• Welcome to 28Q29U Plymouth Forum.
 

News:

NEW FORUM version is here. 
If you are experiencing any problems, contact chetbrz@aol.com
WELCOME Auto Registration is turned OFF. 
In order to register for this forum please contact chetbrz@aol.com to request access.

Main Menu
Menu

Show posts

This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.

Show posts Menu

Messages - racertb

#376
General Discussion / Re: Time to get into the motor?
January 06, 2015, 02:04:18 PM
Thanks, Frank.  That's what I'll look at first, the distributor, the housing, etc, etc.  The last thing I want to do is do more than I have to.  I once got into an engine on a older Ford thinking it was one thing, only to find out the issue was an electrical connection...wasted a lot of time and energy for nothing.  If I do have to get into the motor, I most certainly will so I can get the car back on the road again.  Can you sense some procrastination as well? :)

Just want to be sure and I'll inspect everything external first and let everyone know what I find to see where I need to go from there.

Ted
#377
General Discussion / Re: Time to get into the motor?
January 05, 2015, 03:50:25 PM
Thanks Rich...Yes, I've done this and had the car running well and put a vacuum gauge on it at the time.  The last I checked it a couple weeks ago I started it, actuallu drove it through the gears (the car is up on jack stands) up to about 35 mph and then backed it down and let it idle.  It was then then she just started winding down and then finally cut off in front of me.  I lined up my marks and then noticed the rotor was out.  So, something (gear, distributor housing or something else) caused the motor to fall out of time and quit.  So that's where we're at for now.

Ted
#378
General Discussion / Re: Time to get into the motor?
January 04, 2015, 01:48:05 PM
Yes I remember and when I put the marks back to where I made them when running, I checked the rotor under the cap.  It was in a different position, almost 180° out.  So, something definitely slipped while the motor was running, as I literally heard it slowling down and retarding.  It was as if I was turning the distributor by hand retarding the timing until the motor quit.

So, I'll check the base this week and post my findings.  If that checks out, then I'll begin the tear down process.
#379
I felt the same way Ian.   Way too modified for me to get excited about the "journey".
#380
General Discussion / Re: Time to get into the motor?
January 04, 2015, 09:27:52 AM
Gosh, I hope you all are right.  I haven't inspected/removed yet to check and provide feedback and photos.  I hope you're right Ian, but is there a chance the gear could be the problem and be slipping?  Isn't there a key between the steel and fiber where there could be some play?  My guess, if not the housing, is that there is some play, but allows me to time and get the car running but then slips under load (?)

I guess I'll know more when I get back to it this week...
#381
General Discussion / Re: Time to get into the motor?
December 29, 2014, 09:43:57 PM
Thanks Frank.  I will definitely check this out before I do anything major!
#382
General Discussion / Re: Time to get into the motor?
December 29, 2014, 08:11:33 PM
Lol, thanks Chet.  I was looking everything over and just getting things apart looks like half the battle.  Going to put it off until after the holidays anyway, but will first check out the distributor base housing first just to see if anything noticeable.   I always take photos to be safe.

I guess the first step is to drain the cooling system...I thought I read somewhere that the oil pan needs to come off too in order to remove the timing cover, but not sure.  I'll worry about that when I get that far into it.
#383
General Discussion / Re: Windshield Wipers
December 27, 2014, 09:05:44 PM
Thanks for the info on the Wiperman.   Is your line copper for the entire length?
#384
General Discussion / Re: Time to get into the motor?
December 27, 2014, 05:21:07 PM
I will check it out, anything to consider not taking everything apart!  It looks good from my angle, but I guess I should remove carefully to inspect? 

Like I said above, it's puzzling how I can keep getting the car going and this happens.  I would think even with the possible bakelight going bad on the gear (I've checked the teeth before and didn't notice anything missing or chipped), I wouldn't be able to keep resetting the time and getting her started each time.
#385
General Discussion / Re: Happy Holidays
December 27, 2014, 05:14:24 PM
Hope you feel better!
#386
General Discussion / Time to get into the motor?
December 27, 2014, 03:07:00 PM
All:

Most of my previous posts over the last few months have dealt with my timing issues that I've been having for a while, and it appears that I may have to get into the motor to check the timing gear.  To sum it all up, the car was running yesterday, looked good on the vacuum gauge, etc.  I've been fighting this on and off now for a few months.  Each time, I can eventually get the car timed and running.  Recently, I thought the carb may be the issue...I'm sure it could be taken apart and cleaned anyway.  I started her up yesterday and listened to her run for several minutes and things looked good.  Then, the idle went down and she started idling rough and the vacuum gauge was going crazy. I shut her off for a few minutes; carb was wet with gas so I thought that was the problem and need to take it off and rebuild now.  I didn't.  I attempted to start the car and she wouldn't.  Heard a couple pops and I knew the timing was screwed up again.  Since I made some marks on the distributor and crank pulley for reference the other day after she was running good, I went to check that out first.

Once my marks were lined up, I pulled off the distributor cap to inspect the rotor. The rotor was definitely off the mark and looked to be almost 180° out from where it should be.  I've had the distributor out before and the gear was fine.  So now, going to put the carb on the back burner.  I think I've been in denial about the gear since I've always been able to get the car running again.  How could I keep getting it running if the gear was bad???

I'm quite sure I've got to get into it to check the cam gear to see if that's the problem.  It's either that or the distributor, whatever is throwing the rotor off and changing the timing.

This is disappointing since my Dad had the motor rebuilt in the '80's and you know there aren't that many miles on the car.  I found hand written receipts and notes from the build and it looks like an engine kit was purchased from Egge, but there is nothing specific regarding the cam or gear.

Anyway, I've never had to do something major on this car before, so I'll need tons of advice regarding tear down of hood, radiator and anything else to get this apart.  Trust me, I don't want to do this if I don't have to, but I don't know what else it could be at this point. I would hate to tear it down only to find out I didn't need to.   

Feeling disappointed...
#387
General Discussion / Re: Windshield Wipers
December 26, 2014, 09:39:21 AM
I'm not sure how correct mine is, but on my roadster its 1/8 (I believe) copper from the manifold connection to up under the dash.  Where it comes out of the dash at the corner near the windshield post it is 3/16 and silver...either painted or aluminum.  The last foot of line is rubber where it meets the motor.
#388
I got it! :)

I have always left the dash knob in and would only pull it out to retard if I ever had to hand crank just for that reason... I hope I never have to use the crank for starting!

I think I will be tackling the carb in the next few days.   While watching the motor run for a while, it started to idle a little rougher and the vacuum gauge needle dropped a little and was not steady.  The carb looked real wet, especially near the top, and looked to be flooding.  I revved it up some until things got smoother and needle on the gauge went back to where it was.  I think the float is sticking and/or it's dirty inside.  If you recall, when the car left me stranded the last time, the carb flooded bad and there was gas everywhere.

It's probably due to be taken apart since the last time I rebuilt it and repaired the float was 12 years ago.
#389
General Discussion / Re: Happy Holidays
December 23, 2014, 06:43:07 PM
Same to you!
#390
I've got the plugs gapped at .030 and advanced the timing up to 20hg on the gauge.  Turned the motor off and re-started.  I could tell it was a little too advanced because she cranked a tad slower and the starter kicked back a little.  I backed the timing down slightly to 19hg and she started up fine.   I suppose I could advance kit to 20-21hg and use the dash control to retard when starting as you suggest.  I believe that Model A owners do  it that way as well.