MTFCA Forum

Recently I've helped a number of our club's new Model T owners with assessing the mechanical condition of their purchases. One common problem we found were rear axles that needed replacement - most damaged by the axle nut not being tight enough. Cracks radiating from the key slot, worn slots, corros...

Very informative and helpful....going to bookmark this one!

Tim

Such accidents can happen to anyone, from the newbie to the third generation Model T'er. That's why I chose to install a starter on my originally non-starter 1917. At my age I prefer to avoid major injuries. I already limp around after a Ford tractor shattered my ankle between a tire and fender thre...

You gotta be kidding me! Tim is one of the good guys. He's been nothing but kind and generous to me.

Many thanks to Bob for his support of the hobby over the years. As to Birdhaven buying him out --- I like the folks at Birdhaven but it seems that they are where some product lines go to die.... just try to get new voltage regulators and the numerous John Regan products. Hopefully they have a plan t...

I use a New Day timer which doesn't require any lube so someone else will have to tell you how much lube to use. From the photo I can't tell what kind of timer you have. When you remove the cover take a close look at the brush and see what condition it is in (post a photo.) Steve Jelf has an excelle...

Sooo....did they cross the Golden Gate? How about some pictures?

Our local club has seen a lot of growth recently. People are buying or resurrecting Model T's without ever having driven one. Either that or they've figured out the basics but don't truly understand the do's and don'ts of safe and effective driving. Some have also picked up some questionable informa...

The Kingston L4 has a little flapper like you describe. I take it there is no dataplate on the Carb?

If you take the rim off the felloe, take a look at the tenons where the protrude thru the hole in the felloe. If the nubs look like warts, they may be rotten and although the spoke may look good, it wouldn't take much to break the tenon. The first photo shows a "warty" tenon on the right and what a ...

I drove my Model T with it's "new" Holley NH today. Right out the gate it was obvious the car had more power and faster acceleration than with my Holley G. I was even able to accelerate going up a hill that I normally am lucky just to hold my speed (or not lose much.) I'll know more after I get a fe...

I have battery powered magnetic flashing amber lights that I attach to the back of my Model T. When traveling on busy roads I activate them. I think our German friends could use something like that, at least on their tail-end charlie.

In a airplane with a carb you have selectable carburetor heat. In 5000 + hours of flying I have very seldom experienced carb icing. When you apply carb heat the RPM drops and the engine loses a small amount of power. The warm air produces a richer mixture. Back in the day I believe the hot air pipe ...

I estimate my 17 takes about 20 oz - that puts the level about an inch below the filler.

Verdun is a place of beauty today, a far cry from the devastation of WWI. It is wonderful seeing people in Model T's able to enjoy the peace and tranquility won by the sacrifice of so many. Thanks for sharing.

Looks like one - here is a photo that might help.

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My triple gear bushings were firmly seized to the pins. I too wonder about the metallurgy of the bushings available today. It's like they expanded with heat and stayed that way, perhaps thru multiple cycles. The kind of driving I do should be easy on the triple gears - very little stop-and-go, littl...

Carole King's song "You've got a Friend" applies to the times in the Model T world when you can use some help. A little over two weeks ago the flywheel under discussion above finally gave up the ghost, setting into motion an extraordinary series of events, all aimed at helping me get back on the roa...

Steve,
My Holley G came with the car. Since the car was pretty much original, I assumed there was a good chance the carb was original to the car. I had it rebuilt by Russ Potter in 2019. I believe he installed a Grose valve but I've never had the bowl off to look.

Alan - I certainly agree. My Holley G came with the car and is probably original to it. I'll be holding on to it. As I said, it results in a sweet running engine and performs well under most circumstances. I bought the NH because (A) I got it for a good price and (B) because it was rebuilt by Russ P...

All I can tell you is that they ran the two carbs back to back on my engine. Their swayback NH and my Holley G - both using standard manifolds. The Dyno readings were taken within minutes of each other. Attached is a photo of the dyno in action.

Thanks to all of you who have shared your experiences and observations. I finally found time to drag the damaged triple gears out of the box and look them over more closely. It is obvious that the bushings locked upon the pins. It appears that the gears were spinning on the bushings (and eventually ...

I've heard from others that a few years ago some bushings hit the market that had a different alloy blend that allowed them to expand excessively and lock on the pin as others suggested. That's the most logical explanation I've heard so far. It is obvious to me that the pin was loose and spinning. H...

Excellent suggestions. Funny thing, maybe I’m going deaf but my transmission was quiet right up to the failure. It was an expensive education for me but I’ve added checking the gears to the list of routine maintenance. I’m also going to take a much closer look at the flywheel and other “remains” to ...

In defense of my Holley G, it was rebuilt by Russ Potter in 2019. I know he replaced the Venturi. It has performed very well for me, giving satisfactory performance in whatever I asked it to do. I think I will be able to detect any significant performance differences between the two.

Dave, your wish is granted....It was a Swayback. I'm going to put the NH (with one of Scott's valves) on my '17 and will report back in a month whether I notice substantial differences in performance between the two. Then I will replace the standard manifold with a high-volume unit and compare again...

The guys who put the engine together in 2018 and fixed it for me now are very aware of the need to avoid a too-tight bushing to pin fit and quoted the same clearances that Mark Mentioned. They've been rebuilding Model T engines for decades and this is the first one they've gotten back that was this ...

Today I picked up my engine after a transmission rebuild. As "proof of life" the rebuilder set it up on a Dyno and ran it for me, first with a Holley NH, then with my Holley G. I have a NH at home in a box that I've never gotten around to installing on the engine. Based upon the results, I think I w...

When a engine rebuilder starts a conversation saying "I've never seen one this bad" you know it isn't going to be good news. My '17 touring has 5400+ mostly trouble-free miles on it since August of 2019. The engine is strong and the transmission worked smoothly and ran quietly. Reverse was never as ...

I don't think the plastic replacement kits are currently available. Nonetheless, the wood in that box is shot and needs replacement.

Have the coils rebuilt by an experienced rebuilder with the proper equipment. Ron Patterson, Brent Mize, and others. I've had Ron do mine - he replaces the capacitors, inspects the windings, installs new points and sets them up.

John Regan pointed the same thing out to me, as possible explanation for why the diode in my "Hot Shot" charger failed. Regardless, it makes sense to keep high voltage wires away from others just to be safe. Steve, have you checked the AC voltage your mag puts out with an analog meter? That might te...

Interesting information and good to know. For what it's worth, my car is run 99% on mag which may help to explain the condition of the timer. I've never heard anyone say that timers lasted longer when run on magneto compared to battery so some may want to take note. I should add that during my engin...

For what it's worth, I had my coils rebuilt by Ron Patterson when I restored the car and had them re-checked by Ron last winter after 4800 miles or so in service. If properly adjusted coils are a key to having a long-lasting timer then I lucked out. My only question is, since the timer is switching ...

Thanks for all your kind wishes. May you all find the happiness that Joan and I have experienced. I found Model T's and all they entail late in life. Some of the things I used to do are off the table now but Model T's I can do. Working and driving the cars is fun but the people you meet are the icin...

Dallas, I don't remember those seats in the back of your TT when I saw it at the OCF a few years back. Was it always that way? Looks like your passengers are having a great time!

I know there was a bad run of repop timers some years ago, I believe they had a "S" on the cap. Tip Top is a different company and in my opinion comes as close to the quality of the originals as you can get.

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I wish I could tell you I was off enjoying a great tour but the attached photo says it all. In short, cracked drum and tranny issues...surprise!

I have a New Day timer made by Tip-Top Timers of Spokane Valley, Washington. In the past two and a half years I've put 5400 + miles on the cap and brush. I thought it might be helpful to others to show what the timer cap and brush looks like after that use. Wear on the cap contacts is minimal and al...

Is the axle bent? A lot of them are. Other things might be going on. Read these posts from 2007. <http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/29/27467.html>

Duey - not bands, a whole set of brand new drums! She doesn't want to miss out on anything for mechanical issues if they can be avoided. Yup, a keeper.

Today, June 17th, is my 50th wedding anniversary. When I was younger the idea of reaching such a milestone was unimaginable. For my anniversary my wife bought me brand new transmission drums to deal with a recently developed transmission problem...I think I'll keep her. :D As an afterthought, maybe ...

I just applied a little silicone adhesive on both sides and clamped it in place with a small wood block on either side. Two years on the leather is holding great.

This discussion brings to mind some issues in a friends engine. Humor me for asking some obviously newbie questions. Just how difficult (and advisable) is it to install new valves in an engine without removing the engine from the car? The car in question has two part valves in the intakes but not th...

I was humbled yesterday by experiencing first hand what I described in my original post. Without going into detail, my transmission misbehaved badly yesterday afternoon and upon examination, I found a cracked reverse drum. In moments, my carefully laid plans for the summer were in question. I called...

George is modest…his efforts helped this newbie get his car running and back on the road… he is a good example of what I was talking about. Rich is another, freely sharing his wonderful artwork. In my case it was a beautiful painting of my dad and grandparents in their 1917 Model T that I and my fam...

I know we kid each other a lot, and that is part of the fun.... however, I want to get serious for a moment. My wife is upstairs practicing on the piano for a funeral service tomorrow and it got me thinking about things not said that should be. I'm new to Model T's (2018) and regret that I didn't di...

Thanks for the advice - we're going to deliver the disassembled tranny and the (still assembled) engine to a highly regarded engine rebuilder here in Michigan. We want him to rebuild the tranny and give the engine a good looking over in the process. I'm hopeful but a little afraid of what else will ...

For the rain leaking between the windshield halves I run a piece of wide vinyl tape across the seam...wide masking tape (blue kind) works too. Later you can remove it if you want the windshield down for more ventilation.

Amen Scott.

Please post when you think you'll reach the Piquette plant. There are a number of SE Michigan Model T'ers who would like to welcome you.

Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse...... We (my friend and the assembled minds of our small club) decided upon further inspection that the transmission should be rebuilt. It appeared some previous owner had damaged the mag ring trying to remove a starter without taking the bendix off. In ...

I second the other Tim on the reverse pedal extender. Without it I'd never get my size 14 tugboats on it. I actually have extenders on all my pedals for that reason <https://www.modeltford.com/item/3439-40B.aspx> Personally I found reverse more difficult to get"right" than low. Do as Tim says and ma...

Thanks Dave - hopefully we won't mess these gears up.

Question: One of our club members has a 12 ton press that he's willing to set up to do such jobs. Most of the posts mention a 20 ton. Is a 12 ton hefty enough to do the job?

I use a Harbor Freight 3500 lb winch directly. I prefer the cable control (have both) because of the lag time on the remote controls. I attach the winch using a axle strap around the axle as close to the right spindle as I can get. I do not pull from the center for fear of bending the axle. The 3500...

Wow! So, the centering tool I referenced is not necessarily centered? I borrowed one and used it one time - seemed to work OK. I'm always learning something.

I tried to find the KRW tool and so far everything comes up "no longer available"

The man without hands also lost the sight in one eye after a seagull pooped in it..... he forgot and tried to wipe his eye.

Groan! Politically Incorrect! In poor taste! Yeah, I get it...sorry.

Have you used a centering tool to check that the timing cover is centered on the camshaft?

A picture is worth a thousand words....

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I must really be dense. When you describe getting a "a piece of short pipe the diameter which fits inside the recessed area inside the axle gear teeth" wouldn't the pipe block access to the clips that need to be removed? Or is it that once you've pushed the gear down to clear the clips, the gear sta...

Maybe this will help

Mark is so right ---- you should be able to thread a SAE nipple (zerk) into any of the holes that have grease cups. Otto Zerk did not take out his patent until 1923 and I suspect Henry was slow to adopt them. They are certainly more efficient than screwing a cup down to squeeze the grease in, especi...

Hmmm.... I don't think I have it quite straight in my mind.... I see the advantages of setting the end in a wheel hub (I have a couple) and running it through a pipe for support, but I haven't quite figured out the actual pressing "on" and "off". If you're pushing down on the gear with a socket or p...

A couple of friends are tearing their car's rear ends apart and will be replacing the axles. What kind of rig is required for pressing the existing axle gears off and installing the new ones? Is it something we might put together from reasonably priced components or a job best left to the experts? a...

Previous posters gave you very good advice. The "ball" is one area I service (with Timken red bearing grease) prior to any tour and during regular maintenance. It doesn't seal that well and grease tends to disappear. Do yourself a favor and get the grease cup with the hidden zerk fitting (Lang's 257...

We ALL learn from things like this. Glad you solved it.

My "cut" stems were all on 30 x 3.5 inch clinchers. The photo of the relief cut in the bead of a tire was taken of a old tire that I had on hand. My tire shop ground off a bit more but were careful not to remove too much.

Let me continue with my tire saga.... When I was a new Model T owner, I was looking to save money so the first tubes I bought were rubber-stemmed Hartfords installed in Universal T-Drivers. Everything seemed to be all right for awhile until one day I went out to the pole barn and there was my T with...

Western Honey Bee? Interesting user name....I suspect there is a story behind it. Cooling issues have long been the bane of Model T owners. Look at the number of water pumps sold back in the day. Unfortunately, without a workable cooling system you're going to have an unreliable car, not one you cou...

The guys that repair radiators are getting older and retiring. The last two I dealt with have both closed up shop. I currently know of a couple of shops in the Detroit area that still do the work. About a two hour drive for me. Bergs radiator is for sale....it would be nice if some enterprising youn...

I have a little different take on it...but it's just my opinion. First of all, I do use flaps. I think they help keep the tubes from bulging into the space between the beads of a clincher tire. Since we run 60-65 psi in our tires, I believe that would be a possibility. Second, I do use a bridge wash...

Can't say for sure but I'd guess these are made by Brassworks or possibly leftover Bergs. You should ask them. If Brassworks, you might be better off going to the source unless Ecklers has them in stock. I believe Brassworks has a backlog of a couple of months.

As Scott said, you will be amazed at some of the west's "wide open spaces." You will be visiting some of those dry expanses during the hottest time of the year. Be sure to carry plenty of water (for you), as well as coolant for the cars. Sunscreen lotion will be very important. You will also be in t...

Do you have a photo of the original fan belt installed or a routing diagram? That sounds awfully long to me.

Looking at your excellent graphics it appears things are wired correctly, however, depending upon switch position, either MAG (only) or BATT (only) should have continuity to the center connection (blue-yellow wire) that connects to the ceramic post on the coil box. You don't want to apply DC current...

Are you crossing thru Canada from Niagara Falls to Detroit or going around the south shore of Lake Erie? If you are going thru Canada, be sure to read about the procedures for crossing the border. Canada has a phone app called ArriveCAN where you must enter your passport and vaccination data and not...

Welcome to the US - please keep us informed of your progress while you make your journey across the country. It would help to know what dates you expect to be where. More details on your route would also be helpful. Are you camping or staying at motels? Southern Michigan has numerous Model T people ...

My friend had his done recently - he separated the two windshield halves and took the whole shebang to the glass company. They removed the old glass, fabricated and installed the new and disposed of the old glass. Giving them the whole windshield insured everything fit right.

I second what Jeff said....also avoid the Copper-Nickel lines - I've seen them do this where they go into the carb or sediment bowl.

If you jack up both wheels, can you move either of the wheels in and out? Have you ever opened the differential housing and determined whether you have brass or Babbitt thrust washers?

David - don't be upset by all the comments. Cars with parts from other years are pretty common and should not distract from the enjoyment of your car as long as everything works the way it should. It's a nice looking Model T BTW. To add to the confusion, I'll add my comments: the windshield appears ...

Frank gives a very clear explanation why lead is a bad thing. I would suspect city dwellers suffered disproportionally due to the higher concentration of exhaust fumes in the air they breathed. Many things that we gave little thought to in the "good old days" have proven to have been very bad ideas....

Not an additive but I've heard diesels running processed fryer oil often have a faint scent of french fries.

My wife loves popcorn, I bet if I put the popcorn scent in my gas without telling her it would drive her nuts trying to see where it was coming from.

The fellow in the car doesn't look very happy. Also, if you look behind the car isn't that a tropical tree / bush? Maybe Florida or somewhere that gets enough rainfall to support what appears to be abundant vegetation.

What Alan said.... I was really impressed by the quality of the brass stems on the Blockleys. Since the available valve stem covers fit them nicely, there is NO way I would tamper with them. Flame me if you like but there is no way you could recreate the quality of Blockley's valve stem mount & seal...

Original Smith - so far Blockley has chosen to keep all sales in house. Some folks have tried to work an import deal with them but so far nothing has happened. I agree, it would be nice and who knows, it may happen.

Soooo.... why is the floorboard sitting on the running board next to a hammer? Methinks more is going on than meets the eye.

Old chemistry teacher here. Leaded fuel was not available until the early 1920's, when it was added to help prevent detonation in higher compression engines---not 20 HP Model T's. Leaded fuel is still used in aviation but there are lead-free replacements just over the horizon. You might find the att...

Off center? Well, it's possible the timing cover was not properly installed. There is a tool you should use any time you install the cover to make sure it is centered on the camshaft - several versions of the tool are available but I've used this one with great success. Pulling the timing cover is e...

I got mine from Henry's Car Covers. I just use it to cover my car when it's parked outside overnight at a hotel or campground. They make several grades and I went with one of the cheaper ones. It has worked very well for me and as a bonus, also fits my 1952 Army Jeep. https://www.carcovers.com/cover...

I don't have the experience of some of the posters. That said, I recently installed a neoprene seal with a friend and it fit snuggly without modification. If you do have trouble getting a tight fit the other posters have suggested ways to address that. I have one in my T and no oil gets by it into m...

Nope - pretty easy as I recall, just presses in. This from the Lang's Catalog: "Timer oil seal, modern neoprene seal, use to replace timer felt and brass shield by pressing into front timing cover. (Highly recommend - Using the original felt and brass shield can be a source of trouble when they beco...

While you're tinkering in this area you might want to replace the felt cam seal with a modern neoprene one. Then a dust shield isn't required. FWIW, I have a New Day from Tip Top Timers that works great. 5000+ miles and still going strong.

I just looked on marketplace and there were four photos of the same trailer all advertised by different sellers in different cities. Just be careful...if it smells, back off.

I've gone thru the tube game on my 30 x3.5 clinchers. Started with Hartford rubber stems and had two fail at the stems....cut on the sides by the edge of the clincher tires. I then ground out a little material on the tire bead where the stem was and no more flats. Nonetheless, it bothered me enough ...

Guys like Ron make this hobby possible. His coils are in my '17 and have carried me reliably over 5000 miles so far.

Jonah - I won't be at Luray but you can talk to Brian Dowell at the MTFCI tent.

Frank - I'll share this with my friend.

In June of 2021 I paid $290 for five Blockley 30x3.5 tubes shipped to me in Michigan. Total cost, tubes and shipping. I'm not sure what gives with your quote. As I recall, mine were shipped DHL and arrived in about two weeks. No special customs handling was required. Oh, just to add - the air was le...

I'm trying to help another new Model T owner. The lower inlet on his radiator (1926 - High type) is badly corroded and has pieces broken off and missing. It is beyond repair but the rest of the radiator appears salvageable. Does anyone have a good lower inlet that would fit?

Steve is a master of replacing rubber stems with original brass... Me, not so lucky. I've tried it with mixed results. To expand on what I was saying about the clincher tire cutting rubber stems, one solution exemplified by the attached photo of a 50 year old tire shows what they used to do "back in...

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