Most common previous Model T mechanical mistakes

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Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2013: Most common previous Model T mechanical mistakes
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By David M.Saleh on Tuesday, August 06, 2013 - 10:01 am:

I'm curious as to what others come across in gross repeated model T miss mechanictry..Cars that ususally have been repaired or restored from the fifties till this very day.By fly by nights,back yarders and even so called restores.
Some of my more than once sene lists starts with,
Front axle in backwards(or perchs wrong side)on rebuilt car.
loose front wheel bearings old grease(Restored)
Bands to tight and bands badly out of shape.Bad lining job.
Way Off ignition timing,
I wont's mention coils!
No cotter pins.
spilt lock washers in engine
Restored 1950s ,No grease ever in U-Joint DRY!
A Restored chassis with worn through shackles
" " " with striped wishbone nuts at front axle, nail holding nuts on!
Valves ground deep in block on older shop rebuild.
All over wide lop sided valves seats.shop rebuilt.
timing case cover way off center.
Bent rebabbitted rods installed in engine
Over use of silicone sealer in engine.
Broken magnets in rebuilt engine.
Cracked drums in rebuilt engine.
Steering shot restored car.
Rebuilt car no thrusts washers in rear axle.
Scary to think !


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bob Scherzer on Tuesday, August 06, 2013 - 10:12 am:

Removing the starter before removing the Bendix gear first.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dennis Halpin on Tuesday, August 06, 2013 - 10:33 am:

Yup Bob. That can be a really expensive mistake.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jim Patrick on Tuesday, August 06, 2013 - 10:55 am:

Being in a hurry to install gaskets, instead of doing it in well thought out steps, misaligning gaskets, ripping gaskets, allowing gasket sealer to set up before assembly and failing to align the engine components properly before tightening down the bolts.

Proper engine assembly is one of the most improtant procedures in ensuring a leak free engine but little attention is paid to it.

Failing to properly shim the magneto in order attain the proper gap between the coil and magnets. Failing at this can and has had catastophic results.

Mounting the timer 180 degrees off resulting in a confusing period of wondering why the durn thing won't start.

Using a wiring diagram other than Ron Patterson's, resulting in improper wiring.

Installing a magneto with damaged insulation instead of sending it off to be rebuilt.

Trying to adjust the coils yourself instead of sending them to Ron or some other qualified coil technician for proper adjustment.

Wrong gap on spark plugs

Copper tubing on fuel line which can result in stress cracks over time. Should be steel for safety.

Routing fuel line too near to exhaust pipe.

Routing fuel line below carburetor.

Failure to properly tighten exhaust pipe packing nut and securing.

Failure to install hot air pipe on air intake manifold. It does work and is needed.

Failure to use glands and ring gaskets when installing exhaust manifold. Do not use the flat asbestos manifold gaskets as they will cause the exhaust manifold to slip and warp.

Installing a warped exhaust manifold.

Failure to pack transmission full of rags to prevent dropping small parts in transmission opening including key which should be removed from the ignition before commencing work

Jim Patrick


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Erik Barrett on Tuesday, August 06, 2013 - 11:28 am:

Installing front spindles on the wrong side.
Forgetting the oil line in the engine.
Putting the ring gear on the wrong side.
Installing the detachable band ear on the wrong side when doing the job with the cover off.
Installing the starter ring gear backwards.
Installing a cracked crankshaft.
Using cotter pins on the wishbone studs.
This is all stuff I see on "restored" chassis all the time.
A "Krylon recon" is not a restoration.
Erik


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jim Hycner on Tuesday, August 06, 2013 - 11:49 am:

Getting my rebuilt engine back from an "expert", when I installed the plugs I saw cardboard cut outs on top of the cylinders. He installed them to spray the copper gasket sealer on the head and forgot to remove them and bolted on the head.............


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Eric Hylen- Central Minnesota on Tuesday, August 06, 2013 - 12:05 pm:

Failure to follow any set definition when using the term "rebuilt engine." Because of this, I always factor in my cost to rebuild the engine when determining the value of a prospective purchase.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jim Patrick on Tuesday, August 06, 2013 - 12:19 pm:

One that almost had drastic results for my spindle, when I first got my T in 1970 and was taking off the wheels:

My very first mistake with my T was assuming the "lefty loosey, righty tight", rule applies to the right side wheel castle nut and threaded bearing. I could not figure out why I could not get the nut off even when trying with all the strength a 16 year old could muster, which thankfully, was not enough to do any damage. After closely examining the threads I determined it was a left hand threaded nut and spindle which was to ensure that the wheel would not tighten and while going forward and wring the spindle off. Jim Patrick


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jim Thode Chehalis Washington on Tuesday, August 06, 2013 - 01:05 pm:

Mine had:
No magnets and nothing added to circulate the oil. It is no wonder it had two bad rod bearings and a bad crank.

Steering column was shortened which is okay but the steering gear was installed up side down and it over steered one way and steered short both ways. It also had the wrong length drag link and the axle/perches were backwards. Needless to say, the steering was atrocious.

Jim


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By David M.Saleh on Tuesday, August 06, 2013 - 01:05 pm:

I think the rear axle ring gear wrong side is one of the most coming events. Almost every "T" Guy knows someone or of someone that had done it in recent history.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dale Peterson on Tuesday, August 06, 2013 - 03:15 pm:

My 15 was rebuilt in 1980, I finally finished the rest of the restoration in 2005. Started having problems with overheating and then clutch slipping on hills. When the tranny finally locked up, I discovered the cotter pins had been left out of the clutch fingers. The studs backed out and jammed against the clutch shaft. I was nee to T's and didn't know to check, just assumed the professional rebuilder would have done it right.

Another I have read often on the forum, rebuilding tranny with too tight tollerances on the triple gear bushings.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dale Peterson on Tuesday, August 06, 2013 - 03:17 pm:

Sorry, new to T's


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Wayne Sheldon, Grass Valley, CA on Tuesday, August 06, 2013 - 03:29 pm:

A mismatched mix of light-weight and heavy connecting rods. I have never run one that way, but have bought two that were like that.
A car that had been driven a fair amount with a totally packed/plugged water jacket.
Drive carefully, and enjoy, W2


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Will Copeland - Trenton, New Jersey on Tuesday, August 06, 2013 - 03:51 pm:

I know this doesn't count but manys years ago I was rebuilding a Ford 351M400 for a full size Bronco. Had the engine all done and installed back in the truck. I went to reach into my tool box for a 1/2 wrench to tighten the radiator mounting bolts and what laid next to the wrench, The shaft that goes between the oil pump and the distributor! Talk about a sick feeling that day!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Erich Bruckner, Vancouver, WA on Tuesday, August 06, 2013 - 04:34 pm:

Enter with caution after just waxing the running boards.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Kenneth W DeLong on Tuesday, August 06, 2013 - 05:20 pm:

Tearing apart a good running T and rebuilding the engine because it would not crank start on mag.Guess what,It would not mag start after the rebuild either. Someone said give it 4 or 5 notches advance and try it? That advise was all it took! Bud.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Erik Barrett on Tuesday, August 06, 2013 - 05:58 pm:

Just thought of a couple more.

Failing to replace the plate glass windows with safety glass.
Using hardware store low grade carriage bolts when installing Rocky Mtn. brakes
Erik


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ricks - Surf City on Tuesday, August 06, 2013 - 06:08 pm:

On a Porsche forum, there was the PO - Prior Owner, and DPO - Dreadful Prior Owner repair/mod.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By clayton swanson on Tuesday, August 06, 2013 - 08:01 pm:

every car i ever bought that had tapered axle shafts, the hubs were loose. every car i have bought that had a "rebuilt" motor, was really just cleaned up, maybe lap the valves, of course paint it, and she's good to go...parade car. you can tell when they say "we drove it all the time", and the weather cracked tires still have the nubs!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Charlie B actually in Toms River N.J. on Tuesday, August 06, 2013 - 10:15 pm:

Leaving the hand brake fully off instead of half way when driving into the garage.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bill Severn - SE Texas on Tuesday, August 06, 2013 - 11:53 pm:

Put my restored Ruckstell axle together and properly tightened everything down. Then tried to install the driveshaft with the 3:1 13 tooth pinion. Pinion gear is too large and would not go. You have to have the driveshaft secured to the left (Ruckstell) housing and then close up the rear axle. Sure eats up a lot of gaskets when you have to do it over and over to get it right.

Bill


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Andre Valkenaers on Wednesday, August 07, 2013 - 01:38 am:

One more:
Mounting the Rocky Mountain brakes left side right en right side left. Result: no brakes at all when driving!!
Just found it on "My new Challenge" I started a few weeks ago.
Andre
Belgium


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mark Strange on Wednesday, August 07, 2013 - 09:12 am:

This is a great thread! I just checked the wishbone retaining nuts on the 1923 touring/pickup I recently bought and they had cotter pins. Checking them, I found that one of the studs had started to back out. So, I removed the cotter pins, retightened the studs and nuts, and safety wired the two stud/nut assemblies together per the service manual. Thanks!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jim Patrick on Monday, August 12, 2013 - 09:10 pm:

A lot of T owners make the mistake of painting their radiator fins with regular gloss black aerosol paint. It looks good, but it can impede the heat transfer process thereby decreasing the efficiency of the radiator, which cannot be tolerated by a Model T radiator, especially if it is old and has prior coats of paint on it from years past.

There is a special black aerosol radiator paint sold by Eastwood for this purpose, that will not have a detrimental effect on the radiator and also looks good. Jim Patrick


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Aaron Griffey, Hayward Ca. on Monday, August 12, 2013 - 09:21 pm:

Battery and starter cables too small.
OR TO SMALL FOR REGULAR FORUM READERS.

I see a lot of wires ready to fall off the junction block because they are not stacked right.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Richard Wolf on Monday, August 12, 2013 - 09:34 pm:

Put the front axle in backwards. Not good


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