Need help diagnosing sound from start up.

[Timberview]

I tried to start the model a finally after having spent the past month or two trying to make sure it was ready to wake from its 15-20 year slumber. It sound like it was going to start when it made a noise that I have not heard before. Granted I am new to model a and don’t have a lot of experience being around them. Most of my knowledge has come from reading here and watching videos.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/00a9...ZvW32ieT3qc-6w

Any insight would be greatly appreciated!

[Marshall V. Daut]

If you mean that growling, metallic ringing sound after the engine died, it's the starter's Bendix drive. Completely normal sound after an unsuccessful engine start. I heard nothing else of any import. Did you try to start the engine again?

Marshall

[Timberview]

You have no idea how glad I am to hear that! I did not try to start again. I wanted to make sure I wasn’t going to break something or do any damage. Unfortunately, I am out of town for the weekend.

[goodcar]

Originally Posted by Timberview

You have no idea how glad I am to hear that! I did not try to start again. I wanted to make sure I wasn’t going to break something or do any damage. Unfortunately, I am out of town for the weekend.

Hard to tell with only a short starter run. Don't know what you have done getting it ready to start. Sounds like it is laboring. I would check the timing, battery cable connections at the battery, starter and ground. Maybe pull the plugs and spin it a few times to loosen things up. I assume new oil. Nice looking car.

[Big hammer]

Marshall nailed it ! Go give another try ! Good luck on waking it up !

[Timberview]

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Originally Posted by goodcar

Hard to tell with only a short starter run. Don't know what you have done getting it ready to start. Sounds like it is laboring. I would check the timing, battery cable connections at the battery, starter and ground. Maybe pull the plugs and spin it a few times to loosen things up. I assume new oil. Nice looking car.

Sorry for the long post. In a way, I just wanted to get in writing what I have done so far to be able to reference if needed.

It sat with an empty fuel tank and radiator. I started with the radiator and did a a back flush. Despite quite a bit of rust at the bottom of the pipe between the radiator and motor, the rest was clean. I moved on to the motor and drained the oil.

It wasn’t turning by hand when I first started working on it. I pulled the spark plugs and pour a little MMO in each and tried turning it after a few days. It still didn’t move so I pulled the starter as I read that can often be preventing the engine from turning.

I also dropped the pan and cleaned it out. With the pan dropped, I was amazed how clean the inside was. It had obviously had been rebuilt and looked spotless. It was so spotless I tried to give it a little more MMO and kept trying to get it to loosen a couple times a day over a few days.

After talking to the fleet mechanic where I used to work, I was getting ready to try diesel to free it up. Right when I went out to the garage, I spotted a crow bar off to the side and decided to try using it to pry on the flywheel. Right away I got a little movement, though it was still tight. I opted to forego using diesel and poured a little more MMO in it instead to sit while moving on to other areas.

I replaced the ignition switch (lost key and was a repo), put the starter back on, reconnected the radiator hoses, and swapped the battery. Something was blowing a fuse right when the battery was connected. Checked wiring in the instrument panel, but everything there checked out fine. Traced the sort to the negative side of the starter. Turns out the bolt was touching the body of the starter. Try to make sure it was working by checking the horn. No ahooga from the horn but I heard something. Tried the lights and they worked for a second and went out. I think it might just be the bulb.

I checked the timing and it seams to be close, but might need to be adjusted.

I was going to add a pencil filter in the gas tank, but couldn’t figure out how to get the valve off without messing it up. I filled it with a gallon of gas to check for any leaks in the fuel line and make sure it was clean. All good there.

On Thursday, I filled the radiator and there was a little leak by the bottom hose. Thought it was just the clamp but after messing with it more, it was apparent that it wasn’t leaking from the hose. There is a small hole in the pipe. Two actually. I ordered a new one then wrapped tape and a hose clamp around it for now.

With the leak stopped, I pushed the Model A out the garage. When I opened the fuel line and discovered that there was fuel coming from the carburetor. I shut it and decided to give it a shot at starting. That was the the video. By that point it was late and I decided to call it a night.

Yesterday, I read that the float can get stuck after sitting and a good tap on the carb can fix it. That’s what I did and open the fuel line again and there was no leaking.

Next step will be to try starting again and revisit the timing. After that will be the lights and horn, drain and fill all fluids, hit all the grease points, and check breaks.

My plan is to just enjoy driving it at least for the next two years.

[Benson]

In video I hear small backfire and see fuel vapor.


When you attempted to start did you retard spark lever first?

[Dino's A]

Did I read it right? After sitting for 15-20 years?
I assume you went through the fuel system, cleaned
all grounds, checked points, radiator, changed oil and so on?

Just checking-

[Timberview]

Originally Posted by Dino's A

Did I read it right? After sitting for 15-20 years?
I assume you went through the fuel system, cleaned
all grounds, checked points, radiator, changed oil and so on?

Just checking-

Yup. I have gone over all those.

[Timberview]

Originally Posted by Benson

In video I hear small backfire and see fuel vapor.

When you attempted to start did you retard spark lever first?

I did. I think I might need to try to retime it, though.

[katy]

Originally Posted by Timberview

Try to make sure it was working by checking the horn. No ahooga from the horn but I heard something. Tried the lights and they worked for a second and went out. I think it might just be the bulb.

Sounds like a ground connection problem.

[goodcar]

Originally Posted by katy

Sounds like a ground connection problem.

I would agree. Timberview seems to have done most of the right things, but no mention of checking the spark. He needs to flick the points and make sure there is a 1/4-to-3/8-inch white/blue spark out of the coil. Then make sure there is the same spark from a plug wire to ground when cranking, and then pull a plug and check there. If there isn't a good spark when cranking the starter is dropping the voltage too much which would indicate poor battery and ground connections. They need to be cleaned and tightened. I also wouldn't trust the braided cable to frame connection, especially with the car setting so long. I had that problem with my car even though it had been starting ok. I ran a new cable directly from the battery to the engine block.

[Greg Jones]

Goodcar you mention an important item: the braided ground cable. I worked on a car recently that we were scratching our heads on why it wouldn't turn over, let alone start. Finally replaced the braided cable and it fired right up. Apparently the strands in a braded cable oxide and built up resistance, and I would not be surprised if this is at least a contributing issue after 15-20 years of sitting. Of course this assumes he has a braided ground cable.

[1crosscut]

You mentioned that the lights came on for a short time then went out.
Are you using a 6 volt battery or a 12 volt battery?
If you've installed a 12 volt battery and they are 6 volt bulbs they won't last long.