VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1912-1928 Miss @ Speed

It has been a LONG time since I posted. Finally got the generator on the 24 Superior in good shape so I drive more. Anyway, when I am driving steady at speed, guessing 30 - 35 MPH, the car misses and spits. If there is a slight incline or load on the engine, no problem, only misses when I am cruising on level ground or down hill. I can lift the accelerator and slow down and the miss goes away. It appears to be a fuel problem. The zenith carb and stewart eight screw vacuum tank have been worked on fairly recently by folks on this forum. As I mentioned, I haven't driven as much in the last couple years, but I have not had this problem in the past. I did have a paper filter between the vacuum tank and carb but removed it.

Any ideas??

No other fuel filter? sounds like one is blocked and with gas flow demand gets worse. very common on newer cars blue38

What spark plugs are you running? What is the gap? It might be a miss due to lean condition. Hotter plugs or wider gap may solve it.

May I suggest Autolite 3077's set at 30 thou.

Cheers

Ray

Whats that Ray, 3077's you say! set at 30 thou you say! - tell me more mate

Hi Grant,

Did some one say something, I must be hearing things.

Cheers

Ray

Thanks, I'll give the plugs a try. Hope it turns out to be that simple!!

There is a filter near the gas tank. I'll take it out for a run and see if that works....

Set my autolite 3076 plugs to 30 thou and it fixed the miss at speed!! They were gapped at less then 20 for some reason.

Too bad though, after riding for 20 miles she just started spitting and carrying on, would idle, but when I pushed the pedal, nothing.... Got out and the carb was dripping gas. Got home by stopping every half mile and turning off the gas at the vacuum tank, then letting the fuel out of the carb via the nut at the bottom. She would run good for just a bit, then I would have to do it again.

Doesn't appear the float was stuck, it was moving freely when I took the cover off Ideas?

Hi Batolson, any idea what is going on? Please do let us know when you figure it out. My '28 did the same spit and sputter too but I figured it was normal. I just now changed the plugs and gapped them at .30, so I definitely am tuned into your situation.

Best,
Jerry

I would guess that you have a piece of trash in the needle/seat keeping it from sealing properly. If you take off the cover over the shaft then tap it gently with a screwdriver handle or similar. That should take care of the problem.

Then take out the 3076 plugs and install 3077s with 0.030-0.035 gap and enjoy the difference.

Lordy, Lordy, Lordy. I just got the 4th plug installed last evening (nearest the firewall) and that was a bugger. My plugs are 3076's set at .30

Do I need to go back and install 3077's Chipper? I didn't even start it up because I believed I had read that I was now hot to trot (so to speak). I will at least give them a try before I abandon ship. We had a thunderstorm come up last evening and it rained for awhile so I didn't get to "tour" my neighborhood with the new plugs installed. Gotta get that windshield wiper put on!!!

Trotting Jerry

Hey Sadie,

Tell that owner of yours Jerry, to go with the flow. And at the risk of being stirred by a certain un named sign writer from Gippsland Victoria, Australia, who I will not name to protect his privacy, If you install 3077's like many others on this site you will soon sing their praises, in fact some say you may have a MONTY of a time, and it will GRANT you the pleasure of being one of the converted. Except in Sweeden, as I think they must have strange petrol.3076's are too damn cold.

Cheers

Ray

Ray,

Ouch! Ok, I'm coming around to your way of thinking...

Sadie's owner, Jerry

Good one Sadie,

I knew with your puppy dog eyes and my boyish charm Jerry would see the light, or should I say plug.

Cheers

Ray
(Australian Marketing Manager Autolite 3077's)

3077s are in all my old 4 cylinders and they purr like milk fed kittens.

Jerry,
Before changing to 3077s try the 3076s. Even if it will run better with the 3077s as long as it runs well on other plugs it is okay. There are some engines that do not seem to run well on the hotter plugs so they use other brands and heat ranges.

That too makes sense Chipper. This reminds me of my favorite play, Fiddler on the Roof. Tevye is trying to decide if he can allow his daughters to choose a husband. He discovers that more than one person can be right at the same time!!!

tks,
Jerry

Jerry,

I installed the 3077s as well. With a new cap and rotor and new plug wires my engine starts easily and runs like a top except when the vacuum tank decides not to suck gas, or the car overheats or my latest dilemma, my discovery that an oil changing pan that I placed under the car just to catch drips now has a quart or two in it. But ... I digress ... You'll love the plugs.

And we love these cars and trucks why? Ha, ha. I know the answer but I can sure see why our wives question our sanity...or at least when it comes to these cars and trucks. There should be an unwritten rule somewhere that says: ONCE YOU FIX SOMETHING, IT SHOULD STAY FIXED AND NEVER BREAK, WEAR OUT OR NEED REPLACING EVER! As a second rule, there should be a central location that Scotty from the Star Ship Enterprise could beam us up and everyone brings their vehicle and we all help each other fix everything that can and does go wrong.

Dreaming in Tallahassee,
Jerry

Hey Jerry,

I think Sadie was right, you have been out in the sun too long.

Tell me, have you got those plugs sorted out yet.

Cheers

Ray

Hi Ray,

I am not sure if you could say my plugs are sorted, but I did start her up last night and she sounded good. I let her idle a bit and turned her off. I still need to road test her to see if the plugs have taken away the cough or if I need to treat her to some really warm plugs.

Ray, I am assuming you are talking about the spark plugs, not the plugs in my head (hair transplants). Actually, they both have only four plugs but the ones in the old truck look better. Sadie talked me into the four hair transplant plugs and I put them all in a ponytail. Ha,ha.

Jerry

Hi Jerry,

I am still getting over the ponytail, but I am sure I will recover eventually.

I hope your truck runs better with the current plugs, but am willing to bet a week sleeping in Sadies bed if I am wrong, or you if you I am right that you will still notice an improvement if you convert over to the long reach 77's.

So bucko, start stocking up on flea powder, you may need it.

Cheers

Ray

These the plugs?

3077copper core sparkplugs

WOW!