Carburetor issues

Topics Last Day Last Week Tree View    Getting Started Formatting Troubleshooting Program Credits    New Messages Keyword Search Contact Moderators Edit Profile Administration
Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2012: Carburetor issues
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jim Baker on Friday, May 11, 2012 - 05:19 pm:

Hi, I have a car that I can't quite get running right. It's a 1915 that I have been running with a Holley NH which I believe was used on the later model cars. It was rebuilt a few years ago by a gentleman who is no longer with us. The car will run great for a while, then all of the sudden when I am driving at a higher speed, 35mph or more it will sputter, stop running and won't start. I'll take it off dry out all the fuel in it, spray carburetor cleaner in it, then it will run okay for a while then suddenly with no warning do it again. I also have a Brass Holley Carburetor, with 3 screws on the top of it and a date stamp of 1914. I'll switch the carburetors (sometimes on the side of the road when the car dies), The car will run okay with the Brass 1914 Holley but it won't go as fast. Using GPS to determine speed, the most I will get out of it is about 30 mph. When the other carburetor was working good, I could get 42+ mph depending on the road conditions. Does anyone have any suggestions for making the NH run right or get more speed out the Brass one? I've tried very slowly adjusting the mixture while running and driving on the brass one but I just cant get very good performance out of it. If it werent for the fact that every so often you get on a busy road, I would drive 30 mph but sometimes at the very minimum you need to go at least 35. Thank you!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Harold Schwendeman - Sumner,WA on Friday, May 11, 2012 - 05:32 pm:

Jim - Are you using some sort of in-line fuel filter? If so, that could be the problem. There are fuel filters and sediment bowls with just a very fine screen, which in my opinion is sufficient and takes out anything that won't pass through the carburetor jets/orfices. An in-line fuel filter with a paper filter element can cause problems though. Just a thought,......harold


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Norman T. Kling on Friday, May 11, 2012 - 05:32 pm:

Where did you get the NH? Was it rebuilt by you or someone else? One problem with some of the carburetors which have been rebuilt is a Gross Jet which replaces the float needle. I had one NH on a 22 that did the same thing. Then I removed the gross jet and installed a needle and seat, and have had no more problems.
Norm


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jim Baker on Friday, May 11, 2012 - 06:45 pm:

No inline filter, the brass 1914 Holley Carburetor works, just not as good as the NH, when it is performing. So there is plenty of fuel flowing, gets all over me when I change the carb. I did not rebuild it. An older gentleman did, who was an experienced Model T guy. Unfortunately he has passed. I'm not sure what the gross jet is. I did remove the float bowl to look for dirt and spray cleaner into the various passages.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By mike conrad on Friday, May 11, 2012 - 07:17 pm:

Been there. start by cleaning the fuel tank, take it out if you need to. no short cuts here. if its not perfectly clean take it to a radiator shop they can clean it for you. after it's clean. Take the carb off the car and Clean the carb again. Yes, I know the fuel line has flow but that does not mean the fuel is going thru you needle valve as good as it should. I know this may sound like a lot of work and sometimes it is but if there is any sedament or rust scale it your tank this problem will haunt you and make your car very unreliable.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ted Dumas on Friday, May 11, 2012 - 07:20 pm:

A Grose jet is a little ball in a brass housing that replaces the standard steel needle and brass seat. They are prone to getting blocked with crud that would pass thru a standard needle and seat. It could give you the symptoms that you have.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Charlie B actually in Toms River N.J. on Friday, May 11, 2012 - 07:30 pm:

The former carb works the NH has problems. Good fuel flow/no in-line filter. You have a carb problem. If you don't know what to look for get some help. Post pictures or talk to a local club. Really sounds like a sticking inlet valve in the NH.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Royce in Dallas TX on Friday, May 11, 2012 - 08:22 pm:

Sure sounds like someone installed a Grose Jet instead of a needle / seat. Easy to fix. Just get one of these:


http://www.modeltford.com/item/6212OR.aspx


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Vince M on Friday, May 11, 2012 - 09:18 pm:

Try cleaning out the fuel line. Run a stiff wire through it. My car did the same thing you describe when i first bought it. Lots of black sediment in the line that would randomly slow or stop the flow.

Vince m


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Steve Tomaso - Milton,WA on Friday, May 11, 2012 - 10:22 pm:

I gotta agree with Royce here - some of the earlier Gross jets just suck - change it out !
Sounds like fuel starvation.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Royce in Dallas TX on Saturday, May 12, 2012 - 12:35 am:

The new Grose jets are a big problem. I don't know if they ever were any good, but the ones you can buy right now don't work. I don't know what you mean by earlier Grose Jets Steve.

I regularly have to replace the Grose jets with needle / seat assemblies in carburetors rebuilt by other people to get them to work.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Terry Woods, Katy, Texas on Saturday, May 12, 2012 - 12:38 am:

Jim, I know people will tell you that a three screw Holley, classified as a puddle type carb, won't run as fast as a later NH, but my Dad and I had one on a heavy 27 coupe with a stock motor but with 3 to 1 gears in the rear axle, and it would go like stink. I'd outrun some cars with an NH. Oh, the only other modification the car had was a late 13-14 iron intake manifold.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dan Hatch on Saturday, May 12, 2012 - 06:10 am:

Are you running a hot air pipe? Dan


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dave Huson, Berthoud, Co. on Saturday, May 12, 2012 - 08:58 am:

Many years ago when they were first advertised for Ts I bought a dozen of them. It didn't take long to quit using them. I still have some of them sitting in my carburetor cabinet.

A398a


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Steve Tomaso - Milton,WA on Saturday, May 12, 2012 - 09:54 am:

Royce - I'm referring to the Gross jets that came out years ago. It seems they don't like the newer fuel additives or something, but tend to have "sticky ball" problems. I have not heard of the "newer" style being problematic. I also have not heard of the sticking issue on '26-'27's with the tank in the cowl compared to the frame mounted tank - I'm assuming in part to more head pressure indicative of the higher mounting of the cowl tank.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Royce in Dallas TX on Saturday, May 12, 2012 - 10:22 am:

I just changed one out on a 1927 roadster belonging to a local T hobbyist because it wouldn't work. The carburetor was freshly rebuilt and has a "P" stamped on the machined surface that mates to the intake manifold.

Last month I changed one out on a 1914 touring belonging to another gentleman. The carburetor also has a "P" stamped on the machined surface.

Unless this fellow has a large stock of these things made years ago I would suspect they are current ones.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jim Baker on Tuesday, May 15, 2012 - 07:23 pm:

I think I fixed it! I took the bowl off the bottom of the carburetor, carefully removed the hinged brass ring and pulled out a triangular brass pin with a needle point on the end of it (grose jet?) that was down in a cylinder fitting into the carburetor body. It took brass cleaner to the float ring and to the brass pin, I then sprayed carb cleaner into the cylinder and into the hole that is opposite of the fuel mix adjustment. I put it all back together and drove the car about 20 miles and it now seems to run great with no issues. Thank you for all of your input.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Steve Jelf, Parkerfield KS on Tuesday, May 15, 2012 - 07:40 pm:

Jim, the float valve you describe isn't a grose jet. It's the regular stock valve. I doubt that cleaning the brass had any effect beyond aesthetics, but the carb cleaner probably removed some obstruction. You would probably find the MTFCA carburetor book helpful. The NH is a pretty simple thing to deal with, and some of the handy hints in the book will make it even easier.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bud Holzschuh - Panama City, FL on Tuesday, May 15, 2012 - 07:48 pm:

Also check the needle valve and seat. I have seen them wear and stick shut.

Cheers
schuh


Posting is currently disabled in this topic. Contact your discussion moderator for more information.
Topics Last Day Last Week Tree View    Getting Started Formatting Troubleshooting Program Credits    New Messages Keyword Search Contact Moderators Edit Profile Administration