Low gear woks fine but no high gear? Any thoughts as to why?

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Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2017: Low gear woks fine but no high gear? Any thoughts as to why?
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Robert Poane on Friday, July 21, 2017 - 07:50 pm:

The engine compartment got wet in the fourth of July parade. The etime was ruined and Mike Kosser fixed it so I know it is not that. I put on a tiger timer roller and stock coils and that did not help. The coils are dried out by now and I get a spark when a screw driver is touched to the head and spark plug.

The touring accelerates in low gear but when the lever is pushed forward, there is absolutely no change in power.

Years ago this happened and it turned out to be a bad plug under a load. Before I change the spark plugs I would lie to hear for you.

Thank you in advance for your thoughts.
Bob


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tim Rogers - South of the Adirondacks on Friday, July 21, 2017 - 07:58 pm:

The condition of the ignition system will have absolutely no effect on the transmission shifting into high gear.

Your topic heading says "no high gear". Are you sure it's not shifting into high?

Sounds like your are have problems when trying to accelerate while in high gear am I correct?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Robert Poane on Friday, July 21, 2017 - 08:10 pm:

Thank you Tim that's right. As I think about it, it started in the wet weather and at first it was electrical. The next problem as you pointed out appears in the transmission area.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Robert Poane on Friday, July 21, 2017 - 09:24 pm:

Does this symptoms tell you anything: sitting idle in my driveway, I put the high gear lever forward and the car crawled about 2 MPH for about 20 feet to the garage but still not strong enough to get over the 2 inch garage floor lip.

I tweaked the low gear high gear band adjustment but no change.

The clutch spring pushes on the clutch fingers when the lever is forward as observed when the trans. cover was off.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jerry VanOoteghem - SE Michigan on Friday, July 21, 2017 - 09:30 pm:

Robert,

"...sitting idle in my driveway, I put the high gear lever forward and the car crawled about 2 MPH for about 20 feet..."

Don't do that. You can't start out from a stop in high gear. You need to get up some speed in low, (up to 5 or 10 mph), before you shift to high. The low band has nothing to do with high gear. It's not a "low gear high gear band". It's only a low gear band.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tim Rogers - South of the Adirondacks on Friday, July 21, 2017 - 09:32 pm:

I would check the linkage on the bottom of the lever where it attaches to the pedal shaft. Maybe it's tweaked or loose? Sounds like it's not engaging all the way into high gear.

What happens when you have the high gear lever all the way forward and you give it some throttle?

Your issue may be irrelevant to the rainy weather.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Robert Poane on Friday, July 21, 2017 - 09:38 pm:

Jerry, I did not know it was a low gear band. Thank you.

Tim, after accelerating to about 10 mph in low gear, I put the lever forward and advance the throttle, and the engine accelerates but not the car. So to answer your question, the engine revs. Thank you.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Robert Poane on Friday, July 21, 2017 - 09:39 pm:

I will re-check the linkage but nothing changed since the car was in bad weather, even if it not related, that is the only denominator. It worked fine before that.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John Noonan - Norton, MA. on Friday, July 21, 2017 - 10:22 pm:

Robert, it certainly sounds from your description that your clutch is slipping, especially considering you are able to put it into high gear from idle and not have it instantly stall the motor. Did you drive it when it it got swamped with water, or did it not even run?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Warwick Landy Traralgon Australia on Friday, July 21, 2017 - 10:29 pm:

Bob, seek the assistance of an experienced Model T mechanic in your area to assist with your problems. Some of your diagnosis techniques sound a little alarming and dangerous. A little bit of advice and experience may save you a lot of trouble. Good luck.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Norman T. Kling on Saturday, July 22, 2017 - 11:45 am:

When you let out the pedal did you push the gas all the way up and then after you let out the pedal pull the gas down? Sometimes a clutch will slip if the engine is running faster than it would run when in high gear.

Anyway I think one of three things are wrong:
1. The pedal is not going back all the way due to something stopping it such as the cam on the parking brake cross shaft still in contact with the adjustment bolt when the lever is all the way forward, or the linkage between the pedal and the clutch lever adjusted too short. Or sometimes the low band too loose causing the pedal to stick down.
2. The clutch fingers inside the transmission need adjustment. There should be some free play in the fingers.
3. The clutch spring is too weak or broken or the disks are stuck inside the drum.

Check things in the order I posted above. They are listed in order of easiest to check.
Norm


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Harold Schwendeman - Sumner,WA on Saturday, July 22, 2017 - 01:21 pm:

Robert - Make sure that when the hand brake lever is pushed forward, it does NOT make any contact with the wood floorboard at the forward end of the slot. Any contact there at all will effect the clutch and cause it to have a tendency to slip, and a slipping clutch is what it sounds to me like is the problem. I have had to use a rat-tail file to increase the length of the hand brake lever slot to prevent this problem on two different Model T's. To me, it was sort of a lesson in always checking the simple things first,.....hope this helps,.....harold


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Robert Poane on Saturday, July 22, 2017 - 03:27 pm:

A couple of you said it sounds like slippage. I also wonder if that is correct but I do not know what that means therefore do not know how to correct it.

I did look inside the transmission but do not see a problem so I will post a picture later.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bob Shirley on Saturday, July 22, 2017 - 03:35 pm:

Broken clutch spring?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By David Dufault on Saturday, July 22, 2017 - 06:03 pm:

Robert,
After ding this:
" after accelerating to about 10 mph in low gear, I put the lever forward and advance the throttle, and the engine accelerates but not the car. So to answer your question, the engine revs."
Do you take your foot off the left pedal?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Erik Johnson on Saturday, July 22, 2017 - 06:15 pm:

I suggest learning how to shift the car from low to high strictly with your foot and the clutch pedal.

If you rely on the brake handle, you are probably doing a very slow shift from low to high especially if you are taking your foot off the pedal and then moving the brake handle forward. That takes a lot more time than simply using your foot to go from low to high.

Whether you rely on the brake handle or simply use only your foot, you should be throttling down while shifting, not, "I put the lever forward and advance the throttle, and the engine accelerates but not the the car."' That is very poor technique and I'll bet that is causing your clutch to slip, even if the clutch fingers are adjusted correctly.

Read the owners manual if you have not already done so:

http://www.mtfca.com/books/21manual.htm


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Scott Conger on Saturday, July 22, 2017 - 07:01 pm:

I am suspicious that a turbo 400 clutch has bitten the dust if it was slipped too much during shifts.

Bob, do you know if you have Ford clutch plates or an aftermarket clutch? Previous owner may have mentioned it?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Robert Poane on Saturday, July 22, 2017 - 07:13 pm:

Scott, I do not know but a friend in the who helps me out might know. I don't like to rely on him because he lives far away but he has bailed me out many times and said he does not mind driving up. So I will call on him again.

Here are pictures if this tells you anything. I noticed the clutch fingers have play in them when I touch them with the lever pulled back, but one finger also touches the ? when the lever is pulled back. It does have play in it if I push it back.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Robert Poane on Saturday, July 22, 2017 - 07:21 pm:

Well, we are getting closer, I sense somewhere in all your thoughts and suggestions is the answer. I am looking at everyone's response and considering and evaluating what you said, just not responding to each. I'll give Jim a call and see if he can help me out.

Thanks again. Bob


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Erik Johnson on Saturday, July 22, 2017 - 07:22 pm:

The clutch fingers should have play when the lever is pulled back or, if the lever is forward, when you push down on the clutch pedal.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mark Strange - Hillsboro, MO on Saturday, July 22, 2017 - 07:31 pm:

Is it me, or does the clutch spring look wonky?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Scott Conger on Saturday, July 22, 2017 - 08:37 pm:

Mark

I think it looks fine when compressed (pic #1) but looks quite extended in pic #2 when trying to engage high. Tightening each of the 3 screws should bring some "oomph" back to the clutch spring, but it looks like there is some missing length to the clutch pack. If that's the case, then my first comment might be close to the truth...a burned up aftermarket clutch pack. Those fingers look too far depressed. I'd bet dollars to donuts that a turn on all screws brings back some high gear...for how long, would be anyone's guess.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Scott Conger on Saturday, July 22, 2017 - 08:38 pm:

Bob

were you using or slipping high gear during the parade?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Harold Schwendeman - Sumner,WA on Saturday, July 22, 2017 - 09:05 pm:

Hmmm,....I can't imagine any situation, parade or otherwise, where anybody would intentionally "slip" the clutch in high gear.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tim Lloid on Saturday, July 22, 2017 - 09:30 pm:

Sure would want to slip it on purpose.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dennis Plank in Humboldt, TN on Saturday, July 22, 2017 - 10:13 pm:

There doesn't appear to be any adjustment screw showing above the clutch fingers, so it may be as Scott says. No clutch left.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mark Gregush Portland Oregon on Saturday, July 22, 2017 - 10:25 pm:

I for one do not see what you are seeing. From the angle of the two above photos the adjustment screws and pins on the drive can not be seen. Even with good pins, fingers and adjustment screws most I have done, the top of the screw may only show a little above the finger.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jerry VanOoteghem - SE Michigan on Monday, July 24, 2017 - 11:04 am:

Robert,

Above, David Dufault asks if you are also removing your left foot from the clutch pedal when you push the stick forward for high gear.

Please answer that question.


If possible, please also take a photo of the transmission that shows through the "windows" on the backside of the drive plate. (Approximately where the blue arrow indicates.) I would like to see what style of clutch discs your transmission has.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jerry VanOoteghem - SE Michigan on Monday, July 24, 2017 - 11:11 am:

Looking again, I'm pretty sure I see your problem. The clutch spring support is riding against the fourth main, indicating that it has failed and is not allowing enough compression of your clutch spring. See blue arrows indicating the lack of a gap here;



Here's the part that's gone bad;


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tim Rogers - South of the Adirondacks on Monday, July 24, 2017 - 11:50 am:

Jerry- nice catch!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jim Thode Chehalis Washington on Monday, July 24, 2017 - 11:50 am:

Looks to me like part of the clutch spring is missing on the front end. In this photo I can see the whole spring.
Jim


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By David Dufault on Monday, July 24, 2017 - 11:57 am:

Great picture Jim. Thanks. Sure looks like Robert does have a partial spring.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jerry VanOoteghem - SE Michigan on Monday, July 24, 2017 - 12:03 pm:

David,

Hard to tell. The cross shaft blocks the view of the spring.

Robert,

Here's the gap you should see;


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Scott Conger on Monday, July 24, 2017 - 02:38 pm:

Agreed. Very nice catch.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mark Strange - Hillsboro, MO on Monday, July 24, 2017 - 03:37 pm:

I thought that clutch spring looked wonky! I just couldn't get to the root cause like Jerry did. :-)

The service manual has a procedure for changing the clutch spring with the engine in the car (and its retainer, if necessary). See Chapter XIV, page 139. The rear axle has to be pulled back out of the transmission to provide access, of course.

I have never had to try it, has anyone else?

(Message edited by cudaman on July 24, 2017)


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Duey_C on Monday, July 24, 2017 - 07:52 pm:

Sort of. :-)
Pulled the bolts out of the globe, loosened the rear spring shackles, loosened the spring clamps, removed the brake rods, pushed the axle out of the way with a Handy-Man jack and then removed the jack. I then removed the hogshead and got to the work inside.
One can do a lotta naughty stuff back there with the engine in the car and that drive shaft out of the way...


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Harold R Carpenter - Fair Grove, MO on Tuesday, July 25, 2017 - 09:08 pm:

A wok is something you fwow at a wabbit. LOL It was just too good an opportunity to pass up.


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