MTFCA Forum

A Model T WITHOUT a water pump has no need of a thermostat. If you add a water pump, for whatever reason, a thermostat is necessary, especially in cooler regions, to to assure quick, even warm-up and proper operating temperature. The thermostat needs to have a I/8 to 3/16" bypass hole in it to allow...

If it will work on Ford V8 valve seats, it ought to work on anything!

I don't think the Model A had an air filter as standard equipment. I don't know if Ford offered one as an accessory. I don't know about the B, but I'm pretty certain that all the V8s had one. Most other makes had air filters of some sort by around 1920 onward.

That's a very nice installation... and no significant fire hazard. If flooding were to be a problem, a small hole in the elbow at the lowest point would take care of that. Some updraft carburetors with breathers, such as used on the 8N Ford tractor, have a small hole in the carburetor air horn with ...

Cars that are driven on the road need an air filter.

A Donaldson-type filter would be best. My next choice would be a paper element type. If I ran a car in coastal Florida, I'd insist on an air filter. A car run in areas where rain or snow is more common than not, or run exclusively on clean pavement, an air filter would be less critical. Where I live...

When the clutch is held in neutral, doesn't that pull the crankshaft and flywheel toward the back of the car, and away from the coil ring? When the clutch is engaged, which it normally is, isn't the crankshaft free to float forward and back within the thrust bearing clearance? If that's so, I'd expe...

I'd think so.

That is used on certain types of fittings that are used on some applications like certain u-joints that require a flush fitting to avoid obstructions or flying debris. I have a later version of that item that I use on the rear u-joints on an '81 Dodge pickup. You can also use it to get grease into s...

"On my F-150 tow vehicle.... towing..." I'd put 93 octane in that vehicle when towing, especially when towing in hot weather or at low altitudes. For normal driving, 87/89 should be fine. Modern high output engines need high octane fuel for maximum performance and economy when operating at higher lo...

Burning food for fuel is absolutely absurd!

(1) Don't oil a New Day. (2) Make sure your coils are in good condition and properly adjusted. (3) Spark advance link adjustment may need to be changed.

1st picture... looks like it's raining, too.

Use of a suitable, light-bodied engine oil will help assure that the triple gear bushings get adequate lubrication, especially in new installations. I'd also want to limit the speed, load, and time spent in low or reverse until the parts had some run-time.

Gasoline quality was very low for several years due to exploding demand and to WWI. People were buying thousands of cars and demanding gasoline in greater volumes than refineries could produce it. There was far more kerosene than the shrinking kerosene market could consume, and less gasoline than th...

There is no harm in mixing gasolines, but no reason to do so.

I use that same air filter. It catches a lot of dirt. My car has plenty of power, and I've driven it well over 15,000 miles with no indication of wear in pistons, rings, or bearings. I have not looked at the spark plugs in over 5,000 miles of driving, and there is no indication that they need any at...

Ford used to consider about 10,000 miles to be the average life of pistons and rings. A T will run better, and far longer, with a good air filter installed, especially if you drive in dusty areas. Dust builds up hard, fused deposits in the combustion chambers and grinds away at pistons, rings, valve...

Kerosene has a VERY low octane rating, but a high BTU content. Diesel is also a low octane, high BTU fuel.

Octane rating does not indicate the level of available power in the gasoline itself. Octane rating is a measure of how the fuel mixture behaves during the actual combustion process in the engine cylinders. Lower octane rated gasoline may "detonate" "ping" or "knock" during combustion, usually when t...

Early high tension magnetos were often fitted with an "impulse coupling" device, which was a spring-loaded trigger arrangement that compressed a spring or springs as the engine was cranked, and at the appropriate point, the trigger would release the springs and snap the rotating magneto armature rap...

If you live where fog is a common occurrence, you need a heat pipe. Ideally, it would have a window or shutter with which you could regulate the amount of hot air directed to the carburetor.

Another issue with lapping valves against their seats is the possibility of creating a slight groove in the portion of the valve face that contacts the seat. When the engine is started, the valves heat up and expand, which moves the grooved portion of the valve face out of register with the seat con...

Voltage and current are not the same thing, but they are interrelated in most any electrical device, and the interplay of voltage and current can be complex in inductive and capacitive devices and circuits made up of inductive and capacitive devices.

I'd expect that driving in 40/60 F weather where any significant humidity is present would require the use of a heat pipe for quick warm-up, smooth idle, and optimum overall performance and gas mileage. Adding a heat pipe will not correct problems that are unrelated to manifold heat. If your car run...

Condensation and/or frost in the carburetor and intake manifold can be a problem under a wide range of weather conditions. There is no specific temperature or humidity level at which problems can or cannot occur. Where humidity is high, problems can occur with ambient temperatures in the 70s. Where ...

Less end play is better, but other factors also affect whether a T will start on magneto or not. The condition of the spark plugs and the spark plug gaps will affect starting, as will the condition of the timer and the adjustment of the spark advance lever. Dirty or thick oil will make starting more...

In my world, a "pull" is the usual method of starting the engine with the crank. I retard the spark fully on battery, or move the spark lever down several notches to start on MAG, and engage the crank and give a sharp upward pull on the crank from about the 7 o'clock position. "Spinning" involves gr...

I'm not about to try to spin mine with the ignition on.

Voltage must be sufficient to deliver 1.3 A .

I believe you are correct, Steve. A brisk pull ought to give a peak around 6 + volts. I assume that is with the ignition switched to MAG and the timer making contact. (?)

It might be best to run it as-is. It might not leak. There is a significant chance that attempting to repair it will do more harm than good. I'd be inclined to run it as-is, and look for a replacement in the mean time.

Cast iron can be spray-welded. The part is cleaned, prepared, heated, then powdered iron is sprayed on it within a flame. This builds up new iron that is fused to the original.

Get a good casting and rebush the throttle shaft and install a high flow float needle and seat. Make sure the idle passage is clear. Good fuel flow is especially important in a TT to assure full power, and a smooth, slow idle assures good engine braking and good overall drive-ability.

You need to measure all 4 cylinders for taper, and I'd check the valve guides for wear. If it's NOS, you need to know it.

First of all, how does the engine run? ........ With the piston at TDC, you will have very little volume under pressure, and I'd expect leakdown to be very rapid. Is there a spec for pressure and leakdown time? I'd think the engine would need to have been run just before the test to have a normal am...

`A Model T starter can draw from 100 to about 150 amps when cranking the engine.

Inexpensive 6 to 12 volt converters are available in several current capacities. They provide 12 volt, "clean" power that can operate modern electronic devices as well as LED lighting, turn signals, etc.

Were the D & F cars 12 volt equipped?

Search: "Brecko Corporation".
Brecko Corporation, Abilene, Texas

I have no experience with this product or the vendor, but the claims made for it are very interesting. (Magna alloy rods for welding cast iron)

Resistive solutions, such as using a starter spring as a resistor, don't do much to protect the starter drive since the starter motor doesn't draw much current UNTIL the starter drive is engaged and the engine is actually being cranked by the starter, at which time the current draw goes way up. Anot...

It's worth noting that the flywheel ring gear is not easily replaced if damaged, and broken starter drive parts can cause serious damage to the transmission and the magneto. Beyond that, even if the starter drive does not fail outright, operating it on 12 volts can be expected to generate an abnorma...

It's credibly said that the resistor method will do little to reduce over-strain on the starter drive, since the applied voltage will be 12 volts when the starter is first engaged and before the starter motor is actually cranking the motor. It's normal with a 12 volt system for voltage at the starte...

Is the starter a regular Ford T 6 volt starter? If so, using it on a 12 volt system is likely to result in damage to the starter drive and perhaps to the flywheel. There isn't a good way to reduce the voltage to the starter when it is first engaged, which is when the reduction in voltage is most nee...

It might be best to run the manifold as-is. Repairing iron castings is fast becoming a lost art, and old exhaust manifolds are among the most challenging of cast iron repair jobs. There is, or used to be, a casting repair shop in Kansas that had furnace welding capability. I don't know the name of i...

I don't believe that's in dispute.

In practice, the spark timing is under the driver's control, and optimum spark timing is dependent upon the driver's understanding of the engine's requirements. If time to fire is inconsistent among the coil units, the driver cannot obtain optimum spark timing in all 4 cylinders. To obtain accurate ...

Can the upper side panels on the body be easily removed and replaced, or are they permanently fixed in place?

This car appears to have sat in storage for a long period of time. Has ALL old gasoline been drained from the tank in the last month or two and replaced with fresh gasoline? Has the carburetor been drained or cleaned recently? What about the gas screen? Have you checked for dirt dauber nests in the ...

The clutch or bands are not binding if you can start the engine easily. If you can put the hand lever in the neutral position and push the car fairly easily on level ground, the brakes are not binding. Is the carburetor adjusted one turn open? Could there be water in the carburetor bowl? Spark plugs...

Do you have a copy of the Ford Service Manual?

If you can start the engine easily with the wheels on the ground, then the clutch is disengaging as it should and the bands probably aren't dragging excessively. If the engine tends to die when you put the car in low or reverse to start moving, you probably have a tune up problem, or perhaps sticky ...

Conformability?

Using lubricant invites having the hub go too far onto the shaft, and it also risks the hub not being locked to the shaft, which it must be, or it will not stay that way. If the hub is easy to get off the shaft, it's too loose to stay tight in service. The axle and hub tapers must be accurately made...

Firestone 4.40/4.50 X 21: 4 ply, 18 lbs, 30.8" diameter.
Firestone 5.25 X 21....: 6 ply, 24 lbs, 31.5 diameter.

0.7" difference in diameter, or .35" difference in radius, somewhere around 1.4 % difference in diameter. (Insignificant)

Interesting.....

"Or even Vaseline maybe?"

Emu oil, Matey!

Flooded cell batteries will last longer if they are secured to prevent shifting around and to reduce vibration. Flooded cell batteries usually require periodic cleaning, and they need to have the electrolyte level checked and replenished from time to time. There are no true maintenance free flooded ...

I've seen plow discs welded into old wood wheels.

Steam powered equipment is wonderful, but deadly dangerous if not handled correctly. Boilers can explode with incredible force.

I don't think that's a good idea. The hub and axle are designed to be assembled clean and dry, with no rust, dirt, burrs, metal fragments, or any kind of lubricant between them. The key and key way also need to be clean and free of burrs.

The dude with the sport roadster and the girls is wearing some really crazy pants....

The Honest Bills' vehicle is probably a traveling circus/show advance man's. He or they would go ahead of the traveling show to the next towns on the route to put up posters and make arrangements for space to set up, get water, animal feed, and so forth.

"Neither a borrower nor a lender be: William Shakespeare, Hamlet"

The best advice.

" This is a depot hack ("1911 mostly w/26 engine/.......... ") It looks like you have a very nice vehicle with a worn-out late T engine and transmission. Finding a good 1911 engine/transmission would probably be a challenge, but finding a good or properly rebuilt 26-27 engine transmission would be e...

Since your current engine is very well worn, and not original to the vehicle, locating a '26-'27 block assembly in better condition, or rebuilt, is probably a good option. The engine you have shows evidence of being very well worn, and you can expect that the crankshaft and all other internal parts ...

Reaming the bushing in a vise may give you an egg-shaped bushing. If the shaft is worn, it may not be an issue, if you can keep the bushing in the bracket. Another possible fix would be to make a Delrin bushing. You could probably get a good fit that way.

The cylinder in the first picture appears to have severe pitting, perhaps from sitting with water in it for a long period of time. That cylinder cannot function as it should in that condition. Most of the valves look OK, by what little you can tell by looking. The ratty looking exhaust valves are pr...

I'm pretty sure that that the covers would retard brass tarnish and greatly reduce reflector tarnishing. Applying and buffing plain Carnauba wax would probably delay brass tarnishing as well as anything, and covering the waxed parts with well-fitting covers would offer further protection by keeping ...

If you want to add mass, add it to the body. If you don't mind slower acceleration, adding a hundred pounds or so to the trunk and 170 pounds to the passenger side floorboard of a late style roadster will give a marked improvement in ride quality, at some cost in acceleration. Top speed would remain...

That's not much more diameter than the Firestone 4.40/4.50 X 21. Wider tires would likely be an advantage on sand, and if you off-road with a fair load of stuff aboard, the wider, 6 ply tire might be a good choice. As for wheel/tire weight and unsprung chassis weight, less is better. It would be ide...

That will give about 9 to 10% "overdrive"... similar to a 3.30 axle ratio vs stock. But the disadvantages of more weight and a stiffer carcass will come with it. Rotating mass works against acceleration, especially if it is located well away from the axis of rotation, which a tire is, and you have 4...

Dennis, what is the OD of the tires you are using?

I would look to see if the larger tires are 6 ply. Model T 4.40/4.50 X 21 tires are usually 4 ply. A larger tire will be heavier, which will degrade the ride, handling, performance, and braking, especially if the larger tire is a 6 ply. There is some variation in the outside diameter of tires with t...

There have been discussions on this subject here. /////// See below......

**** I tried a forum search using: "Evans coolant" Many relevant results from several forum members.

I'd drain and refill the system a couple of times, driving the car a few miles between. If it's dirty, a more aggressive flush would be in order.

I don't think Evans is well-suited for Model Ts. (?)

I don't think the line across the radiator on the touring is a fender brace. It appears to be attached to the radiator shell. I'd guess it's an accessory or owner added item for the purpose of retaining a lower radiator winter front to prevent the radiator from freezing in cold weather. It evidently...

Oil is not a good coolant, and its viscosity makes it an especially poor choice for a Model T. You're much better off with green anti-freeze and Bars Leak than with oil or kerosene. A car that just runs short sprints at WOT would be better off with a water tank and anti-freeze than with oil. I'd wan...

Kerosene has many disadvantages. It's not a good coolant, for one thing.

Back when Sears Roebuck sold rebuilt auto engines, they stated that all their rebuilt units had reground crankshafts and reground crankshaft flanges.

There is NO good reason NOT to use an appropriate anti-freeze/corrosion inhibitor in Model Ts. There are a number of good reasons to do so. It will prevent boil over and minimize or eliminate corrosion and eliminate risk of freezing. It will not leak from a system that is in good order. I have also ...

There are several wood wheel rebuilders. They service T wheels. I'm not sure about TT wheels.

I like to drive cars.

"Unviersal" anti-freeze is being sold today. It is labeled as compatible for all vehicles/all years.

Green anti-freeze is fine for aluminum heads. Buy a name brand, and use as directed. Adding a properly designed overflow tank to the system might help prevent corrosion by limiting air/oxygen access to the coolant.

"Green" antifreeze, used as directed, is best for Model Ts and other pre-1975 vehicles.

A stock Model T will not shimmy or shake if the wheels, tires, and chassis are in good shape. It's possible to add modern type hydraulic shocks to a T without invasive modification, and doing so will add a lot to stability and handling. Ford wire wheels are best for highway driving. The later, "Impr...

Section and narrow a '26-'27 open car cowl?

A good battery replacement solution to substantially reduce weight, eliminate periodic cleaning and adding water to the battery, and get about double the service life, or more, is to install an Optima Red Top 6 volt battery. To assure best results, replace your stock generator cutout with one of the...

Very nice!

Metallurgy may differ. Plates that have been bent and straightened will be somewhat hardened, which may affect their magnetic behavior. Soft steels magnetize easily, but will not hold magnetism well. Harder steels and steel alloys will hold magnetism. Field pieces uses in association with permanent ...

Back in the 1920s, tires were sized by the outside diameter and the section width. That's where the 32 X/ 4 Inches comes from. Around 1928 or so, the nomenclature changed, and tire sizes were based on the nominal rim diameter and the section width. So after the change, a 32 X 4 tire became something...

Extremes have a way of working against themselves. There is no "cold", only more or less heat.

A warm, moist, carbon-rich biosphere is a populous and diverse one. The most sterile natural place on earth is a desert in Antarctica. It is NOT HOT, and not likely to be, unless the Antarctic continent moves away from the polar region and toward the equator. We are carboniferous creatures.

Global Warming has struck with a vengeance! Night before last, it was around 18F. A couple of hours ago, the temperature exploded to 68F!! I got my T out and drove for 43 miles, T shirt & jeans. Horrors!

Besides the shape, the composition of the steel may differ from one type to another.

Gravity flow fuel systems will not tolerate any added restrictions to the fuel flow. That includes added filters, many types of non-stock shut off valves, dents in fuel lines, improperly routed fuel lines, low float level, plugged gas cap vents, and incorrect carburetor needle and seat sets. That's ...

According to a Ford Service Bulletin of January, 1924, recharging magnets in the car can only achieve about 60% of full strength. For full original magnet strength, the magnets have to be removed and individually recharged, or replaced with new ones.

Running ragged under load could be a fuel issue or ignition. Opening up the carburetor adjustment a little may help. In a 1924 service bulletin, Ford recommended oiling the timer frequently with a light oil, every 200 miles, or even every 100 miles. An ideal oil for a stock Ford roller timer in cold...

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