A fall Drive with Issues

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Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2013: A fall Drive with Issues
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jason Given - St. Paul, MN on Sunday, November 10, 2013 - 10:00 am:

A little rambling on.

So Friday I decided to take a ½ day of vacation and work from home the rest of the day (new stove being delivered). So I took the kid to school in the T (31 degrees out). It was a nice morning so I decided to take a little drive to burn up a little more fuel before winter storage time. On the way home I stalled the T, not sure if I ran out of gas or if it was an operator thing. Visually there was some gas in the tank, so I think it might have been an operator thing as I started from a stop sign. Trying to restart a couple of times but she did not catch, so I tried a couple more times, then I locked up the starter. I have had this happen once before but at home in the comforts of the garage. Put her in gear and rock the T back and forth. Tried the hand crank, no luck. I start taking the starter apart, but the bendix would not come free. Well, I have to get home for my delivery. So button her all back up, and push her around the corner to a legal parking spot. Run home, (about a 1.5 miles) and wait and wait and wait for my new stove. Well they show up at the end of their delivery window (11:45). As they pull up it starts to sleet, and by the time they leave the house it is really coming down. So I said screw it and called a tow truck, as I did not want to deal with it in the sleet, and I have towing on my insurance. I drive my Truck out to the T to meet the tow truck. While waiting I try rocking the T again no luck. I reach for the hand crack and she freed right up. Called the tow truck company and cancel the truck. Finish tightening all the bolts down on the starter and bendix cover and drove her home.

It was a great drive, nice and scenic with all the fall colors, but really could have done without the mechanical issue. The only thing on this T that ever gives me any grief is the starter. It is so handy to have, but man I do get tired of it’s once a year headache.

Done with my rambling.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Royce in Dallas TX on Sunday, November 10, 2013 - 10:07 am:

Jason,

You should inspect the bendix and starter shaft carefully. Some of the reproduction bendix parts are not so carefully made. I usually have to hand fit them to each other with a file, belt sander, etc.

Or it could be a bent, scored or gouged shaft on the starter.

I used to live in St Paul at 123 South Wheeler, near the intersection of Fairview and Grand Avenue. St Paul is a wonderful city to drive around in a Model T, except of course when it is snowing.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Rick Benjamin on Sunday, November 10, 2013 - 01:10 pm:

Jasen:

I have a car like that. It's missing some teeth on the ring gear, and when you stop the engine (or stall) the engine comes to rest right on that bad spot. If you step on the starter then it will get stuck.

I don't want to pull the engine to fix this just yet, so short term I always give the crank a turn or two before stepping on the starter.

If it gets stuck again, just LOOSEN the starter screws and then rock the car in gear. That'll get it unstuck.

Good luck!

Rick Benjamin


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jason Given - St. Paul, MN on Sunday, November 10, 2013 - 07:58 pm:

Royce, I live about a mile north, near Wheeler and Minnehaha.

I put a new bendix in it a few years ago when the one that came with it broke. It is one of the good reproduction units, and it has not jammed in a few years.

It was jammed good. I had removed all the starter screws and tried to rock the T, but it would not release.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Andy Loso St Joseph, MN on Sunday, November 10, 2013 - 08:32 pm:

I would think the shaft maybe bent or the snout is bent.

I would pull it out and check it out. See if the bendix goes in and out of the snout with ease. Also with bendix removed, motivate the starter only and see if the shaft wobbles.


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