Hi, i am a new owner of a 1923 Doctor's coupe. After taking my car out and completing 3 small drives fine (6 miles, 2 miles 3 miles) on the same day i headed for home. After about 1.5 miles i came to a stop as if i had run out of fuel. I checked the carb fuel bowl that had fuel and gave it a clean. The car started again and after letting it tick over i put it into gear and the car stopped again. I empted the carb bowl several times and the same thing happened everytime. I had the car taken home on a trailer. Does anyone have an answer to this problem please. Roger (Essex, England.

Dirt in the carbs main jet? I've had the same problem on my recent rebuild, the engine starts to run rough like it's out of fuel. Before it stops completely I unscrew the carb control screw some, then it usually catches on an run better again for a while, then it starts to run like it gets too much gas - then I can screw it back in until the next time.. Sometimes a full turn out/in. I'm thinking there are small particles in the gas that fouls the main jet, when I unscrew the needle the gas supply is restored and the particle has a chance to get loose. I should get a motorcycle type filter in the gas line that is meant for gravity fed systems.

I have had Model T carburetors with the same symptoms. It would sometimes flood the floor, other times the carburetor fuel inlet would be stuck shut.

Click here to see what to look for and do:
http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/411944/469501.html

It will run/tick over no problem, its just when i put it in gear it dies. i'm going to re run the fuel pipe and a new filter to see if that works. Thanks guys.

Roger I found your problem! Got to get rid of that fuel filter. The sediment bulb on your gas tank already does a good job. Anything that gets past that will get stuck in the fuel bowl. Anything that gets past that the engine will just eat and spit out without any harm. Unless you have a fuel pump too then a filter usually slows down the fuel feed too much to keep the bowl level where it needs to be.

Delete the filter when running the new line and you should be good to go.

Seth, I haven't got any filter - yet. I kicked my fuel tank around the lawn for a couple of hours with 100 sharp screws inside to loosen as much rust as possible and the line is new. I'm thinking I didn't rinse enough with fuel after picking the screws out - fine rust dust may still follow the fuel to the carb?

I'll check my tank lid too, maybe the air hole is clogged - that's a common cause for fuel delivery problems some time after the car is started.

Roger S - be sure not to install any automobile type filter, they're supposed to be used with a fuel pump.

Check your timer too, they need to be cleaned and cared for often.

Royce may be right if some earlier owner has installed a "Grose jet" ball bearing type valve in your carb. They may have worked fine in the recent past but are a problem with today's fuel.

I think Seth got it. Most gas filters (not fuel injection) are designed to work with fuel pumps putting out 4 psi or a little more.

The Model T is gravity fed and the pressure at the carb is around 0.3 psi or a good deal less as the level in the tank gets low. Ditch the filter.

Haha, sorry Roger K! I meant Roger S for the fuel filter. =)

Check your carb float adjustment--also inlet needle. If you have a gross jet (ball type) pitch it---they tend to stick irradically. Good luck---Paul

I was teaching a guy to drive his new '20 T. On the second outing, it would idle ok, then bog down with power applied. I found the choke wire had loosened at the butterfly, and the choke would close with added air volume, then open up at idle.

That's a good trick to play on a buddy...

If you just have to have a filter (as I do) go to your local motorcycle shop and get the clear plastic one with a screen inside. Now you can see if you have particles floating around. Simple and no restriction.

Roger, I run all of my T's with a fuel filter. It catches all kind of "stuff" that would otherwise get caught by the needle float valve. Not a recommendation, just what I do and have done for the past 40 years.

I had this problem caused by sediment in the tank and no matter what I did to remove it very quickly came back. My solution was to add a small length of copper pipe from the sediment bowl up in to the tank so that the tank never drains dry but leaves about 1/2" on bottom with any sediment. That was over 2 years ago and never had the problem since though if it comes back I will replace the tank as you have to keep a close eye on fuel level!

John

There are also filters that attach to you'r sediment bowl and up into you'r tank, these keeps all of the rust or crud that's in your tank out of you'r gas line.See lang's Page 41 (internal filter)
$5.20 . I've made my own a couple of times and they work great.

my .02 cents worth
Bob

First I would agree with Seth. The filter is probably the cause. It would allow a slow trickle of gas to flow, and by the time you get out and check the carburetor, it would have gas, but when you are pulling with the engine it would not supply sufficient gas to the carburetor to continue.

Other possible causes have been posted above.

One possible cause, I don't think has been noted above, would be vapor bubble in the line. This can be caused by two things. One would be if there is a high place in the line between the tank and the carburetor. An air bubble would rise to the high point and the gravity pressure would compress the bubble, but not cause the fuel to reach the carburetor. The other cause would be if the fuel line is too close to the exhaust pipe the fuel would be vaporized inside the line causing the same problem.

However, since you mentioned the fuel filter, that is the first thing I would suspect.

Either of the above problems would be compounded by low fuel level in the tank. The fuller you run your tank, the more pressure you get in the fuel line.
Norm