Cars and evenings Downtown

[Rich Eagle]

Mia was a darling little girl who used to tag along with her Grandmother and the Tea Ladies when we chauffeured them around in the Bus and other vehicles a dozen years ago. Fast forward to this week, she has grown up and is working for an Entertainment Center. She asked if we could put a different car on display each night outside a new Club for their opening. It sounded like fun so we drove down there and spent a couple hours checking out restaurants and enjoying the everchanging old buildings and businesses.

Many of the old buildings still retain some of their charm. These places seem to have a mood and we even heard some stories of hauntings reported in some of them. It was fun to be there each night. This club is downstairs with brick and stone walls and much like a speakeasy.

Tonight as we took the '14 it's little black cloud followed us along. There were no traffic cones to mark our spot. We learned that they only needed us for 4 nights and tonight wasn't required. That was fine so we decided to just drive over to another place to eat. As has happened before after a hot drive the '14 would not start on the questionable battery. I am carrying a spare battery along so I wired it up. Still no start. A fellow came out of the adjacent bar and decided to help. Checking the wire connections he shorted out and burned up the light gauge jumpers before I could restrain him. He saw no fault on his part. There was no sense in cranking any more and I kindly explained we would go eat and try again when it cooled off. I needed to cool off. Joy found me grumpy when I asked why she didn't know we didn't need to be there.
The walk and lots of chips and salsa improved my disposition. A double diet Pepsi helped too. When we returned the car started on one crank. Now I need a new theory on what the heat is affecting.

Who are the Tea Ladies?
http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/599638/634332.html

I believe the exposure to ladies in costume, their friendships and fun and the antiques around the house were a great influence on this young lady (center).
I hope we can open the door for other youngsters.
Rich

[TXGOAT2]

Engine ground? Is there any chance that the coil box could be damp? Oil getting in the timer? It's gotta be something.

[Norman Kling]

I suspect that it might be rich. If you get too much gas in the cylinders it won't be easy to start. Full open throttle with ignition OFF with a few spins of the crank, then try to start as usual without using the choke.
Norm

[Rich P. Bingham]

I'm reminded when I acquired my current Lizzie, the prior owner cautioned me to stop the engine by turning the mixture needle "off", returning it to the accustomed setting before re-starting. The car came with the "correct" 1913 Holley carburetor which I soon changed for my favorite Holley G, and forgot his instructions since it seemed unnecessary to me.

While we were still getting used to each other, a time or two I experienced the total "no go" in very hot weather. Waiting up to an hour for things to cool off made for an easy start by and bye. Perhaps a new, tight engine pulls an excessively rich mixture into the cylinders when the engine is switched off ?

In other comparisons, I run a 12v ATV sealed battery, and usually forget about it until I can't get a "semi-free" start on cool summer mornings (explanation- crank two revolutions with choke, then switch to "bat" and free start). This seems to coincide with the need to clean the TW timer. I hope some of this might be helpful in pondering a solution, if only because misery loves company !

[Scott_Conger]

Rich

I've found that sometimes even the most docile "T" will refuse to start after sitting hot. I believe it is a combination of inherently leaky float valves allowing fuel to seep into the bowl, combining with fuel expansion due to latent heat, causing an overly rich setting. I reinforce this theory by closing the fuel valve and cranking until it pulls the excess fuel out of the bowl and reaches a naturally lean state and will fire (no matter how hot). If you can get to the fuel valve in time, it will keep running...if not, it will almost always restart with ease anyway. In the absence of a shut off valve, screwing the richness needle "in" to close it, will do the same thing, but can be hard on both the needle and seat if done too often or too aggressively.

[TXGOAT2]

Fuel can expand or even boil in the carburetor following as hot shut down, which could flood the carburetor. Anything that could tend to trap puddled fuel or fuel vapor in the carburetor and intake could flood the engine upon cranking. The T, having an updraft system ought to have some resistance to afterboil flooding, but puddled fuel would immediately flood the hot engine upon cranking. Opening the throttle halfway or more after shutting down might help alleviate any tendency to flood. Parking the car with the front end slightly higher than the rear end might help also. I always park any vehicle into the wind in hot weather, if at all possible. Doing so will help reduce underhood temperatures in the minutes after shutting the engine off. Removing the hot air pipe in summer might be helpful. If you have an air cleaner, it needs to be arranged where it won't contribute to fuel puddling in the carburetor due to overchoking or fuel boiling. A pinhole located to drain off any puddled fuel is a good idea. I believe some older Marvel Type carburetors had a small hole drilled in the bottom of ther air intake with an oilite plug in it. This would allow puddled fuel to drain off while keeping out dirt and bugs. I think Ford 8N tractors had something of the sort.

[Rich Eagle]

In 50 years with Ts I don't remember encountering or hearing of those scenarios. That's the great thing about the forum. I will try those suggestions. This is a new engine and I haven't put a heat pipe on it. I now recall the '09 starting hard one warm day now and that may be the cause.
Thanks for the ideas.
Rich