Won't start??

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Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2005: Won't start??
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Matthew Pizzi on Monday, May 21, 2007 - 05:54 pm:

Ok. Maybe someone could shed some light.

I got my T in (looks great), but she doesn't run. I live in CT and George King (if you know him) helped me for four hours with no luck.

Here's what's happening. Push the start button, you here rum, rum, rum, rum - but she never fully starts.

Here's what we checked out:

-New battery
-Fuel seems to be flowing ok, drained the carb looks good.
-Checked the coils - fine
-Replaced the timer
-Spark Plus getting a spark

Any guesses or suggestions as to what check next? The car (so I'm told) was running fine before it got to me.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John Sizemore on Monday, May 21, 2007 - 06:27 pm:

Matthew
If all else is fine, Then it sounds like the mixture on the carb is off
The knob on the dash turn all the way in (Carefully not to mess up the needle vale on the end)and then out 1&1/2 turns outs out it should get the mixture in the ball park. After is fires turn it until you find its sweet spot when it smooths out. It will be turned either way to find the sweet spot (small increments).
JS


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ernest R. Spittler on Monday, May 21, 2007 - 07:39 pm:

Matt.
Do the headlights work? If not I would guess that there is an inline fuse that is blown. A blown fuse will still allow the starter to turn the engine over but there will be no spark. Have you removed the plugs and set them on the head with the plug wires attached and turned the key to battery and hand cranked the engine to see if the plugs fired? If you have spark to the plugs then you have a fuel issue


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Matthew Pizzi on Monday, May 21, 2007 - 07:45 pm:

Hey Ernest..actually the headlights don't work. They did a couple of times, but I get them to turn on anymore. I was going to replace that swicth...but what is the inline fuse? Where is it? and how do I change it?

Thanks!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ben Cochran on Monday, May 21, 2007 - 07:57 pm:

Matthew,
I have always found that if a internal combustion engine has spark and gas it will normally run, although perhaps not well. Compression, timing , fuel to air mixture or gasket problems making them inhale or exhale improperly must all be looked at. I wonder if you might have more than one stuck valve and the fuel mixtures is not getting to the cylinder or cylinders. Since you say the plugs are getting spark, I would be tempted to put a little gas in each cylinder through the spark plug hole and just see if it at least fired when cranked.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ernest R. Spittler on Monday, May 21, 2007 - 08:06 pm:

Matt,
I wire an in-line fuse on my T's down at the starter button terminals. Look around there. Normally I use a 30 amp fuse. If you say your headlights worked but don't work now it could be a bad switch or possibly someone wired in a fuse that no long works. Again look under the car around the started switch where the battery cable attaches to one post and the other post has a cab le running up to the starter itself.
Ernie


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Steve Tomaso on Monday, May 21, 2007 - 10:27 pm:

Double check the connections on the bottom of the starter switch also to make sure the yellow hot wire is on the battery terminal side of the starter switch and NOT connected to the starter cable side of the switch. The engine will run as long as you have the starter switch depressed if the yellow hot wire is hooked up there.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By David Carter on Monday, May 21, 2007 - 10:36 pm:

It might still be in the timer. I would double check the wireing. I had 2 screws come loose behind the switch and the lights would not work and it would cut-out and miss occasionally when I hit a bump in the road. On accident, I found the wires and I tightened them up and I haven't had a problem since. But in your case, a wire might have come completely loose.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bob Shirley on Tuesday, May 22, 2007 - 06:25 am:

Pull a plug, is it wet or dry? If wet you are getting too much gas or no spark or if it is real black and wet there is too much carbon on the plugs- the electricty is flowing through the carbon and not jumping the gap. Do the coils sing? If not clean the timer and ALL conections. now that you have had the #$%### shocked out of you at least once and all the coils sing when you turn the cank, check to make sure the fireing order is correct.Probably want to ease that crank anound with your foot- might save a borken arm. If the plugs are dry you just got to get some gas to AND THROUGH the carb. Good Luck and call my cell @ 903 824 1949 if I can help.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jerry VanOoteghem on Tuesday, May 22, 2007 - 02:07 pm:

Matthew,

It kind of sounds like this car has never run for you? Since you didn't mention the year of your car, I'm wondering if you have one of the earlier camshafts where the pin hole for the timer rotor is drilled through. I'm talking about the hole that the timer locating pin fits into. Earlier cams had this hole drilled through giving you two possible locations for the timer rotor. One of those locations will allow the car to run, the other will not. Check to see if you're firing at top dead center on the COMPRESSION stroke.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John Sizemore on Tuesday, May 22, 2007 - 03:10 pm:

I believe Matthew has a 26 coupe
JS


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tom Lawthers on Tuesday, May 22, 2007 - 04:00 pm:

These items may seem obvious, however, when I got my first T, I overlooked some of these simple things.

How old is the gas? If unknown, put some new gas in. Gas can go bad in less than 30 days.

Are you getting fuel to the engine? Like others mentioned above, you need spark and fuel.

Are you trying to start on battery, or magneto? If the mag is dead, it will never fire in mag position, try the battery key position for your first attempts.

Set the timing.

Good luck, and by all means have fun.

Tom L
26 Touring


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tom Lawthers on Tuesday, May 22, 2007 - 04:02 pm:

Matthew,

One other thing, if you changed the timer, by all means reset the timing.

What type of timer are you now using?

Tom L


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