Car cuts off for unknown reason
 

My 1930 Model A was running really great, I turned on a side road and it cut off as if I turned the switch off.
I checked all of the wiring, checked fuse, replace condenser, replace coil,I even bypassed the Pop Out Switch. It cranked and ran fine---turned on the same road and got the identical results.
Pulled it home repeated the above. It cranks and runs but I don't trust it. Am I missing something?

Re: Car cuts off for unknown reason
 

Did you retard the spark when you made the turn? Could be the pigtail wire in the distributor. First make sure it is electrical and not gas related. If electrical you will just have to see where the electric stops.

Re: Car cuts off for unknown reason
 

What switch?

Is it OK when you make the same turns around the neighborhood, or in the driveway?

Any sudden quitting is almost certainly electrical. If it's really dependent on turning, it may be that the change in momentum is shifting things around enough to cause a temporary short or a loss of ground connection.

Steve

Re: Car cuts off for unknown reason
 

When this happened, did you also have a sense of 'lost time' ? :confused:

Any soreness in delicate places? :eek:

Do you live near Area 51? :p

Re: Car cuts off for unknown reason
 

IF you have a fuse holder on the starter, by pass the stupid rivets. They are bad news. Put an in-line fuse in its place.
Did it ever back fire when this was happening?
Changing parts usually cause more problems and makes it hard to figure it out.

Re: Car cuts off for unknown reason
 

Is that the only “hard?” Turn you make in the same direction, on your little drive? Do you hit a chuck hole or rough road at that spot? I’m wondering if there’s a problem in your electrical switch at the end of your steering column.

Re: Car cuts off for unknown reason
 

now when you say pop out switch - is it a legit original ford usa made popout that actually pops out? not that spain repo ive heard is kinda meh for quality.

does moving the spark advance lever cause it to cut out?

when you checked all wiring you mean took instrument panel off and checked the back of the ammeter and junction box and everything?

start the car and try ever so slightly rotate the ign key back and forth and wiggle it in out up down left right and see if you can "simulate" a rough road or your key ring pulling on the key and ever so slightly push it in.

Re: Car cuts off for unknown reason
 

I had a similar problem recently...after extensive checking of the electrical system,to my embarassment,I discovered that the points gap had closed !
vic

Re: Car cuts off for unknown reason
 

One of the major things that move around (if not clamped down properly) is the battery. It sounds like something that is turn related electrical but if it is a fuel blockage in the carb, it will shut down quickly but more likely electrical.

Re: Car cuts off for unknown reason
 

lotsa things could be at fault. Gas, The float is acting up. Try a "B" carburetor, the float's swing were changed from fore and aft to sideways to correct a similar problem in the A. Check your gas tank for some loose inside covering/blocking the the gas outlet
Electric, Electrical problems usually center around the Distributor, mainly the pigtail that brings power up to the points. If you don't have one, get an inexpensive multimeter and set it on Ohms and check for continuity or a short. If necessary take the car back to the spot, let it die and DON'T turn the ignition off. Coast it over to the side of the road and pull the distributor cap and start checking what has power and or continuity and what doesn't.

Terry

Re: Car cuts off for unknown reason
 

Shortly after I got my car, it started running roughly on my first overnight tour, on the way to our first destination. Friends thought it was a distributor problem. One offered to let me borrow his spare. But when exchanging distributors, i had one piece shaft, and his was for 2 shafts. So we put mine back in, and it started running fine.

It ran good to our destination, and again that night. But the next morning it wouldn't start. Being a new car to me, I didn't know I had a pigtail wire. But that turned out to be the problem. It was down to a few exposed strands of wire. Taking it off and putting it back on earlier, had moved the pigtail wire enough and had temporarily solved the problem.

So changing the retard can move a bad pigtail into the 'right' position for awhile.

Re: Car cuts off for unknown reason
 

I was helping a friend with his car cutting off problems and it turned out to be deteriorated insulation inside the cable housing to the distributor. Replaced with a new regular switch and new cable housing to the distributor. So long troublesome pop-a-lock and problem fixed.

John

Re: Car cuts off for unknown reason
 

On my 90mi trip home from buying my A, 45mi from home the first r-r crossing, it quit!
Pulled over and turned the key to off, got out and wondering what to due as a 16year old.
After the the little break, got back in and turned the key on, it started! Drove it for the next 2 years as a daily driver with out a problem. If it would quit running I just turned the off then back on, many years later it was replaced. This would be a cheap check :-) oh and a good excuse for a test run!

Re: Car cuts off for unknown reason
 

[QUOTE=Jacksonlll;1560147]IF you have a fuse holder on the st
after, by pass the stupid rivets. They are bad news. Put an in-line fuse in its place.
/QUOTE]

I changed to an inline, but I hid it on the passenger side of the firewall.

Re: Car cuts off for unknown reason
 

I have also seen the little fuse holder on the side of the starter short out on and off. If it does this on the road, remove it, disconnect your battery first, and put the cables back like Henry built the car and drive it home. The regular suppliers have new ones that are far better than the ones sold some years ago...Ernie

Re: Car cuts off for unknown reason
 

I've had mine cut out before because the ignition switch moved slightly with the weight from the keychain. It's not an original switch so it may not be the same as your issue. It does sound like you may have a loose connection, broken wire or possible short that acts up when you do your turn. If it's always happening on the same direction of turn, I would almost suspect something in the lightswitch housing at the bottom of the column.

Re: Car cuts off for unknown reason
 

Minerva would quit & run again at times. Under the distributor plate, that "itty-bitty" nut on the distributor point post was loose as a GOOSE!
Lights would go OFF & ON +*#%^%^&---Nuts in the Junction Box had been loosened by the same "GOOSE"--LOL
Chief had some GOOD Goose Stories, but I can't repeat them here!
Chiefs' Son