Go Back   The Ford Barn > General Discussion > Early V8 (1932-53)

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 11-29-2020, 03:47 PM   #1
rbassemir
Member
 
rbassemir's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Austin, Texas
Posts: 39
Default My 1935 Convertible Sedan died on the road

Hey folks,
I had my 35 out on the road last week and it was running fine though this was only the second time I had it out on the road for more than 20 miles.

I was doing about 45 mph when it acted like it was running out of gas. The engine sputtered and quit. I was able to roll off the road but was not able to get it to start again. I'd get a little sputter, but it would not run. I could see gas in the glass bowl feeding the fuel pump. My gas gauge showed more than a half a tank of gas. I got it towed home.

Now that it is home I finally got around to looking into the problem. I was thinking it might be the fuel pump.

The 35 started and ran fine for about 4 minutes then sputtered again like it ran out of gas. While it was running I noticed what I would call air being injected into the glass bulb. Maybe every 3 seconds or so. It did not appear to change with a change in the idle speed. I never noticed this before and I am wondering if it is normal or an indication of my problem.

I tried to upload a video but the upload attempt fails. Alternatively I put the 11 sec video on youtube. The sound is terrible, but you can see the behavior I am seeing.

https://youtu.be/sk_y4KU-NdA

Anyone have a suggestion / comment?
__________________
Rich
rbassemir is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-29-2020, 03:59 PM   #2
Mart
Senior Member
 
Mart's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Solihull, England.
Posts: 8,732
Default Re: My 1935 Convertible Sedan died on the road

On the one hand an easy test is to see if loosening or removing the gas cap makes a difference.

The air being sucked in might indicate a leak in the fuel feed pipe. it is sucking air in rather than fuel.

I had a cracked fuel line on my T-Bird, near the tank, up high. I saw air being sucked in like that and it stopped running.

Have a look in those areas.

Mart.
Mart is offline   Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)
Old 11-29-2020, 04:11 PM   #3
petehoovie
Senior Member
 
petehoovie's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 7,924
Default Re: My 1935 Convertible Sedan died on the road

Suspect the gasket on the "glass bulb" on the fuel pump. Ideally, it is a cork gasket. Also, the coil or condenser should be held suspect....
__________________
The only thing nice about being imperfect is the joy it brings to others....

"Silver rings, your butt! Them's washers!"
"We shot our way out of that town for a dollar's worth of steel holes!" - from 'The Wild Bunch' - 1969

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NReUd2_0u0
petehoovie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-29-2020, 05:00 PM   #4
Lawson Cox
Senior Member
 
Lawson Cox's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Above the gnat line in Georgia
Posts: 7,009
Default Re: My 1935 Convertible Sedan died on the road

Most fuel problems are electrical. Check the coil and condenser.
__________________
Life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer to the end, the faster it goes.

It is better to be seen, than viewed.

"We sleep safe in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm".
Lawson Cox is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-29-2020, 05:07 PM   #5
KiWinUS
Senior Member
 
KiWinUS's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Charlotte NC KiWi-L100 available here
Posts: 2,945
Default Re: My 1935 Convertible Sedan died on the road

All great suggestions so far. Also check gasket on fuel pump top cap. Sometimes they shrink cap sits on fitting boss allowing to suck air. File cap for fitting boss clearance. Or use thick/two gaskets.
KiWinUS is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-29-2020, 05:30 PM   #6
Jembow
Senior Member
 
Jembow's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Spalding, United Kingdom
Posts: 306
Default Re: My 1935 Convertible Sedan died on the road

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)
My 35 coupe suffered fuel vapourising because the original routing of the fuel line ran very near the exhaust. The gas coming into the fuel pump should be cold, on a summer day mine was lukewarm. Rerouted the fuel line, problem solved.
Jembow is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-29-2020, 06:05 PM   #7
Blastfromthepast
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2017
Location: NY
Posts: 318
Default Re: My 1935 Convertible Sedan died on the road

It might be the fuel pump itself. The inner diaphragm might be sucking air
and blowing back into the glass bowl. Just I thought
Blastfromthepast is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-29-2020, 07:17 PM   #8
VeryTangled
Senior Member
 
VeryTangled's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: (Not far enough...) Outside of DC
Posts: 3,386
Default Re: My 1935 Convertible Sedan died on the road

Hi Everyone. Excellent thoughts.

Rich, The flex hose from firewall/hardline to fuel pump inlet is a possible air source and isn't as difficult/expensive to exchange as some of the related bits. Is it old and brittle and kinked?
__________________
-Jeff H

Have you thought about supporting the Early Ford V-8 Foundation Museum?
VeryTangled is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-29-2020, 07:55 PM   #9
Bullshark
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: St. Charles, Missouri
Posts: 29
Default Re: My 1935 Convertible Sedan died on the road

Awhile back I too was tooling down the highway in my 35 coupe when it sputtered and shot craps on the side of the road. Had to summon my trailer and and tow it home. This is what I found to be the problem.

Bullshark is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-29-2020, 09:15 PM   #10
Lawson Cox
Senior Member
 
Lawson Cox's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Above the gnat line in Georgia
Posts: 7,009
Default Re: My 1935 Convertible Sedan died on the road

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bullshark View Post
Awhile back I too was tooling down the highway in my 35 coupe when it sputtered and shot craps on the side of the road. Had to summon my trailer and and tow it home. This is what I found to be the problem.

"This" means what? Whose comment are you alluding to with the "this" comment?
__________________
Life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer to the end, the faster it goes.

It is better to be seen, than viewed.

"We sleep safe in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm".
Lawson Cox is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-29-2020, 09:37 PM   #11
50fordcoupeman
Senior Member
 
50fordcoupeman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: LaGrande Oregon
Posts: 865
Default Re: My 1935 Convertible Sedan died on the road

Quote:
Originally Posted by Lawson Cox View Post
Most fuel problems are electrical. Check the coil and condenser.
Thought mine was fuel but like you said, it turned out to be the coil on two different engines.
50fordcoupeman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-29-2020, 11:03 PM   #12
rbassemir
Member
 
rbassemir's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Austin, Texas
Posts: 39
Default Re: My 1935 Convertible Sedan died on the road

Thanks for the suggestions folks, I have some checking to do.

I do have a short rubber fuel line just prior to the glass bowl. The hose clamps were not tight. I tighten them up but could not get the car started again. So I don't yet know if that was where air was coming from.

Initially I did not think it was the coil or condenser, but based on repeated comments I will look into those items.

Which makes me think, sucking a little air from one of the suggested areas, would not cause the car to stop running, would it?? I mean there is still gas in the glass bowl (so I would think there will be gas in the carb?). If that is the case, the condenser and coil failing to generate a spark is a more likely cause to my stall.
__________________
Rich
rbassemir is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-29-2020, 11:57 PM   #13
Bullshark
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: St. Charles, Missouri
Posts: 29
Default Re: My 1935 Convertible Sedan died on the road

Quote:
Originally Posted by Lawson Cox View Post
"This" means what? Whose comment are you alluding to with the "this" comment?
"This" means check the condenser, It can be a problem!. As to who it was alluding to, was the OP....... as well as yours!
Bullshark is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-30-2020, 06:57 PM   #14
VeryTangled
Senior Member
 
VeryTangled's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: (Not far enough...) Outside of DC
Posts: 3,386
Default Re: My 1935 Convertible Sedan died on the road

Hi Rich, That fuel pump with a glass bowl is certainly nice, and I've used them with success, but the real deal for '35 has no glass bowl/filter between the hard line on the cowl and the fuel pump inlet. The original hose didn't have hose clamps either. In my experience this fuel hose is either easy as pie or hard as nails to get on/off without leaks. Hope you have pie! But thinking maybe someone before you had nails.

See an example of the designed operation here with maximum appreciation to VanPeltSales.com for hosting the diagram!

Keep hunting the air leak (if you've got one) is my bet right now. That is, as long as you're not on the track of a spark issue which is just as possible.

The perished gasket on the glass bowl is another prime suspect for sucking air. petehoovie threw that out in post #3. I got some pump top gaskets (Tony-KiWinUS nailed that one), and glass bowl gaskets from CharlieNY, if I recall correctly.

Attached Images
File Type: jpg Capture.jpg (54.9 KB, 151 views)
__________________
-Jeff H

Have you thought about supporting the Early Ford V-8 Foundation Museum?

Last edited by VeryTangled; 11-30-2020 at 07:09 PM.
VeryTangled is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-30-2020, 07:18 PM   #15
tubman
Senior Member
 
tubman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Minnesota, Florida Keys
Posts: 10,259
Default Re: My 1935 Convertible Sedan died on the road

If you "have a short rubber fuel line just prior to the glass bowl" and "the hose clamps were not tight", you don't have the proper flex hose. Do yourself a favor and get the proper part. Even if this is not the problem, you will be glad you did.
tubman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-01-2020, 11:16 AM   #16
Automotive Stud
Senior Member
 
Automotive Stud's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 831
Default Re: My 1935 Convertible Sedan died on the road

After it does it again, spray some carburetor cleaner or dribble some gas down the carb and see if it refires. If it does you know it's a fuel problem.
Automotive Stud is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-01-2020, 11:48 AM   #17
rbassemir
Member
 
rbassemir's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Austin, Texas
Posts: 39
Default Re: My 1935 Convertible Sedan died on the road

Folks,
Great suggestions. I'm away from the Ford right now but I will follow up and report back once I am back with the Ford.

Thanks for the posts.
__________________
Rich
rbassemir is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 06:08 AM.