HO-HO-HO December monthly BANGER meeting

No, I did back it out of the driveway and such, but havn't really driven it. I still gotta adjust the clutch. Maybe I'll have the chains on it and the traction sand loaded by the time you come home for Christmas and we can take it up Mt Spokane

 

You need something like a Unisyn (not sure of the spelling) which is a gauge that measures air flow thru the carburetor. There are other types availible. I have one that reads directly from needle on a gauge. The old MG manuals recommended a system for SU's using a piece of small tubing held in the air flow, I suppose at an identical location, holding the other end to your ear, and when the sound was the same they were balanced. I have heard what I thought was a smooth running engine get much smoother as you dial in the linkage. This is done at idle and if your linkage is correct with no slop between carbs it should be balanced at the top end. Also, you only use the idle stop screw on one carburetor and adjust the other to it using some sort of adjustable linkage. You should just remove the idle stop screw on the second carburetor. I use right and left handed throttle rod ends from McMaster Carr and make the shaft from 3/16" drill rod or stainless from the same source threading it right and left hand. Then you just turn the shaft or rod until the carbs are balanced and tighten your lock nuts.

 

Thanks Bill, I'll be messing with it when I get the generator back on it

 

like bill said, they are mechanical on a stromberg. I would look down into the carbs to double check that you are getting that dual shot out of the accelerator pumps as well.

another thought i had. what are you using for ignition?? I ran an MSD electronic dizzy on a 302 and following the directions from MSD led to connecting a wire (it's been 12 years now) that would not fire the motor while the starter was engaged. once you let go of the key the motor would catch. I went through the directions again, snipped the offending wire and it started right up. probably not what's going on with you but somtimes I just hope my stupidity can help others

 

I have a 1930ish Mallory that used the stock ignition wire and hand lever advance/retard. Mat be ignition, but I checked for spark and it has a nice blue spark when cranking. I am thinking fuel, but like I said I am no expert. It just starts a little harder that I think it should, cranks over 3-5 times before firing usually. Sometimes more, sometimes less. Mainly I think I just have to get use to the chokes and how much fuel to pum in before firing.

 

I noticed that on my dual 81s, they like a little restriction like an air filter element of some kind to run better. That is giving you a little bit of choke basically. It's harder to get them to run with them wide open like that. I think you'll see improvement there as well once you put your elements on.

 

If you're picking up drivability with the fitment of an air filter then your under jetted on the carbs.
The air filters are acting like a choke and creating a slightly richer mixture which is what the engine is needing.

Keep in mind that your air filters should be filtering the air not restricting it!

 

I think its unlikely to be fuel. I'd put money on it being ignition.

You should not need ANY choke if your running twin Strombergs. Mine have always been clamped off, never needed them.
ONE pump on the accelerator otherwise your flood it making it slow to start. Try no choke but give it some throttle. Mine refuses to start without a little throttle.

Sometimes they are slow to fire. Just one of them things. If it fires regularly I wouldn't worry about it.

 

Chris,

I just did this to mine this week end. I found that my initial timing setting was @ 15 deg. retarded. I set it to 5 deg advance (I used a timing light) at idle. If you listened to my video post the idle sounds very "Model A". After I set the timing and sync'd the carbs, It runs and idles much smoother.

 

Thank you Enbloc, elrod and Crazydaddyo. All have some good ideas/tips. I'll play around with it and post what I figure out.
Crazydaddyo- one question for you. Beings the distributor is stationary with the pin in through the side of the head, did you advance it by pulling the distrbutor out and rotating it a tooth? I fire and run mine with the distributor advance arm on full advance, any retard and it falls on it's face...so it may be a bit retarded (just like me )

 

You take the rotor off, unscrew the big screw under the rotor and move the lobe a little clockwise.

You should time the distributor with it fully retarded and 1 piston at top dead center.

This is an excellent article on getting it correct.

http://www.abarnyard.com/workshop/timing.htm

 

THANK YOU Elrod You learn something new everyday!!!

 

i have the restorer magazine vol1 #1-6 and then missing till volume 9-2
are you refering to volume #5?

or am i not looking at the right book?

thanks!
Zach

 

Oh, Chris -

For ease, use the stock distributor cap housing to line up your rotor so you can look down in there, and then put the more modern style cap back on to test run it.

 

Elrod has got you pointed to the right info.

I went a step further and put a timing mark on my pulley and a degree scale mounted to the timing cover that lets me see where the timing is set. That is how I use a timing light. It is best to set the timing mark with the head off so that you can use an indicator to find true TDC. The timing pin will allow for a few degrees of advance or retard. Also, the timing pin location is different on the A timing cover and the B timing cover. A sets the timing @ TDC, B sets the timing @ 8 deg. advance.

I'm running a B dist. and it has a tab that is attached to the breaker plate outside that is used for fine tuning the timing.

.

 

It is actually called " How to Restore Your Model "A" #5 the books are compiled from articles in the restorer magazine. Senior moment.

 

ahh ok, thanks
maybe i have the article in here somewhere then...burried in the volumes!

 

Well thank you to everyone who helped me today. I followed Elrod and Enbloc's advise and started at the distrbutor. It is a Mallory "C" type distributor from the early 30's made for model A engines. I found a spec sheet that Bruce Landcaster had sent me, and it showed how to set the timing (different than a regual A or B distributor) so I follwed the steps and now it starts with one crank It feels really good to get it to that state, and I really appriciate everyone's help. Next is carb tunning, and I may need some help there too, just plain bill

If anyone needs a copy of my Mallory spec sheet, PM me.

Heres a short video:

 

That is music to my ears!

 

Here ya go guys. Again, nothing nearly as rad as Chris' banger...but hey! she runs!

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Sounds good Fencepost! Do you have the choke rod installed? It should start right up with a good pull on the choke rod, and you can also twist it to lean/rich the mixture with it as well.

 

Yup, the choke is attached I just forgot to reach over and give it a pull. That was the second firing, I think it's running pretty good. The guy I got it from said it was rebuilt somewhere along the line, and to be honest I had my doubts till yesterday. We didn't really need to get it going, as I'm going to be 'warming it up' in the next couple months, but it was fun and I wanted to know what I was dealing with.

Now, loan me however much you've spent on your banger, Chris, and I'll be flying along in no time! haha

 

Gosh, don't remind me....and I don't have near as much as most guys but it's still been a spendy ride!

 

Yeah I've got the feeling I'm going to be one broke son-of-a-gun come springtime.

BUT if there is another Hotrod-o-rama, we'll be there. Actually, I need it running good and looking at least half decent by June, for my little sister's graduation.

 

Men, these things can soak up money like a sponge....I've got two of the damn things!

 

AS I posted in Nov - by mistake.

I also thought I would try and log on the NSRA site in the UK and see if I could get onto the forum.

logged in ok and then got modded on every intro post I tried to make - what a waist of peoples time.

I have made my last attempt to post and then I will give up, all I wanted to do was post a wanted ad.


Not been near my truck for months - I put my back out at the workshop - I am ok now.

Well I need to get on with my overdrive converstion.

and I need some whitewalls to change the look for next year - any for sale in the UK?

2 x 16 x 6
2 x 16 x 7.50

Firestone or Cokers

 

Be careful with that one. Working on a herniated disk in my lower back, not a lot of fun.

 

I was crying on the workshop floor - the girlfriend had to drive me home and I was in bed for a week. It hurt.

 

Boy, I sure enjoy these videos you guys take the time to post. Any "A" "B" sounds good to me. My grandson keeps telling me he will make a video for me to post but too many things get in his way, girls, school, girls, hunting, girls, the list goes on and on.

 

Girls?

What are they then?

Will they make my Banger go faster?