Timer lube and starting

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Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2014: Timer lube and starting
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bill Elliott on Thursday, September 04, 2014 - 03:28 pm:

I have an Anderson flapper style timer on my '16 T that I installed last year. I didn't know I had to add lube in it at the time, so I finally got around to adding it. I wasn't sure how much to use so I called the vendor and he said to add a lot to each flapper. My T used to start on the first or second pull of the crank, but now I have a really difficult time starting it. When I crank it, it chugs and want's to die like it's out of gas (which it isn't). After several pulls on the crank I can finally get it started and it will eventually smooth out and run fine. Is this normal for a recently lubed timer?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dan Treace, North FL on Thursday, September 04, 2014 - 03:37 pm:

Bill

Normally not a lot of grease is needed. What type lube did you use? The high friction lube sold by Hutch is like real thick dark Vaseline, just a dab on each flapper is what I do.

Remove and clean the flappers and rotor and try starting again, that should determine if lube is the issue. My guess is something else is making the hard start if the only thing done was lube a previously working and good starting T.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Craig Anderson, central Wisconsin on Thursday, September 04, 2014 - 06:08 pm:

I use what is recommended for the Anderson (in my '27 Tudor).......a light application of Vaseline once a year.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mark Hutchinson on Monday, September 08, 2014 - 07:45 pm:

Bill, I sent you a P M hutch


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dan B on Tuesday, September 09, 2014 - 07:23 am:

Bill,

I've been running my Anderson bone dry for over 10 years, despite the directions to lube it. One day I got curious what condition it was in, so I removed it expecting to find a lot of wear. What I found was barely any wear and just a few specks of dust. I blew it out, put it back on, and it still gives me free starts all the time.

There are others here that have run Andersen timers dry and some the even do so for long tours with good results.

My advice is to clean it out really good, and keep running it as you did before. Maybe someday a long time from now it'll wear out, but at least you'll have a good running car up til then.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Robert Hoops - Burton,Texas on Tuesday, September 09, 2014 - 07:51 am:

A word of caution. I bought an Anderson timer for my '22 roadster around 10 years or so ago. I liked it so much that I bought another for my '27 touring. I often cleaned and lubed them lightly with Vaseline. Both cars ran fine with these for years. When someone told me that they didn't need lubricating I started running them dry. After a Texas T Party tour (perhaps 400-600 miles) the '27 started to run a bit rough. When I got home I discovered that the timer was completely burned up beyond repair. I replaced it with another Anderson (which I lube).

I must note that the '22 slightly leaks oil into the timer cavity but the '27 does not leak at all.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Roger Karlsson, southern Sweden on Tuesday, September 09, 2014 - 08:32 am:

Maybe the hardening on the flapper and contacts isn't very deep, thus it'll work fine for many miles without much wear but once it wears through the hardened surface it'll self destruct in short order?

(TW timers are self lubricating)


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bill Elliott on Tuesday, September 09, 2014 - 09:42 am:

Thanks for all the advice, friends! The T still starts very hard when the motor is cold - probably the heavy lube is too thick? When I finally get the car started it warms up and the car runs fine so I think I put way to much lube on. The guy at the vendor tech department said I should use the entire tube on the flappers, so I put a GENEROUS amount of lube on each one. I didn't use the entire tube, but most of it so there is a lot of lube on my flappers. I'm going to pull the timer today and clean most of it off. I'll leave a very thin layer of lube on and see how she runs. By the way, I did buy a TW timer for my '14, but currently have the front axle and radiator off so I haven't run it yet but I hear great things about the TW.


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