MTFCA Forum

My 1923 Touring starts easily and the timer smoothed it out by then the timing lever goes back to the top unless I hold it in place. Any ideas about this?

I’ve only had the car a few days and have a lot to learn.

Tighten the timer case spring. That's the metal strap held by a hex head bolt on the front plate.

The "ridges" on the steering column may be worn flat
The springs holding the timing and fuel rods just outside the firewall may be fatigued
The spring holding the timing cover may be weak

find and fix one or more items, but this is made to get past the trouble you're having, regardless of the cause: all the vendors sell it

install, adjust, enjoy your car

welcome to the affliction

Thanks for the reply

The tightening block may not be available. I made my own from some scrap oak and a couple of bolts. I started with a piece of oak 3/4 x 1 1/2 x 3 1/2. (Scrap that I had) The large hole is 7/8", the two smaller ones are 5/16", space exactly 7/8" from the center of the large hole.
Mark it all out first and center punch the centers. Spacing must be exact. ( I used brad point bits)
Next drill two 17/64 holes for the two thru bolts (1/4") with wing nuts. (smaller would work but 1/4 " is what I had on hand.
Then saw it down the middle splitting it into two halves using a thin jig saw blade.
Clamp it on the steering shaft around the throttle and spark rods just below the springs, insert the thru-bolts and clamp it tight.
So far seems to work well. Cost me nothing but time. I did mess up twice by not getting the holes spaced exactly. -- J

I tried one of those blocks and it made the rods TOO tight!

I found the block at Texas Ts for $12.95. I ordered it. I figured it was an acceptable gamble . I too saw how easy it would be to make my own. I have the tools and even have a scrap of oak that would work . But for $13 not worth the effort.

I made my own tension block as the vendors were sold out at the time. It works quite well. The trick is to have just the right tension on the rods and if you have it set too tight you will have problems. Relax your tension a bit. Good luck!

If you tightened the generator bolt that holds the timer spring and that didnt do it, then you have to take the spring off and bend the timer spring to get more tension. Easy peasy, save your $13 and the wait for shipping and fix it today. Worked for 14,999,999 other model T's.

I would suggest (as I alluded to previously) that among the sum of parts involved in the quadrant, lever, linkage, coil spring(s) and finger holding the timer in place, it is certainly not the finger against the timer cover which supplies the totality of resistance to movement nor should it be the sole focus of remediation. Short of building up the ridges on the quadrant which are likely worn down, and tearing down the steering column to replace fatigued coil spring(s) (the two items actually DESIGNED to induce friction and limit unwanted adjustment), the wood block approach is a very easy, cheap and viable fix for the interim period and is all but infinitely adjustable to the level of extra friction needed in the system.

bend the sheet metal clamp all you want, It will ad friction and if it works, great!, but that's not the root-cause of lever movement and because of that, very often will not solve the problem

I guess it comes down to the fact that while I enjoy my cars immensely, I do not get enjoyment from incessantly screwing with little problems and patching things up. Diagnose the issue, identify Root-Cause, resolve, and then drive for maybe years before the next issue arises. I personally have no patience for spending every AM at a tour or otherwise, farting with the next little problem which arises from a faulty or poorly thought out fix on this part or another. As such, my opinions and usually my advice will always lean to "fix the actual problem, and it right" or at a minimum stabilize the root cause of an issue until the former can be accomplished.

When I bought my runabout, the throttle and spark levers were flat from rubbing on the quadrant. I gently filed the quadrant's notches deeper (not much). Then I built up the rods with weld and ground them round. Problem is fixed for the next generations.