MTFCA Forum

My son was driving his 1919 Roadster today and when going down a steep hill he would engine brake while in high gear. This time he felt the car really slow down like there was something going on. He put the car in neutral and it still felt like he was engine braking! He pulled over and couldn't find anything wrong. After that it ran great. What could have happened?

The engine didn’t stall

Does he have a Ruckstell or other under drive transmission? Was he in low gear? Was he going the same speed" When you go down the same hill in the same gear with the throttle all the way up, it should brake the same every time. If all was the same, then, were the parking brakes dragging? Only possible other explanation would be the throttle adjust for idle was lower this time. If something was wrong, you would expect it to continue after he went down the hill. it wouldn't continue braking in neutral if the problem was in the engine. I suspect the problem was in parking brake, or if he has auxiliary brakes that they were dragging or possibly the transmission brake was dragging. Had he done any adjustments since the last time he went down that hill?
Norm

HeyNorm. No RuckstelL or auxiliary brakes. Could it be possible the bands were not getting enough oil and the bands were binding? He used a screen. He did make an adjustment on the brake band.

He was in high and felt the engine braking harder than normal, then felt the engine braking when he put the lever in neutral

Perhaps due to the need for brake band adjustment, the brake band began to drag when he placed the lever in the neutral position,........???

jonathan wrote: ↑

Sat Aug 22, 2020 4:49 pm

HeyNorm. No RuckstelL or auxiliary brakes. Could it be possible the bands were not getting enough oil and the bands were binding? He used a screen.

Since all is well after riding down that hill, still think there isn't any troubles. That is if he is sure the T starts, goes in low, and exits to high fine, and the brake pedal brings it back to a stop as before that hill.

Most times you use brake pedal down a steep hill alternating on the pedal, push in firm for count of 2 or 3 and release, to allow oil to cool the lining, checking speed as you want to slow down, of course the throttle has to be closed fully to 'engine brake' assist the downhill slowing.

Still could have stalled out on the down hill from lack of fuel, with the coils still firing, even in neutral, and that action would give firm engine brake. Then when he pulled down the throttle at the base of that hill, the engine started on it own again and was then under its own power.

How far down is the pedal when the brakes lock up? It should be about 1 1/2 inches above the floorboard. If it is higher, it will drag. He might not notice it dragging when he is using the gas, but if it is dragging it will wear out the band very quickly, and possibly heat up the drum until the drum cracks.
Norm

What kind of band lining are you running. Sounds to me like you lost/folded over a piece of band lining and it was stuck between the band and the drum and then it came out and everything ran free after it came out.

Ed aka #4

He runs Kevlar. It looks like the brake band was dragging. He adjusted it.