HELP: ready to start again...n/g

[gypsycandle]

Hi Guys, I took my car apart 5 months ago...It was running fine. Now I put it all back together and it won't start. I sanded the points, checked the spark at the points(nice blue), took the plugs out cleaned them(they were wet. Checked the gap (35). Charged the battery fully (twice), filled the cells with distilled water. I had installed new tail lights , head lights, they are all working fine and the horn is also.
I put 2 tablespoons of MMO in each cylinder and turned it by hand 10 times, replaced the plugs and zippo, no start. I took the plugs out again and they were soaked again???
What have i missed? Frustrated in Florida. Thanks.

[katy]

I took the plugs out again and they were soaked again

What are they soaked with, gas or oil? If gas, it sounds like you have no fire to the plugs.

checked the spark at the points(nice blue)

Sound like a bad condenser, there should only be a small spark at the points.

[Jason in TX]

Sounds like you have gas and spark. Air is a given.

Take the distributor cap off. When you crank the car, does the rotor spin? I've had the oil pump gear break after a car sat for a while and while all conditions seemed perfect, The distributor rotor wasn't spinning.

This is down at the bottom of the distributor shaft and has a pin in it that can sheer.

[gypsycandle]

They are soaked with gas...

[gypsycandle]

thanks didn't check that but i will now...

[Quigley1930]

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Sounds as if you are over choking. Pull the chokefor one or two revolutions only. Is gas leaking from carb throat?

Sewall

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Tap on the carb, "maybe" the float valve is stuck open???---ALSO, hold the throttle WIDE OPEN while cranking, to UN-FLOOD it.
Bill W.

[gypsycandle]

Yes will come from carb throat if i hold it too long. OK will try the tapping too.

[art ebeling]

Two tablespoons of MMO in each cylinder seems like a lot. Is that what is fouling the plugs?

[gypsycandle]

Gee Art i meant teaspoons...just a dash. I though maybe upper cylinders would be deplete of oil after 5 months?

[gypsycandle]

Yes the rotor turns completely around..

[gypsycandle]

Katy...the spark IS small with a cracking sound. I'm wondering if the distributor body has a bad ground to block from sitting (could that be possible?) Tapping the carb didn't help it start ...it turns over but no hint of any firing going on .

[Charlie Stephens]

Did you put fresh gas into the tank? This new gas goes bad in a couple of months.

Charlie Stephens

[H. L. Chauvin]

Hi Candle,

Florida humidity vs. dry air in Arizona in either the Fall or Spring with cool nights and warm humid days ...... very possible condensate moisture/water mixed in with regular gas or ethanol gas when purchased, or when stored a few months in gas tank, in sediment bowl, and/or in carburetor bowl.

If everything electrical works, and one gets good spark at plugs when engine cranks, and engine is getting fuel and not flooding, try completely draining gas tank, sediment bowl, & carburetor and replenish with "fresh" gas.

[gypsycandle]

Charlie: no i used some from the shed for the lawn mower...Only put about a pint in... I'll go get some new gas...I also use Seafoam in my gas. I didn't realize that it goes bad...thanks.

[gypsycandle]

H.L. yes that's what i'm going to do next...fresh gas..sigh...lol the gas was not in teh tank for 5 months...I had a hole in the tank and i took the tank out 5 months ago to have it fixed. But i will drain what i did put in and go get some new.

[Jason in TX]

Yeah. If you painted the engine and the distributor body is not getting a good ground to the block, your spark plugs may not be doing the work they need to do.

[gypsycandle]

Originally Posted by Jason in TX

Yeah. If you painted the engine and the distributor body is not getting a good ground to the block, your spark plugs may not be doing the work they need to do.

ok Jason will check that too... I'm sure this will be resolved by the end of the day...hahaha

[Tom Wesenberg]

If you don't have a hot blue spark at least 1/4" long, then you need to fix that before you do anything else.

[H. L. Chauvin]

Florida ... humidity ..... Springtime or Fall ..... cool nights ...... warm moist days .... unconditioned garage ...... warm moist air condensing on many different cool metal electrical connections causing metal oxidation on metal wire connections retarding electrical flow ..... can happen occasionally in only five (5) months when Model A is not in use ...... multi-meter electrical check from battery to plugs never a bad idea in addition to moisture in fuel.

From years of experience: Used on wire connections located on half mile high coastal communications towers .... expensive because of large 8 oz. container, (used to have 4 oz.); but, will protect and end all Model A "exposed" electrical connection problems for almost eternity.

Kopr-Shield TM Compound-The copper colloidal surface treatment that protects, lubricates and enhances conductivity between all electrical connections. Catalog No: CP8-TB, Codale Item No: 8777, UPC: 78621080636T&B CP8TB 8OZ CORROSION INHIBITOR Kopr-Shield
Price: $18.98 ea

[gypsycandle]

Hi tom, yeah the spark is ok... but I found more problems when draining the gas... the gasket in the sediment bowl has completely disintigrated , bits of black gasket in the bowl and carb. Bowl and carb cleaned out and blow with air.
Guess this won't be fixed today after all.

[Keith True]

You say you have spark at the points,but do you actually have spark at the plugs?I didn't see that,maybe I missed it.

[gypsycandle]

Keith: you are correct...i din't answer that because i don't know the correct way to rtest that.

[1928Pickuppain]

Take pug out rest on metal bottom of plug on top of head or nut (good ground surface connect copper strip, turn over motor, it some times takes two people in a model A. One to look for spark one to crank or push button also try looking at dusk it will help you see the spark better if your eyes aren't that great. I for one would just throw. A new set of plugs in it. And test with those I've had corrosion on the copper strips leading to dizzy that stopped spark also if spark is at all orange and not blue your coil went bad from condinsation while sitting. And that's your problem. no matter how bad your carb is if you at least have good spark and some gass it should cough and fire.

[gypsycandle]

Tom: i have a good spark from the coil wire t the head nut.. so I guess it's boiled down to fresh gas, I won't be able to try that until the new sediment bowl gaskets come in. Whew this ahs been a long day already...lol

[gypsycandle]

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Thanks 1928 PU: I have another coil that i can test with..no spare plugs though. Is there a way to dry that condensation out of the coil? yes i agree that it doesn't take much to fire it... when I had two cylinders full of water last year: it still tried to fire up...lol...lol

[Mitch//pa]

You can also hang a small can of gas temporarily

1/4" piece of rubber hose from the can connected to the steel line end that would go to the sediment bulb.. youll need to get the gravity flow going to do this...

[gypsycandle]

Thanks Mitch..I'll try that tomorrow... I talked to Snyders and told them about the black rubber gaskets deal(talked with Tom) he sent some free cork gaskets.
I'll try the rubber hose till they get here.
I had my wife do the inside controls and I sprayed carb cleaner into the carb and it fired right up!! twice in fact.. Nice sound!! Now i forgot is it the gasket first or the screen first when reassembling the sediment bowl?? must be the CRS??
The spark plugs were sparking against the head nut, so i also cleaned all the ends of the brass connectors to dist top.
Thanks guys for all your suggestions and help, as always..

[H. L. Chauvin]

Hi Candle,

When held upright, top open parts of glass sediment bowls have a smaller diameter "recessed", glass circular inner surface for the screen to rest on, and immediately adjacent, it has a larger diameter "raised", glass outer circular surface for the gasket to rest on.

After the glass bowl is installed and tightened, the circular gasket should contact the upper, "solid" metal circular surface and the lower, "solid" circular glass surface.

The perforated fuel screen should never become sandwiched between the gasket and either the solid metal above, or the solid glass below, thus allowing very thin fuel to escape.

With CSRS, like with most of us, after becoming confused about "exact" fuel screen placement, just try to remember why nobody makes gasoline cans out of Model A fuel filter screen material.

[loubob]

Did you ever check the timing??

[gypsycandle]

Thanks H.L.

[gypsycandle]

Yes the timing is dead on...

[Smurkey]

Originally Posted by gypsycandle

Tom: i have a good spark from the coil wire t the head nut.. so I guess it's boiled down to fresh gas, I won't be able to try that until the new sediment bowl gaskets come in. Whew this ahs been a long day already...lol

Still dont know about AT THE PLUGS. Just pull off the bronze strip that goes to the plugs and position it about an 1/16-1/8 inch away from the plug tip. A spark should jump to the tip if all is well.

If not, check cap, rotor, condenser...

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Coils RARELY fail, it's usually the crap that controls it that goes AMUCK!
Using a cheep test light & getting used to how BRIGHT it glows on a GOOD source, is your BEST, QUICK Friend.
You CAN'T screw something up using it!
An inexpensive Multimeter is better. They're not SPOOKY to use, PLAY with it, read the instructions, find a "U" tube video on its' use. You can "play-like" you're an EXPERT & impress folks. Lurn some ELECTRONIC sounding wurds & terms & they'll want to HIRE you!!!
Even an OLD Encyclopedia can help you with some BASIC electrical knowledge.
Bill Babble

[SeaSlugs]

Originally Posted by gypsycandle

Thanks Mitch..I'll try that tomorrow... I talked to Snyders and told them about the black rubber gaskets deal(talked with Tom) he sent some free cork gaskets.
I'll try the rubber hose till they get here.
I had my wife do the inside controls and I sprayed carb cleaner into the carb and it fired right up!! twice in fact.. Nice sound!! Now i forgot is it the gasket first or the screen first when reassembling the sediment bowl?? must be the CRS??
The spark plugs were sparking against the head nut, so i also cleaned all the ends of the brass connectors to dist top.
Thanks guys for all your suggestions and help, as always..

if your sedement bowl gaskets deterioated check the carb inlet filter as well as im sure its clogged.

Glad you got it narrowed down to carb/fuel issue.

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Originally Posted by SeaSlugs

if your sedement bowl gaskets deterioated check the carb inlet filter as well as im sure its clogged.

Glad you got it narrowed down to carb/fuel issue.

YES, S.S,
That filter is OFTEN overlooked
Bill Nosey

[Mitch//pa]

Originally Posted by Smurkey

Still dont know about AT THE PLUGS. Just pull off the bronze strip that goes to the plugs and position it about an 1/16-1/8 inch away from the plug tip. A spark should jump to the tip if all is well.

If not, check cap, rotor, condenser...

He said it fired on spray twice... that means he is getting spark to the plugs

[1928Pickuppain]

No now ignitions mostly ruled out I'd pull drain plug from bottom of carb.

1) make sure gas is actually getting past siffter screen and past float needle and seat valve
2) Fill a mason jar with gas from drain plug at carb make sure the streem is constraint let the jar fill to flush the bowl. Once full let the jar sit and settle for a half hour. See if there's separation of gas ethanol and water see if there's sediment on the bottom a lot can be December from a mason jar of gas.

Bill, your partly right (old coils rearly go but I tell you the new ones go I had one from Macs fail on me in my A once when I first got her. (Put original in never had a problem) had an excel coil go in my jeep after 5 months and had one go in my boat (that one was old but boats take more abuse) the problem is the crimp on the top were they are sealed don't always seal and moisture gets in and that's that. Also had a coils go on my Harley too In the past.

[gypsycandle]

hey guys....i want to thank everyone for all the fast help, all the great tips and tricks....I haven't done an A in 25 years...gees have i forgotten a lot of stuff..!! Well I think it was all narrowed down to the old gas, ( stuff i drained from the carb and tank I threw on some wood in the fire pit and it would hardly even burn..lol no wonder i was having such a hard time.. Still waiting for the gaskets for the sediment bowl but in the mean time i made a temp tank out of an old weed wacker tank and a spare gas line i had. It worked great. it ran well until i ran out of gas(fresh gas).
To answer some things, the spark at plugs was fine, the carb was dry(i drained it when i parked it) it's brandy new, I checked the inlet filter and yes it has some black rubber pieces in it as well as the carb bowl.
In all the excitement of it starting, i forgot to check the amp to see if it was charging...guess that will be the next hurdle.
Thanks again to all...I really appreciate it.
Michael...