VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1912-1928 The Gremlins are back! 25 Sup K

The good news is that the engine starts and runs. Sounds good, throaty, and doesn't miss a lick. Now comes the gremlin, actually gremlins. After several minutes of running it just dies...I can't seem to move the retard back to normal because it will kill it. If I leave it on full retard it sounds good. Throttle works but if I go to high with it the engine dies. It is "drinking gas like a Hummer" (perhaps that is normal). Plugs look fine, a little carbon on them. Have timed the engine several times to see if I can get the retard off after starting to no avail. It actually sounds better with the retard on. Oil pressure is running around 10 pounds. Any suggestions????

I went back and read the earlier string with your postings about timing. I think you have the advance backwards. I think you start the engine with the advance lever "up," and then pull it down while running. I may be wrong, but that is how I remember mine running. This would also explain why it sounds better in what you think is the retarded poistion.

I would say you should time it to start with the lever "up," and then pull down when running.


AntiqueMechanic is one guy who would know, but I assume he is at the Northwest Meet, and won't be available here until Monday.

Thanks, I'll try it and post later the results.

Oh boy. Here we go again. Y'all remember my thread; "An unusual engine problem" or something like that? The problem being it would run 10-30 minutes and quit without there being a thing I could do to prevent it. Then it would immediately start right back up and do it again. I checked and replaced everything 42 times only to find out in the end it was gremlins. That or I hadn't put enough quarters in it yet.

The engine is started with the spark lever in the down position and placed up once started. Mine will run in the down position but it runs rough. It will also run hot.

Check the coil. If it's an original coil I'm told they easily overheat and have to cool off before the engine will run again. I put a new one on mine. Also check to make sure the vaccumm line is tight and not leaking.

I honestly don't know what was wrong with mine. I even gravity fed fuel directly to the carb and it still did it, which would suggest the problem was not from that part of the fuel line back to the gas tank.

What I also did do was to put a few inches of clear hose on the fuel line just before the vaccuum tank. Then I'd sit and watch as it pulled fuel. It's not a constant flow and isn't supposed to be. About once a minute or so it will pull fuel for about 5-10 seconds, I forget. Mine did that much just fine. Eventually it would try to pull fuel and the fuel just wouldn't quite make it to the vaccuum tank. Then it would stall out but as noted, it would crank right back up, run another 10 minutes and stall out.

This went on for months as I checked, rechecked, double checked, installed new, re-installed new, and re-reinstalled new parts. I rebuilt things. I had others rebuild them for me after I rebuilt them. I fussed and cussed and renamed the car more names then you can find in a baby book. One time I went so far as to call it a **** wannabe.

One day I told it there wasn't enough money in this house for two disabled people or items and since I'm the bread winner..... Then I told it I knew several people who wanted to buy it to turn it into a street rod with a **** engine in it. That seems to have cured it.

Let's hope your problem is easier to find and repair then mine was. Good luck.

I found that thread. There's a wealth of information in it. It's lengthy but only because so many good people here took an interest and tried to help. There were people in Australia mailing me information.

A confusing engine problem

Thanks for the suggestions. I have my engine installed on the frame sans body so I can really make threats that it won't like, e.g. becoming a street rod, taking up space in the "ba...aaack" of the shop, etc. I have a gravity feed tank and it seems to be supplying ample gas. Have a couple of other coils and may try them if the gremlins persist. It is good to have a sense of humor in these trials...just hope it lasts!!!!

Make sure the fuel supply is vented also. I used to keep the cap completely off just satisfy that concern.

I switched the retard/advance positions and it seems to run much better. I have taken the gas cap off and it still goes bananas and quits after about 10 min. I only have a 32 oz fuel tank on it and I beginning to believe, even though I have gas in the tank, somehow it is starving for gas. The coil resistor gets hot after cranking for a while. I switched coils didn't seem to do anything. It has to be in the electrical system or fuel system delivery. When running, it accelerates perfectly and isn't running hot. I'm going to find a larger tank and alleviate the problem(?) of not enough gas (pressure) to run the engine. I have the gas tank about 6" above the carb and about a foot back.

6" higher than the carb is more then sufficient. I doubt a larger auxillary tank would help but try it any how to satisfy your curiosity.

I doubt that the problem is in the electrical system if the coil and condenser are good.

Like I said, mine would run fine and then sound as if it was running out of gas. Pulling the choke did nothing.

While I'm thinking of it, mine only gets about 12-13 mpg so it doesn't do much better than a humvee.

10 lbs oil pressure is good.

Something else you might try that was suggested in that other thread. After the engine dies out remove the carb bowl and see how much gas you have in there. A couple of ounces should be plenty, IIRC.

Keep us posted. Eventually we'll figure it out or the gremlins will move on.

Well....I think the "die" gremlins are gone. I think the float was sticking "closed" and not allowing the bowl to refill. Did a little "jiggling, burnishing, and testing",and reinstalled the float. Tweaked the timing a bit so it was a little more advanced. Started immediately and ran nice...for a while! Then the radiator started to "spurt" water, a little, then more, then more...time to shut down. Looked through the earlier postings and "advanced the timing a little more". It started easily, idled, accelerated, and didn't have hiccups of water from the overflow. I "leaned" it out a bit because it seemed the plugs were a little sooty. Everything seems better now; still not willing to start cross country with it. The body is off the chassis!!! Might be fun to strap a lawn chair on the frame and run her down the road. My son said if I did that to have "911" on speed dial. Tried to attach a photo and not sure how you do it on the VCCA chat. Thanks to everyone for all your help and suggestions...it wouldn't be where it is without it!

My plugs were sooty right up until I started driving it. The more I drove it, the better it ran. Until the rear started making thumping noises.

The water will seek it's own level, about 1 /2 -2" below the top of the upper tank.

In 1970 I bought a 1946 Plymouth business coupe that I kept until I went to Iraq 3 years ago and then somebody decided they wanted it more than me. In any case, about 1980-81 I did a partial resoration. During that process I strapped an old kitchen chair to the insides so I could drive the car in and out of the barn it was in.

To post a picture you'll have to have that picture on another web site. I use www.photbucket.com. It's free and easy. You can upload a picture to that site directly from your computer. Once there you highlight and copy the URL. Then make your reply/post here. Click on full reply and then click on image. Paste the URL in the space that will come up. Click on submit and POOF, your picture will be here.

If you have any more difficulty let me know. You can either email the picture to me for posting or I can call you and talk you through it.