please help my model a is makin me nuts
 

ok heres whats going on.i bought this car in may a 1930 fourdor it ran ok when i bought it but on the drive home it bucked a little.i got home and took my wife for a ride we nearly didn't make it home car was running so bad.i call the guy i got it from he said he never had any problems with it.but he and the guy that rebuilt the motor years ago would come out to look at it.so they came and looked said it had burned the points.so we replaced them.no good so he said you need new plugs.put in new plugs ran great.he told me i needed a new distributor .so i ordered a new one from mac's i went ahead and replaced all the ignition parts cap rotor plugs again, coil and wires armor cable. the car ran great i was so happy itook my wife for a long drive and we put on about 75 miles.a little later in the day i went for a drive and it started to run really bad again.i made it home just in time for it to die and not restart.with the coil wire off and cranking it.i have a nice blue spark but then it stops for a few seconds then starts sparking again.the plugs get black and gas soaked in just a few seconds of cranking no mater how lean i have it set.please help

Re: please help my model a is makin me nuts
 

Join the crowd of nuts! All Model A'er are that way.

Do you have a short somewhere in your wiring? I had one behind the key switch. Wire touched the gas tank. Just my $.02 guess.

Re: please help my model a is makin me nuts
 

condensor?

Re: please help my model a is makin me nuts
 

Does it run ok at speed, but won't idle?

Re: please help my model a is makin me nuts
 

it won't run at all right now and the condensor is new and i tryed two old ones with the same results.when i try to start it it just gases up so bad the plugs are drippin in gas in just a few seconds

Re: please help my model a is makin me nuts
 

Certainly you have a capital problem.

Re: please help my model a is makin me nuts
 

Are you opening the GVA one turn open from being seated then back 3/4 to 1/2 when warmed up? Are you adjusting the spark for the speed and load? Have you checked the coil?

Re: please help my model a is makin me nuts
 

yes to the gva and yes to the spark advace and the coil is new.the 2 one i have tryed.i have had a model t for four years so i'm not new to driving these cars i drive my t 3or4 times a week with no problems.

Re: please help my model a is makin me nuts
 

You mentioned the plugs are dripping with gas. Is this when it has quit on you or after you try to restart it? If they are dripping when it quits on you, and your spark is good, then as you probable realize, it would seem like it would have to be something with your carb. Again just a "swag" on my part not being an expert in this area.

Re: please help my model a is makin me nuts
 

OK you state that you have spark then don't have spark then have it again.

A couple of things come to mind,

Misadjustment of the gap in the points, or a bad dist cam. As we know it is the points opening and closing that "turns on and off" the spark.

The ignition switch is intermittent shutting the power off to the points. Check with a voltmeter on the input to the coil while cranking (running).

The ignition switch cable is turned in too far into the distributor.
also check with a voltmeter on the input to the coil while cranking (running).

Re: please help my model a is makin me nuts
 

I would make sure the point gap has not changed as you say they are new, possibly closed up from a lack of lube or even a poorly ground distributor cam, you may also have a carburetor flooding over, the plugs should not get that wet from not firing.

Re: please help my model a is makin me nuts
 

Check that the short wire under the breaker plate is not worn or have loose strands that touch side of dist hsg & ground it when spark lever is moved.Silicone covered fine strand wire available from hobby shops is very flexible & not affected by engine heat & will last indefinately.

Re: please help my model a is makin me nuts
 

Re: please help my model a is makin me nuts
 

Did you make sure the little "lock washer" is under the dist. cam? If not,the screw alone can't get the cam tight enough to stay in place. Then, you have a situation like you describe.
I had that exact situation on my PU until I looked really close to the diagram in the Snyder's catalog. The washer fixed the problem!

Re: please help my model a is makin me nuts
 

Slpreston,

Do you mean lock washer "on top of distributor cam" and under cam screw plus a thrust washer?

Re: please help my model a is makin me nuts
 

Also check if the armored cable is not threaded too far into the distributor body. They can distort the bus bar and short it into the body, sometimes can exhibit as a intermittent problem.

Re: please help my model a is makin me nuts
 

i.m headed out to check some of the things you guys have came up with i,ll let you know what i find thanks

Re: please help my model a is makin me nuts
 

Mitch, yep, that's what I meant!

Re: please help my model a is makin me nuts
 

Check the charging voltage.

I had same problem, it was a haywire powerhouse that burned the points.

Re: please help my model a is makin me nuts
 

are you running 12v or 6v ??