30 Shutting off

[William Kelchner]

My 30 was running fine a few weeks ago, then it started acting up missing and coughing through the carb. Here is what I have done up until today. Checked voltages and spark - all good. Battery was on its last legs installed new 6V. Started it up on the main tank and it runs for a few minutes then dies like fuel starvation.

Borrowed a small auxiliary fuel tank, put fresh gas in it and checked the fuel flow (good) fired it up and does the same thing.

Since I eliminated the main tank and the gas I would guess, in my limited knowledge, that this blasted Zenith carb may be the culprit. Seems like it empties the carb fuel bowl and then shuts off. It will restart once or twice and then finally just crank away. Checked the carb fuel filter which was clean.

Any suggestions are welcome. Bill K

[1931 flamingo]

If the carb fuel bowl is emptying then you DON'T have good fuel flow..............
Paul in CT

[Tom Wesenberg]

Remove the carb bottom and hold a small pail under the carb. Turn on the gas and watch the flow. If it's good, then you must have blocked passages or jets.

[Jacksonlll]

I assume you cleaned the plugs.

[Chuck Sea/Tac]

Have you checked the carb filter and float valve?

[William Kelchner]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Thanks for all the replies. Replaced the float valve a couple of months ago, checked the carb filter which is clean. I too wondered about fuel flow and thought by completely bypassing the main tank with a separate tank would eliminate the main tank and shutoff valve as a possible source of the problem. The fuel flow from the main tank and the separate tank/fuel line look about the same.

I'll tinker with this a bit more today and see what happens.

[Terry, NJ]

William, I am going through this with my "new" coupe. I've had it a little over two years and for the most part, it's run well. But all of a sudden it seems a flood of rust has been shaken loose from the walls of the tank.Two days ago,I took the carb (Mod.B) off and took about a tablespoon of rust grit from the bowl. I cleaned every passage and jet. I put it back on a started it and it ran for about a minute then it quit , again! Mitch has suggested using a Wix 33039 or a NAPA 3039 that fits in the glass filter bowl. I'm going to put one in the system.
Terry

Originally Posted by William Kelchner

My 30 was running fine a few weeks ago, then it started acting up missing and coughing through the carb. Here is what I have done up until today. Checked voltages and spark - all good. Battery was on its last legs installed new 6V. Started it up on the main tank and it runs for a few minutes then dies like fuel starvation.

Borrowed a small auxiliary fuel tank, put fresh gas in it and checked the fuel flow (good) fired it up and does the same thing.

Since I eliminated the main tank and the gas I would guess, in my limited knowledge, that this blasted Zenith carb may be the culprit. Seems like it empties the carb fuel bowl and then shuts off. It will restart once or twice and then finally just crank away. Checked the carb fuel filter which was clean.

Any suggestions are welcome. Bill K

[Mitch//pa]

Originally Posted by Terry, NJ

William, I am going through this with my "new" coupe. I've had it a little over two years and for the most part, it's run well. But all of a sudden it seems a flood of rust has been shaken loose from the walls of the tank.Two days ago,I took the carb (Mod.B) off and took about a tablespoon of rust grit from the bowl. I cleaned every passage and jet. I put it back on a started it and it ran for about a minute then it quit , again! Mitch has suggested using a Wix 33039 or a NAPA 3039 that fits in the glass filter bowl. I'm going to put one in the system.
Terry

I also suggested to make sure you have the standup filter on the shutoff

[William Kelchner]

Thanks. Going to replace my carb with a known working carb today - one of the forum members coming over today or tomorrow with it. Let us pray

Bill K

[eagle]

Sometimes a fuel issue turns out to be an electrical issue. I know you state that you checked for spark. However it may be worth your time to do a quick check on point gap. Over time the point block wears and then the points don't open enough. Will run but hard starting and missing coughing is what happens.

[William Kelchner]

Thanks Mitch and yep got a pencil filter.

[William Kelchner]

Originally Posted by eagle

Sometimes a fuel issue turns out to be an electrical issue. I know you state that you checked for spark. However it may be worth your time to do a quick check on point gap. Over time the point block wears and then the points don't open enough. Will run but hard starting and missing coughing is what happens.

Boy am I aware of most carb problems are electrical Would you believe today and the car put on its performance I again checked the points - I have spark 40 percent of the time I'll check that tomorrow, poor Zenith gets blamed for everything.

Bill K
.

[Benson]

New ignition points need to be re-adjusted several times after installing them.

One thing to remember about ignition points is that the rubbing block wears rapidly for the first 200 to 400 miles then it "work hardens" and wears less from then on.

How fast this happens has a lot to do about how smooth the dist cam rubbing surface is.

So it is necessary to check the gap several times right after they are installed to be sure that the gap has not closed up.

[William Kelchner]

Update - I quit the Model A has won!

[Mitch//pa]

Originally Posted by William Kelchner

Update - I quit the Model A has won!

How much u want for it
I'll tow it away for free

[DJ S]

Have you made any progress?

[bambooboy]

walk away from it for a few days

[William Kelchner]

I just tried out my rebuilt, flow tested, engine tested Zenith from one of our major suppliers and same scenario. Good gas flow, spark, points, voltage everywhere, starts nice, timing is good. Runs good for several minutes. I hung a wreath on the radiator and said a few words over it.

Bill K

[1crosscut]

William,
Pull your distributor and check the flexible wire under the top plate. It may be your trouble.
If it is going bad it will cause lack of power, coughing and back fire.

[William Kelchner]

When it dies or briefly running it is without fanfare, no backfire, missing, coughing, just a sigh.

[SeaSlugs]

could be that wire - its an easy check...

[Mitch//pa]

William
My offer always stands as mentioned in your other threads on this issue.
if you find a way to get it to me ill diagnose it for u.

[William Kelchner]

Originally Posted by Mitch//pa

William
My offer always stands as mentioned in your other threads on this issue.
if you find a way to get it to me ill diagnose it for u.

Thanks Mitch I'm going to give your offer some serious consideration. I've owned this A for a decade and have never enjoyed it.

Bill K

[Tom Wesenberg]

Originally Posted by William Kelchner

Boy am I aware of most carb problems are electrical Would you believe today and the car put on its performance I again checked the points - I have spark 40 percent of the time I'll check that tomorrow, poor Zenith gets blamed for everything.

Bill K
.

Never let a machine beat you. It took me some time to find the ignition problem on my 28, but one day I noticed the engine died at the slightest touch of the key. My repro ignition switch had poor contacts that were barely conducting only when the key was all the way to the right. It didn't have any detent to hold it all the way to the right (clockwise), so the small key fob rocking back and forth was enough to kill the engine.

Also make sure the terminal on the bottom of the top plate is bent upwards tight against the points nut. Mine wasn't when I first bought the car, and once in a while the spring would touch it and short out the ignition.

[1crosscut]

Originally Posted by William Kelchner

When it dies or briefly running it is without fanfare, no backfire, missing, coughing, just a sigh.

Okay. In your first post you said it acted up coughed and died.
Do you have a battery cut off switch? I had one of the green handled ones and it started to fail. Caused my truck to shut off without warning and then would mysteriously restart and run for a while. Got rid of it and all has been good for a looooong time. Cranks over faster too.

[William Kelchner]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Initially during the brief period when I had it on the road, (driving around the block) coughed and then I limped home (couple hundred yards). So from then on I started having the current problem. I've had three carbs on the car, it actually ran decent on a known working carb. Replaced it with my Zenith, prob resurfaced, put on the current Zenith I just received and identical results. Starts runs few minutes and dies, restart and it dies again. I can rev it up, idle, etc. No battery cut off switch. Thanks

Bill K

[Tom Wesenberg]

As soon as it starts to die pull the choke and see if it will run a bit longer.

If it does, then you have a fuel problem.

[William Kelchner]

Originally Posted by Tom Wesenberg

As soon as it starts to die pull the choke and see if it will run a bit longer.

If it does, then you have a fuel problem.

Think I tried that but I'm going to spend some more time on it this AM soon as it warms up..... the outside temp that is. Thanks


Bill K

[William Kelchner]

Fired up the car ran 3 times each time the run time got shorter, 3 mins down to not starting at all. Pulling the choke had no effect. Swapping out the dist this morn. Cheers


Bill K

[rosenkranswa]

Condenser or coil? With mine 9 chances out of 10 its the condenser.

[mshmodela]

Originally Posted by William Kelchner

Fired up the car ran 3 times each time the run time got shorter, 3 mins down to not starting at all. Pulling the choke had no effect. Swapping out the dist this morn. Cheers


Bill K

My newibe guess is since your runs got shorter, maybe something is being affected as it is being heated and as she warms it gets worse... if electrical.... Do you have a clear distributor cap available?.. You can see the spark and if it's electrical, a buddy can see the spark size and if it gets weaker...

[William Kelchner]

Well swapped out the dist with one Quigley gave me. Retimed the beast, fired it up and it is running great ! Starts great, idles great, wind it up, and it has not skipped a beat so far. My dist is a rebuilt one from one of the vendors with old style points. Its possible the capacitor went I haven't checked it out yet. Thanks for the inputs, cheers

Bill K

[Mitch//pa]

Wooohooo Want a job???

[Jacksonlll]

Some Barner said, a while ago, "90 % of all fuel problems are Ignition" I love that.

[Benson]

Originally Posted by William Kelchner

Well swapped out the dist with one Quigley gave me. Retimed the beast, fired it up and it is running great ! Starts great, idles great, wind it up, and it has not skipped a beat so far. My dist is a rebuilt one from one of the vendors with old style points. Its possible the capacitor went I haven't checked it out yet. Thanks for the inputs, cheers

Bill K

Which carb is installed now that it works ? ... just wondering

[William Kelchner]

Originally Posted by Jacksonlll

Some Barner said, a while ago, "90 % of all fuel problems are Ignition" I love that.

I KNOW I apologized to the Zenith.
cheers

Bill K

[William Kelchner]

Originally Posted by Benson

Which carb is installed now that it works ? ... just wondering

The carb I got from Bert's a few days ago.


Bill K

[Dutie]

Hello Bill, Figuring these old cars out sometime can be a PITA but your persistence has finally paid off. Since you have not pin pointed the problem as yet try checking the adjustable point block, mine was loose as a goose and just kept turning no matter how much I tried to tighten it. Would take it for a short ride for a little while and had to limp it home. BE PERSISTENT AND NEVER GIVE UP DUTIE

[Mitch//pa]

I thought you tried a distributor on your other thread a while ago..

[tbirdtbird]

ya did we not do much the same thing a few months back.....

a shame to hate a car for 10 yrs....possibly has never been set up properly
see Mitch

[Tom Wesenberg]

OK, now don't touch a thing.........especially the timing.

[William Kelchner]

Yep the dist has been in and out before. I have been chasing this problem for a long time or should I say futzing around with this problem for a long time. This is the first time both the carb and dist were changed out at the same time so was it the carb or the dist or both .... just going in circles... The dist in it now belongs to member Quigley and has to be returned. Sooooo will go through my rebuilt dist that was in the car and put it back in. I know you are cringing Tom W., me too. Hey thanks for all the inputs. Cheers

Bill K

[Quigley1930]

Yes the dizzy he has is my spare and I don't use the wire or flimsy thing between the plates. I use a brass acorn nut on the bottom of the points and have not had any problems. I know henry is probably turning over down there but I'm going

Sewall

[tbirdtbird]

Yikes

[Mitch//pa]

Originally Posted by Quigley1930

Yes the dizzy he has is my spare and I don't use the wire or flimsy thing between the plates. I use a brass acorn nut on the bottom of the points and have not had any problems. I know henry is probably turning over down there but I'm going

Sewall

Were turning over also,,, the wireless setup is not reliable and causes all kinds of intermittents which will throw more wrenches into williams driveability issues..crap on crap off is not the way to accomplish anything.
Thats a good reason why the car has had issues for a decade

[Quigley1930]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

I'm done. Stick a knife in me and turn me over

Sewalll