Hesitant Running in Top Gear

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Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2014: Hesitant Running in Top Gear
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John Cleland on Thursday, May 29, 2014 - 11:16 pm:

My car is a 1914 Tourer and when I change from 1st gear to top the motor runs very roughly and doesn't have any power. In all other aspects the car runs very well. It starts on first pull of the crank and in 1st gear and reverse runs well with power. I have completely overhauled the carburetor with new parts and put new spark plugs in it.Thinking the clutch might be slipping I have adjusted it. I can turn the motor over freely with brake on and off.(Back wheels up on stands) It even runs better in top gear on the stands. It seems when the pressure is on out on the road the engine plays up. What can I do to fix it?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bob Coiro on Thursday, May 29, 2014 - 11:55 pm:

Easy stuff first:

Try adjusting your fuel mixture.

Did you change the type of spark plug from that which worked well previously? I found that switching over to the "correct" Champion-X type made my car run the way you describe. When I went back to the Motorcraft F11 plugs, my engine once again ran very well.

When my engine starts skipping and running like it's weary, that usually means it's time to pull the timer housing off and thoroughly clean it and the roller. Then, I add a few drops of thick oil (like 600-weight differential oil) to the pin on which the roller spins, and re-install the timer housing.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John Cleland on Friday, May 30, 2014 - 12:25 am:

Thanks for suggestions Bob. My car has distributor ignition. I had been running Champian X A25 and replaced these with Champian 25's -new from Macs. I will try the Motorcraft ones and see.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bob Gruber- Spanaway, Wash. on Friday, May 30, 2014 - 12:34 am:

Mine seems to like .025 plug gap the best.
What do you gap your plugs?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Justin in South Africa on Friday, May 30, 2014 - 02:30 am:

I'm trying to think this through... Not sure if I have is backwards, but wouldn't excessive end play on the crank cause this to happen when the car is dropped into top gear?

Can't recall if the loading on the crank is forward or aft on the clutch...

Justin
South Africa


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By George_Cherry Hill NJ on Friday, May 30, 2014 - 04:40 am:

Easy stuff first...

Check the gap on your plugs. Most T's (or is it just many) seem to like a gap of 0.030" on X's. (A-25's I don't use as they always run great for a while and then run like crap for me)

If you have one of those near closed cell walrus condoms as an air cleaner that some of the vendors sell...toss it! (That one cost me two days on someone's car...ran all power in low, wanted to barf no matter what I did in high)

Make sure the screen in the potato is not all varnished up. A very little change in flow causes a T to not want to run.

Check intake manifold for a leak.

Take a copilot with you, and once in high and it sputters have him/her open the mixture knob 1/4 turn at a time until the bucking stops. Doesn't stop, problem isn't fuel mixture.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Norman T. Kling on Friday, May 30, 2014 - 10:43 am:

Try slightly retarding the spark when you shift into high, and then as it picks up speed advance the spark.

Is this a new problem, or has your car run this way ever since you got it? Also, are you running magneto, battery, or distributor or some other type of ignition?

What gear ratio are you running, and are you on level, downhill, or uphill when this happens?
Norm


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Norman T. Kling on Friday, May 30, 2014 - 10:46 am:

Sorry, I see from above post you have a distributor. How are your points? And the gap. Also how much slop in the shaft? If your bushings in the shaft are loose, the point adjustment and dwell will vary as you drive along. It will be especially noticeable at low engine speed.
Norm


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Lance Sorenson, Hector, Minnesota on Friday, May 30, 2014 - 10:55 am:

I had one that ran so good on three cylinders in low that I didn't notice it until it wouldn't pull in high.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John Cleland on Saturday, May 31, 2014 - 12:34 am:

Hi All. Thanks for suggestions. Haven't had time to try any of these out as yet as we have a public holiday here in New Zealand and my wife and I took the opportunity to visit family about two hours drive away. However I will try a different brand of spark plug with a smaller gap - I usually use 0.033-. The suggestion of riching the mixture is also a good one. As I have a distributor and am not using mags end play in the crankshaft would not I presume have an effect.I would think it would have to be a long way out to affect the clutch. Any further thoughts on that? Points in distributor have recently been replaced and gap adjusted.There is a small amount of rotation in the shaft. How much is too much?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mark Gregush Portland Oregon on Saturday, May 31, 2014 - 12:39 am:

What gap do you have the points set? .015 sound about right but you could try .017 to .021 and see what happens.


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