Spark plug bubbling and tons of smoke

Discuss all things Model T related.
Forum rules
If you need help logging in, or have question about how something works, use the Support forum located here Support Forum
Complete set of Forum Rules Forum Rules

Topic author
Tommy_Massaro
Posts: 1
Joined: Tue Mar 23, 2021 4:51 pm
First Name: Tommy
Last Name: Massaro
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1921 center door
Location: Gadsden Alabama

Spark plug bubbling and tons of smoke

Post by Tommy_Massaro » Tue Mar 23, 2021 5:02 pm

My car ran fine all summer. Stored for winter and I made sure it had antifreeze. It sat for a month or two. I crank it up and start to drive it out of the garage , rolls bout 2’ and dies. It was extremely hard to get cranked again. Finally got it cranked and smoked so bad my neighbor thought my garage was on fire. I thought was gas or water bubbling from #1 plug. Rebuilt carb, new head gasket, intake exhaust gaskets. Cylinders looked fine, valves looked fine. I read were someone’s was leaking around head bolt threads so I put thread sealer on them. Still takes a while to crank and is still smoking, almost like a whitish smoke. Any thoughts? I have a video but I can’t get it on here

User avatar

TWrenn
Posts: 3743
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 10:53 am
First Name: Tim
Last Name: Wrenn
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: '13 Touring, '26 "Overlap" Fordor
Location: Ohio
Board Member Since: 2019

Re: Spark plug bubbling and tons of smoke

Post by TWrenn » Tue Mar 23, 2021 5:26 pm

Possibly bad head gasket.
You may even be cranking against a little water in a cylinder or more. That may be why its so hard to crank or start.

User avatar

TWrenn
Posts: 3743
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 10:53 am
First Name: Tim
Last Name: Wrenn
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: '13 Touring, '26 "Overlap" Fordor
Location: Ohio
Board Member Since: 2019

Re: Spark plug bubbling and tons of smoke

Post by TWrenn » Tue Mar 23, 2021 5:27 pm

you said new head gasket...are you sure you didn't maybe inadvertently put it on wrong? Very easy to do!

User avatar

Humblej
Posts: 1957
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 12:23 pm
First Name: Jeff
Last Name: Humble
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1926 Canadian coupe, 1924 TT C-cab, 1924 runabout
Location: Charlevoix, Mi
Board Member Since: 2006

Re: Spark plug bubbling and tons of smoke

Post by Humblej » Tue Mar 23, 2021 6:25 pm

Does your oil look like a milkshake?

User avatar

John iaccino
Posts: 818
Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2019 5:25 am
First Name: John
Last Name: Iaccino
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1911 Roadster, Open Runnabout
Location: Rhinebeck, NY

Re: Spark plug bubbling and tons of smoke

Post by John iaccino » Tue Mar 23, 2021 6:54 pm

whitish smoke could be antifreeze burning. Head gasket or crack in water jacket.

User avatar

Steve Jelf
Posts: 7237
Joined: Fri Jan 04, 2019 9:37 pm
First Name: Steve
Last Name: Jelf
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1923 touring and a few projects
Location: Parkerfield, Kansas
Board Member Since: 2007
Contact:

Re: Spark plug bubbling and tons of smoke

Post by Steve Jelf » Wed Mar 24, 2021 11:53 pm

I have a video but I can’t get it on here

You can put it on YouTube and post a link here.
The inevitable often happens.
1915 Runabout
1923 Touring


Adam
Posts: 1550
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 11:57 am
First Name: Adam
Last Name: Doleshal
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: ‘13 Touring, ‘24 Touring, ‘25 TT dump truck, ‘26 Tudor, ‘20 Theiman harvester T powerplant, ‘20 T Staude tractor
Location: Wisconsin
Board Member Since: 2000

Re: Spark plug bubbling and tons of smoke

Post by Adam » Thu Mar 25, 2021 9:44 am

Old, thick, evaporated, varnish-y gas in the carburetor bowl from several months of sitting can do that. It makes a T very hard to start and makes a ton of stinky white smoke. Usually, running a few minutes with fresh gas will fix it, but If you’re unlucky, it can stick one or more valves and/or require disassembly & cleaning of the carburetor to remedy.

User avatar

Charlie B in N.J.
Posts: 751
Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2019 7:40 am
First Name: CHARLIE
Last Name: BRANCA
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: "27 Tudor / "23 Touring
Location: Brick N.J.
Board Member Since: 2010

Re: Spark plug bubbling and tons of smoke

Post by Charlie B in N.J. » Thu Mar 25, 2021 10:31 am

White billowing smoke is coolant. No doubt about it. Did you retorque after installation of the head gasket? Doing that now just might help in any case.
Forget everything you thought you knew.


Adam
Posts: 1550
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 11:57 am
First Name: Adam
Last Name: Doleshal
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: ‘13 Touring, ‘24 Touring, ‘25 TT dump truck, ‘26 Tudor, ‘20 Theiman harvester T powerplant, ‘20 T Staude tractor
Location: Wisconsin
Board Member Since: 2000

Re: Spark plug bubbling and tons of smoke

Post by Adam » Thu Mar 25, 2021 10:39 am

If it’s antifreeze making that much smoke, you WILL be able to smell it. It is usually quite unmistakable and even someone who has never smelled antifreeze out the tailpipe generally will say “It smells like antifreeze!”.


TXGOAT2
Posts: 7391
Joined: Sun Feb 14, 2021 10:08 pm
First Name: Pat
Last Name: McNallen
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1926-7 roadster
Location: Graham, Texas
Board Member Since: 2021

Re: Spark plug bubbling and tons of smoke

Post by TXGOAT2 » Thu Mar 25, 2021 2:57 pm

Even a little antifreeze getting into an running engine will produce a very strong odor in the exhaust. To me, it smells like Coca Cola poured on a red hot stove to me... or perhaps wild hickory nuts....


Allan
Posts: 6609
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 7:21 pm
First Name: Allan
Last Name: Bennett
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1912 van, 1917 shooting brake, 1929 roadster buckboard, 1924 tourer, 1925 barn find buckboard, 1925 D &F wide body roadster, 1927LHD Tudor sedan.
Location: Gawler, Australia

Re: Spark plug bubbling and tons of smoke

Post by Allan » Thu Mar 25, 2021 11:02 pm

Bubbling around the plugs is of little concern to me. Without some oil to bubble, I'd never know. Tighten the plugs a bit. That may reduce it.Then carry on.

Alln from down under


Adam
Posts: 1550
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 11:57 am
First Name: Adam
Last Name: Doleshal
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: ‘13 Touring, ‘24 Touring, ‘25 TT dump truck, ‘26 Tudor, ‘20 Theiman harvester T powerplant, ‘20 T Staude tractor
Location: Wisconsin
Board Member Since: 2000

Re: Spark plug bubbling and tons of smoke

Post by Adam » Fri Mar 26, 2021 9:56 am

If the little wells around one or more of the spark plugs eventually start to fill with oil, you have worn valve guides. The car generally will smoke a little but it certainly isn’t something that suddenly happens over winter storage...


Jerry VanOoteghem
Posts: 4082
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 4:06 pm
First Name: Jerry
Last Name: Van
Location: S.E. Michigan

Re: Spark plug bubbling and tons of smoke

Post by Jerry VanOoteghem » Fri Mar 26, 2021 7:31 pm

What happened to the OP, Tommy? Up in smoke??

Post Reply Previous topicNext topic