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Flwheel Alignment Pt4
Now attach the throttle control bracket, using some anti-seize and two lock washers, but leave the bolts loose. Insert one "C" shaped shim (A-6400)[3], about .010’’ thick under each ear, over the shaft of the bolt, and tighten securely. I have never found any...
Flywheel Alignment Pt3a
Figure 3 shows how to make an extremely simple and cheap tool, in no more that 30 minutes, using junk that almost everyone has around the house. It eliminates the need for an expensive dial indicator by employing an ordinary carriage bolt and a feeler gauge (something...
What is in your Model A Ford
How are your Plugs Burning? The picture to the right shows a comparison of the replacement plugs with the Original 3X and a NOS C-4 porcelain (just for more reference). The BEST match for the Original 3X turns out to be the W18. The second is the TT10/3076, which...
Spark Plugs
I was always intrigued by the origin of the spark plug. The gasoline engine development depended on it (until German inventor Rudolf Diesel came with his bright idea in 1893). As a youngster I understood how the engine worked - I started at 14 years old taking them...
Flywheel Alignment Pt 3
Figure 1 shows schematically a perfect aligned forward drive train. Note how the rear face of the engine block (A-A), the crankshaft flange (B-B), the forward face of the flywheel housing (C-), the rear face of the flywheel housing (E-E), the era bore of the flywheel...
Positive or Negative Earth??
“Electrical equipment will only function with current flow which requires a return path for the current that has passed through the component. Originally most vehicle manufacturers utilised either a special wire or the chassis for a return path. To distinguish between...
Flywheel Housing Alignment Pt 2
For those of us who enjoy studying the Ford Service Bulletins, the two brief notes on Page 218, February 1928, pertaining to the flywheel and its housings, are likely to stimulate considerable interest. However, for most of us backyard mechanics, the mere suggestion...
Flywheel Housing Alignment Pt 1
Those of you that do the final assembly and installation of your own engines after a rebuild have probably read and used the article written by John T. Shepherd of Arlington, Virginia. This article was written for the Restorer, January/February 1984, pages 10-15. The...
Clutch Bearing Maintenance
How long has it been since you greased the clutch throw-out bearing on your Model A? Where is the clutch throw-out bearing? To read more click here Clutch Bearing Maintenance
Distributors by Lloyd Kerr – 2014
Be sure there is no play sideways or up and down in the upper shaft that the cam screws to. If there is, re-bush and ream to fit a new upper shaft and use a thin steel washer at the top and a thin fiber washer at the bottom. Eliminate all play.. to read more click...
Cooling System Back Flush
The cooling system on a Model A Ford can get pretty crudded up with rust, calcium, and also with grease from the water pump. If the radiator has been in service for a long time it is best to remove it and take it to a radiator shop (preferably to one that is...
Kingpin Geometry
There are many articles written about how to install new king pins in a Model A Ford. However, unless you fully understand the geometry of the Model A front end, there may be an element of doubt concerning whether you did the job correctly. Since I did not understand...
Trouble Shooting Noisy Engines
In most cases lack of lubrication is the initial cause of engine knock. Before checking engine for knock, check oil level is correct. Click on the link to read the complete article Trouble Shooting Noisy Engines August 2013
To Adjust or Not Adjust
More Model A valves suffer from being burned due to inadequate clearance than from any other cause. As valves and valve seats wear, the clearance will be reduced. It is therefore wise to check clearance every 5,000 miles. The objective is to have sufficient valve to...
The Torque Tube
To replace the grease seal and the roller bearing sleeve in the front end of the torque tube it is necessary to first remove the old ones. This is sometimes a perplexing task for a person new to the Model A hobby. In order to remove either one they both have to come...
Engine Knock
Sometimes in a Model A, the engine will develop a slight knock. If the rod bearings and main bearings are tight consider the camshaft and its components for the source of the knock. Click on the link to read the complete article Technical Tip Engine Knock Dec2013...
Starter Maintenance
Model A starters do not require a lot of maintenance, but at least once a year the contacts should be cleaned and lubricated with dielectric grease. Figure 1. shows the starter contact button (A-11102) and the starter switch contact with its button (A-11450). The...
Nuts & Bolts
How often do you grab a wrench and tighten a bolt or "over tighten" a bolt with little or no thought about what the intended job of the bolt you are tightening is? I know most of us are guilty! We are under the assumption if tight is good then tighter is better!...
Number Eight Head Stud
The #8 head stud on a Model A Ford head has some unique features designed around it that can cause some grief if not given proper consideration. Henry designed an anti-theft system that involves the #8 stud that is still fool proof in the modern day. His arrangement...
Model A Generators Pt 1
The Model A generator was a 5 brush unit, the shape resembling that of the generators used in large hydro-electric plant powerhouses, thus it is commonly referred to as a powerhouse generator. About October 1928 the powerhouse changed to a 3 brush unit, and about this...