running better on battery
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JamesD
Topic author - Posts: 62
- Joined: Wed Jan 16, 2019 2:10 pm
- First Name: James
- Last Name: Doell
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1921 pickup
- Location: Altona
running better on battery
So I got my truck together for the first time ever and I've been driving it around the yard. I can't get plates for it until I get the lights working and find a horn for it. It seem to run smoother on battery (6V) than on mag. When I switch over it changes the sound of the motor, and it seems to be running on all cylinders on both but just seems better on battery. I know the coils need to be rebuilt, I put new points on them years ago but I don't have a coil tester to set them properly. will poorly adjusted coils or coils with bad capacitors run better on battery than mag, or is my mag the issue? At any rate, I need to find someone to do my coils. Does anyone in Manitoba do coils? I live right near the US border, and I used to go across to ship things in the US, but now with Covid and the border being closed, shipping to the US costs a fortune and I'm cheap!
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Norman Kling
- Posts: 4634
- Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2019 1:39 pm
- First Name: Norman
- Last Name: Kling
- Location: Alpine California
Re: running better on battery
Try adjusting the spark lever. On battery, the spark continues to advance as you move the lever down from the top to the bottom, but on magneto, The spark remains the same for a few notches and then it jumps to a more advanced spark and remains the same until you move at a few notches and then will advance again. There are about 3, sometimes 4 different spark positions with magneto. It will also run best in the middle of the position. I call them nodes. The engine runs better in the middle of the node than at one end or the other.
If you can't find a position where the engine runs good on spark, it could be either the coils need adjustment or the magneto needs work.
Norm
If you can't find a position where the engine runs good on spark, it could be either the coils need adjustment or the magneto needs work.
Norm
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John kuehn
- Posts: 4433
- Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 8:00 pm
- First Name: John
- Last Name: Kuehn
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 19 Roadster, 21 Touring, 24 Coupe
- Location: Texas
Re: running better on battery
Don’t know if you’ve had the coils redone or adjusted but if it runs on both battery and mag and it’s not missing it could be you haven’t found the so called sweet spot when it’s on mag.
When a T is switched from battery to mag you should notice a difference.
A stock T doesn’t have a distributor that adjusts the spark automaticly so it’s left up to the driver to do it manually. In other words adjusting the spark lever for ‘the sweet spot’.
It’s usually around halfway but each T is a little different as yours might be. The next step would have the coils redone if it still doesn’t seem to change when it’s on mag. Were the magnets recharged or the coil ring redone? Those are the areas that affect the engine on mag.
Just remember not to try to hand crank it with the spark lever advanced! You might wind up with a broken arm.
When a T is switched from battery to mag you should notice a difference.
A stock T doesn’t have a distributor that adjusts the spark automaticly so it’s left up to the driver to do it manually. In other words adjusting the spark lever for ‘the sweet spot’.
It’s usually around halfway but each T is a little different as yours might be. The next step would have the coils redone if it still doesn’t seem to change when it’s on mag. Were the magnets recharged or the coil ring redone? Those are the areas that affect the engine on mag.
Just remember not to try to hand crank it with the spark lever advanced! You might wind up with a broken arm.
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Chris Barker
- Posts: 318
- Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 5:08 pm
- First Name: Chris
- Last Name: Barker
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1926 Coupe
- Location: Somerset, Eng;and
Re: running better on battery
The above is all good. You might also check the magneto output.
You need an AC voltmeter - analogue is better for this check. You should get about 5v at idle, rising to over 30v at high rpm.
(a simpler check is to connect a turn or brake light 12v 21W bulb; it should get VERY bright or blow when you rev up)
Less than 15v max would make an in-car re-charge a good idea.
For that, you need a compass, three 12v batteries and 2 sets of jump leads. Full instructions to be found on this forum.
You need an AC voltmeter - analogue is better for this check. You should get about 5v at idle, rising to over 30v at high rpm.
(a simpler check is to connect a turn or brake light 12v 21W bulb; it should get VERY bright or blow when you rev up)
Less than 15v max would make an in-car re-charge a good idea.
For that, you need a compass, three 12v batteries and 2 sets of jump leads. Full instructions to be found on this forum.