Any advice?

[abrosz]

Hello forum!

Newbie here. I inherited my grandfather's 1928 Ford Model A Tudor several years back. For the longest time I didn't have any problems driving it. In the past couple years I've really struggled with it running consistently. This weekend was a prime example. It starts right up without any problems and will run smoothly for 10-15 minutes. Then it starts to choke, sputter, knock and ultimately dies if I don't turn it off. I'm afraid to drive it too far from home for fear it dies away from home. If I let it set for a while it'll start and run fine again for a short while and then start to sputter.

For a while I thought it was a leaky carburetor and fuel lines. I had them replaced. The battery is brand new. For a while I was running the spark too retarded, but today with the spark level advanced all the way down it still started to sputter.

I have the gas adjustment valve open about 1/4 turn.

Can anyone help me troubleshoot this? Why would my A run perfectly for 15 minutes and then die? Could it be overheating? Bad spark plugs? Could the timing be off?

Any help or suggestions you all might have would be appreciated.

[Ordsgt]

It is hard too trouble shoot this way but had a similar situation with a friends and found the main jet clogged. I don't know where you are located but I am sure there is a model A guy fairly close that could help

[dansluck]

Before you tear into it. Run it again and when it starts to mess-up, turn it off and feel the coil to see if it is hot. change the condenser and check points. I usually do a quick check on the electrical first. Good Luck!

Dan
Nevada

[1crosscut]

Check your points gap. If you haven't adjusted them the rubbing block has probably worn down and the points may be too close together.

[bruceincam]

Another quick thing to check for is a plugged vent in the gas cap. Your symptoms are often typical for a plugged vent. Next time it starts to stumble, hop out and loosen the cap up and see if the problem goes away. Alternatively, loosen the cap and run it that way for your 10-15 minutes and see if the problem develops.

[wwirz]

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Check the point gap. If that does not clear it up, I would change the condenser.

[Chris in WNC]

Swap carburetors with a car that consistently runs well, see if that makes a difference.
That way you can determine if your carb is the problem or not.
If it is, I recommend a rebuilt unit from Bert's in Denver.
They solved my carburetor problems on a troublesome engine a few years ago......

[bavArian]

Do the easy tests first:


- check if the coil is getting hot
- check with an open fuel line if you have enough flow from tank to carb
- check if you have a vacuum leak on the intake (probably only useful when its hot as it seems to runs fine cold)


If it dies, will it start right up? If no it shouldn't be a jet-issue. Test it again without the fuel cap, same behavior?


Can you drive the car around or can you only let it idle? How do you set the GAV?

[Richard in Anaheim CA]

Welcome to the Model A hobby. You will think of your grandpa every time you drive it No, not the problems. You will get those fixed.

You didn't mention where live. Someone near you could possibly mentor you to fix these very common problems. Search the internet for the two national clubs MAFCA and MARC. Check their sites for local chapters and join one near you.

The idea of removing your gas cap after it stalls and see if will run around the block a few times without the cap is good. Points close up and bad condensers are common and playing with the spark adjustment is always a good idea to feel the difference. it is far than just full retard or full advance. Draining all the gas and replacing a gallon of fresh gas is a good step. ignition switches can go bad. Make sure you don't have a vacuum leak at the carburetor or manifold.

We all have these problems and we fix them one by one until pretty soon there are no more problems. Keep in touch with your new friends here on Ford barn

Richard
Anaheim CA

[burner31]

First off...Welcome to the Ford Barn
Post 5 would be a good place to start
But my advice...Before you start changing out/replacing parts try to pin point the problem as best possible, always start with the simple things first and progress up.
For an example...Plugged fuel cap vent (quite common, easy fix)
You also asked: Could it be overheating? - I can't answer that, but you can...is it
Bad spark plugs? - Pull them out and check/clean them up, re-gap
Could the timing be off? - Could be, when was the last time you set the timing, or changed/checked the points
These cars like being worked on/maintained just as much or more as being driven, seeing how your car is 94 years old it will get a little cranky if you don't give it the attention it wants, your car will let you know this by choking, sputtering, knocking and ultimately leaving you on the side of the road.
Please let us know what you find...we all love to help

[nkaminar]

Abrosz, Don't forget to report back on how you fixed the problem.

[bob from red oak]

only move the spark lever to the middle, not all the way down

[ronn]

empty the gas tank into a 5 gallon bucket and put in fresh gas.........

if rubbish comes out, install a pencil filter in the tank.

[WHN]

I have had similar problems in the past.

I would clean carburetor, install filter, check vent in gas cap, and finally make sure your running the correct spark plugs. Pull them out and see how they look.

I think your problem is fuel related.

Enjoy,

[Conaway2]

If none of the previous suggestions have corrected the issue, check the ignition wiring. Common problem areas are:
- wire pigtail between upper and lower distributor plates frayed and shorting out
- wire inside armored cable (if present) shorting out due to disintegrated insulation
- terminal nuts inside the terminal box are loose
- loose wire nuts on back of ammeter
- loose wires on ignition switch, or switch is intermittent

Good luck and pls let us know what the problem turns out to be !
Jim

[Conaway2]

Forgot to add two other places to check for loose wiring connections:
- two coil wire connections - nuts can be loose
- loose connection to points under upper distributor plate

Jim

[31Tudor]

I too would avoid just starting to switch out parts. Like mentioned previously, tighten all wire connections, adjust the points, clean out the carburetor, blowing out passages with air. I would run at least two gallons of gas through through the filter/ gas line where it is flowing out at the end of the gas line. Watch the fuel flow the whole time to see if it is a full constant flow. It it isn't you have some clogging issues. When running, you may need to turn the GAV a little more open and see if that helps.

[DHZIEMAN]

It is either gas flow consistency or spark consistency! There is no mention of the gas tank being cleaned and 'rust sealed" This is one of those issues that allows the engine to start right up, run for a while and then when tank rust covers the fuel hole in the tank, the engine starves and eventually dies! With the engine turned off, rust particles settle, you restart the engine and the problem repeats itself. There are solutions involving a filter in the tank, on the gas petcock, and also a mechanics trick of adding a small standpipe in the petcock so that gas and rust are not drawn from the bottom of the tank. And the other top possibility already mentioned is the coil breaking down. Hope this helps

[Randy in ca]

Originally Posted by bruceincam

Another quick thing to check for is a plugged vent in the gas cap. Your symptoms are often typical for a plugged vent. Next time it starts to stumble, hop out and loosen the cap up and see if the problem goes away. Alternatively, loosen the cap and run it that way for your 10-15 minutes and see if the problem develops.

-
My first thought too. Quick and easy to check before things get involved.

[Doug Linden]

I had a similar problem where the A would run fine then start to run very poorly. Shut it off for a while and it would run fine for a short. Very frustrating.
Turned out to be a bad ammeter. The terminals were melted because of the bad connections. A new ammeter solved the problem.
When you have this happen the next time, your can put a jumper wire across the two junction box terminals, this will bypass the ammeter and may (hopefully) clear up the problem. Good luck.