins" but new folk might not get that Service Bulletins refers to Service Bulletins that Ford Motor Company provided Ford dealers and Service Technicians and that these bulletins exist in reprint form today.

Not looking to scold. I'm constantly amazed at the collective wisdom and good intent displayed on this message board. I've been in the Model A Parts and Component Restoration business for 45 years and Fordbarn is still a "several times a day" read for me. Thank you all for that. But, we need to remember that "small steps" and simple explanations may be the best approach to help the newcomer understand and adapt to their own situation.

[five-oh]

Thank y'all very much! I went out and tried adjusting the GAV a bit and went through the procedures in the manual posted, and the old girl started up much easier and seemed to run smoother. The guy I got the car off of did not appear to be overly knowledgeable about the A and all its idiosyncrasies, so I had no idea that there was an adjustment there.
I noticed while looking that the radiator hoses are well past their "use by" date and are showing cracks. I was keyed up to order more and, while digging around, lifted the front seat cushion. There lay a brand new, still sealed in a plastic bag set of red lined radiator hoses. So they'll be going on real soon...I have no desire to be on the side of the road with a blown hose.
The horn works about like I do- rarely and when it wants, so I suspect there may be a ground issue with it.
I'm swearing this will not be a project, and indeed cannot let it be until the '52 Chevy truck is finished being painted and some clean up done on another antique, but I can see this can easily become another obsession.....

[Gene F]

Pretty simple. I bet you are not far off from a decent running starter car.

Open gas valve, retard spark (all the way up), throttle handle down just a bit (make sure the gas pedal goes down a bit - there is no accelerator pump on the carb of a Model-A), open the choke rod about 3/4 of a turn, pull the choke back about full to 3/4s and hold the rod. Step on the starter button. If need be you can work the throttle arm a bit with your left hand till you find out what your car likes. Once started turn loose of the choke, and give it about 1/2 the travel of timing (lever ont he left). Once it gets going a bit turn the shaft (rod) for the choke clockwise a bit. DONT TURN IT CLOSED HARD - EVER!!!!!!!!!!

The only other thing I will add, based on what you describe is make sure the points open up a bit. If they are too close, your coil will not have time to energize and "colapse" causing weak fireing.

Please do yourself a favor, and join your local chapter of MARC (Model A Restorers Club) These type of things, one of the other members will always be very happy to stop over and show you simple things, or even help with simple fixes. If you don't do this you are simply hurting yourself.

[Brentwood Bob]

A momentary choke is better than continuing to choke. Easy to flood the carb. One, or a couple of revolutions, should be adequate on a cold engine. Hunt up the local club, good advice. Wisdom lives at the local club, and your car will benefit.

[five-oh]

Originally Posted by Gene F

Pretty simple. I bet you are not far off from a decent running starter car.

Open gas valve, retard spark (all the way up), throttle handle down just a bit (make sure the gas pedal goes down a bit - there is no accelerator pump on the carb of a Model-A), open the choke rod about 3/4 of a turn, pull the choke back about full to 3/4s and hold the rod. Step on the starter button. If need be you can work the throttle arm a bit with your left hand till you find out what your car likes. Once started turn loose of the choke, and give it about 1/2 the travel of timing (lever ont he left). Once it gets going a bit turn the shaft (rod) for the choke clockwise a bit. DONT TURN IT CLOSED HARD - EVER!!!!!!!!!!

The only other thing I will add, based on what you describe is make sure the points open up a bit. If they are too close, your coil will not have time to energize and "colapse" causing weak fireing.

Please do yourself a favor, and join your local chapter of MARC (Model A Restorers Club) These type of things, one of the other members will always be very happy to stop over and show you simple things, or even help with simple fixes. If you don't do this you are simply hurting yourself.

I've reached out to a couple of guys I know who have model A's and I'm trying to locate a local or semi local club now. Hopefully, there's a chapter or model a specific club around I can join up with and learn a bit.
Absolutely love it so far and hope to get it dependable enough to drive a distance. Running the back roads at 45 is my kind of relaxation, and I'm fortunate to live in an area (north central Arkansas) with a lot of back roads to explore.

[Bigsnapper43]

Clean the points and adjust them as per the instruction book. This adjustment usualy improves starting more than any thing else.

[goodcar]

Originally Posted by kbinde2

You might investigate the ground to frame attach points also, I found the extra cable to the bell housing, with a good connection and fresh battery, did wonders for how my car started.. Just a thought/kb

Bingo, that covers a lot of sins, one being intermittent weak spark. Easy to check. Pull coil wire from distributor, remove dist cap, and hold 1/4-3/8 inch from engine. With ignition switch turned on, flick the points, open and closed.
You should have a nice blue spark--I repeat, a nice blue spark. Not just A spark. If you have good compression, good clean fuel, not old ethanol, car should start. Check for proper timing, don't overchoke. Lots of simple things to learn but important. Good luck.

[ModelA29]

It sat awhile - gas goes bad connections can corrode. Drive a tank of gas or two through it and it's start working as designed. Change the fluids - clean/gap the plugs and points - enjoy......

Lots of videos on the care and feeding of Model As on YouTube. I've found these to be among the best ones. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUz...34I_8NeiIQWwSg
And don't forget to join your local MAFCA chapter. Join the local first and you can take advantage of MAFCAs free year for new members. I'd be happy to sponsor any new members PM me for my MAFCA membership number for the form. https://www.mafca.com/members_only/d...hip%20form.pdf

[1955cj5]

Originally Posted by five-oh

Thanks all, especially 1955cj5, that attachment is helpful. Showing my ignorance what is "GAV"?
I've used the choke , but didn't realize there was an adjustment on it by turning the knob too...
Sorry for the dumbness, but I'd owned it two minutes before I drove it 15 miles home, and wound up putting about 50-60 miles on it yesterday. Lots of fun, but alot of concentration needed- it makes my mostly stock '52 Chevrolet pickup appear to drive like a new Caddy in comparison. lol

I first saw that link here on the forum, and I saved it....so I'm just passin it along...Glad to help!



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