mrcvs Posted May 17, 2014 Share Posted May 17, 2014 It is amazing what one awful, cold winter can do to a car.Before the winter, the 1930 Ford ran fine. Now, with the old battery, after charging for several hours, I got a feeble whirr, whirr, when trying to start, then nothing. Thinking the battery wouldn't hold a charge, due to ridiculous cold this winter, I bought a new one. (WHY did 6-volt batteries get so ridiculously expensive all of a sudden -- $89.99!)??? I put the new battery in and tried the horn and a feeble sound was emitted. Then I charged it all day. Nothing! Initially I thought it was the starter and rocked back and forth and thought the starter was stuck. However, when I push the shaft down it seems to fully depress. Then I tried the lights and horn and nothing again. So what gives?I cannot deny I get INCREDIBLY frustrated with old cars. I have no one to ask for advice. I have a copy of the Restorer's Model A Shop Manual by Jim Schild and it is basically useless.Some of my reading on the problem suggests a problem with fuses. Could this be it? If so, where are the fuses located and where do I get new ones?My major problem with this 'hobby' is that every one else's cars seem to be running and mine tend to have tons of problems all the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackofalltrades70 Posted May 18, 2014 Share Posted May 18, 2014 Sounds as if you need to check the main battery cable ends for cleanliness and that they are tight at the battery, starter and wherever it grounds. That sounds like the problemSent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryB Posted May 18, 2014 Share Posted May 18, 2014 Agreed it sounds like a poor connection to the battery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrcvs Posted May 18, 2014 Author Share Posted May 18, 2014 Wow, that simple! I thought there was a good connection but I shall check again. Perhaps pour hydrogen peroxide on the battery cable ends? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryB Posted May 18, 2014 Share Posted May 18, 2014 I never tried that trick! I used a battery cleaner metal brush tool that has a piece you put over the battery post to clean the post until it shines and has a metal brush on the other end that looks like a christmas tree that you insert in the battery cable to clean it until it shines. On the other ends you have to make sure the connections the bolts are tight. I might help to remove those bolt ends and clean them with a wire brush to make sure they are making good contact.Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCHinson Posted May 18, 2014 Share Posted May 18, 2014 Where are you located? Perhaps there is an AACA Region or Chapter near you with someone who would be willing to help you. Other than that, I would recommend Les Andrew's Model A Ford Mechanics Handbook. It should be available from any of the Model A Ford vendors. It is a great book with troubleshooting charts that will help you learn how to deal with those sort of issues. It sounds like you have a bad or corroded battery cable connection somewhere. Removing, cleaning, and attaching and firmly re-tightening all of the connections in the battery cable circuit would probably take care of this problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GLong Posted May 18, 2014 Share Posted May 18, 2014 Clean shiny cable ends and battery posts. The other end of the battery cables must be attached to clean, not rusty, connections on the frame or engine block and the starter. Corrosion and rust are the usual cause of what you describe. The odd thing is that the second battery also had the same problem trying to turn over the engine. Have you put a hand crank on the engine, and tried to turn it over to see how difficult the engine turns? Since we don't know where you are located, and where the car was stored, I'll as a scary question: are you sure the coolant/antifreeze was concentrated enough to not freeze when the temps in much of the north half of the country went to -20*F. ? If the engine froze, you may be dealing with some problems inside the engine. Such as: a cracked cylinder that is full of coolant? GLong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrcvs Posted May 18, 2014 Author Share Posted May 18, 2014 I actually was looking for a hand crank to see if I could start it this way and could not find one. I used a wire brush and cleaned up the battery ends and it still does not work! The battery is brand new so the terminals are clean. The car has a brand new head as it did crack but when it was apart the engine itself was okay. So the engine is not the problem. It was not started since the repair due to the dead battery. Is it possible something was blown, like a fuse, once I depressed the starter? The starter itself depresses so that is not the problem.Sorry for the extreme frustration but old cars are supposed to be simple, but any problem such as this will leave me high and dry for weeks or months. I am near Allentown, Pennsylvania. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GLong Posted May 18, 2014 Share Posted May 18, 2014 Get someone to help, you depress the starter, so it's engaged and trying to turn the engine, have someone else attach a 12v battery to your 6v with jumper cables. Do this ONLY while you are attempting to start the car. DO NOT leave the 12 battery and jumper cables attached after you disengage the starter. I'm fearing that you have other problems, probably related to the freezing of the engine.. Does the starter turn the engine over at all? Your description says: 'whirr, whirr'. to me that sounds like the starter is turning, but the starter's gear is NOT engaging the flywheel, and turning the engine over. Could you give a more 'technical' description of what does happen when you try to start the engine?? GLong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCHinson Posted May 18, 2014 Share Posted May 18, 2014 Your ability to describe what is happening is limiting other's ability to help. There is no fuse in the starting circuit of a Model A Ford. It is possible that there is a fuse that has been added in the ignition circuit. If so, it would probably be in a visible fuse holder mounted on the top of the starter. Where are you located? Maybe we can find someone to help you. If not, you really need to get the book shown at this link:http://www.mafca.com/books/lesbook.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrcvs Posted May 18, 2014 Author Share Posted May 18, 2014 I am certain that the problem before was a battery that did not have enough cranking power. So I got the new battery. Ever since then, I have been unable to get ANY response from the starter, whereas there would be a feeble whirr, whirr, after charging for 8 hrs. I know that the battery has a positive ground, so it was properly installed. I just don't know what gives now.Right now, what happens when I start the engine is the following: Turn on gas, turn on key, depress starter, nothing! I took a screwdriver and pushed down on the starter shaft, and it depresses, so it is not stuck, but no response from the starter. Should I open up the starter? It is only 2 screws to look inside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCHinson Posted May 18, 2014 Share Posted May 18, 2014 (edited) It is possible that the starter switch is not making contact. The starter switch is the metalllic boxy part on the top of the starter. It is held on with 4 screws. Where are you located? There is a chance we can find someone close by who would be happy to help you learn more about how to work on your car. Edited May 18, 2014 by MCHinson (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrcvs Posted May 18, 2014 Author Share Posted May 18, 2014 I am in Macungie, Pennsylvania. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCHinson Posted May 18, 2014 Share Posted May 18, 2014 There are lots of AACA folks in Pennsylvania. While I am not that familiar with the area, have you tried to locate a local AACA Region in your area? Are any of these nearby?I am sure someone from your area would be happy to help you. [h=2]PENNSYLVANIA[/h]Allegheny Mountain RegionPresident - Ernest Romanini100 Skytop LanePort Matilda, PA 16870Anthracite RegionPresident - Joseph Forish607 E. Blaine StMcAdoo, PA 18237Butler-Old Stone House RegionPresident - Fred Gesin211 North TrailButler, PA 16002Central Mountains RegionPresident - Charles Ross313 E Cherry StClearfield, PA 16830Coke Center RegionPresident - Stephen Regish338 East End RdConnellsville, PA 15425Covered Bridge RegionPresident - Layton Wise292 Franklin TerraceWashington, PA 15301Delaware Valley RegionPresident - Carol AllenPO Box 531Worchester, PA 19490Flood City RegionPresident - Thomas Roberts589 Miller-PickertsHolsopple, PA 15935Fort Bedford RegionPresident - Howard Clites4157 Hyndman RdHyndman, PA 15545Gettysburg RegionPresident - Howard King2535 Braddock RdMt Airy, MD 21771Golden Triangle RegionPresident - Michael Paine1835 Guyton RdAllison Park, PA 15101Hershey RegionPresident - Kurt FroebelPO Box 305Hershey, PA 17033Kiski Valley RegionPresident - Jane Walker1264 Oak RoadLeechburg, PA 15656Kit-Han-Ne RegionPresident - Roberta Jensen239 Hillberry RdWorthington, PA 16262Lakelands RegionPresident - Robert Black690 S. Neshannock RdHermitage, PA 16148Lanchester RegionPresident - Albert Storrs4 Main-Lin DrCoatesville, PA 19320Laurel Highlands RegionPresident - Duane Slade436 Twin Maples RdDerry, PA 15627Lehigh Valley RegionPresident - John Mitzak29 Woodbine RdPhillipsburg, NJ 08865Lower Bucks RegionPresident - Lawrence Atwood6212 Nathan Hale CtBensalem, PA 19020Mason-Dixon RegionPresident - Irvin Gish10902 Coffman AveHagerstown, MD 21742Mon Valley RegionPresident -Wilbur Caldwell104 Calvin RdCharleroi, PA 15022Northeastern Pennsylvania RegionPresident - Walter Kreig138 Franklin StPlymouth, PA 18651Ontelaunee RegionPresident - LaMar Madtes4505 Senny CtNew Tripoli, PA 18066Pennsylvania Dutch RegionPresident - Edward Houser1778 Miller RdHUmmelstown, PA 17036Pennsylvania Oil RegionPresident - Kevin Stout310 Ridgewood RoadShippenville, PA 16254Pocono RegionPresident - Mike SmeraldoRR 4 Mills Rd Box 4102Saylorsburg, PA 18353Pottstown RegionPresident - Gail deMauriac26 Elaine DriveBoyertown, PA 19512Presque Isle RegionPresident - James Sackett10702 Townley Run RoadWattsburg, PA 16442Presque Isle Region - French Creek Valley ChapterPresident - Edward Mengel866 Martin StMeadville, PA 16335-1037Punxsutawney RegionPresident - Cecile Evansic2215 Neal RoadGraceton, PA 15748Scranton RegionPresident - Michael Passero1156 Academy StScranton, PA 18504Shannock Valley Car Club RegionPresident - John McLaughlin301 St Paul RdRural Valley, PA 16249-2217Shenango Valley RegionPresident - Jack Susko9118 Inverrary Drive SEWarren, OH 44484Shikellamy RegionPresident - John Odell Jr.4643 Clarkstown RdMuncy, PA 17756Sugar Bush RegionPresident - Sam Wiedner291 Garrett ShortcutBerlin, PA 15530Susquehanna Valley RegionPresident - Susan Stair250 Maple RoadWapwallopen, PA 18660Susquehannock RegionPresident - Carl Bennett647 Heilman RdMontoursville, PA 17754Susquehannock Region - Penn College Classic Cruisers Chapter President - Carmen Cicioni67 Strawberry LaneRingtown, PA 17967Valley Forge RegionPresident - Chuck Mason125 Oaklyn AveEagleville, PA 19403Wayne-Pike RegionPresident - Arthur FlynnBox 418Callicoon, NY 12723Western Pennsylvania RegionPresident - Mark Jackson133 Alexander AveGreensburg, PA 15601 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpage Posted May 18, 2014 Share Posted May 18, 2014 You may have a short or loose connection inside the starter. Remove the starter and starter switch. Using either the battery and jumper cables or a charger, connect the ground to the starter body and touch the negative connector to the large brass button under the starter switch. If the starter runs strong the problem is not the starter. Have you ever replaced the original harness, if not you may also have some hidden problem in the system. The Model "A" electrical system is a rather simple one and almost all electrical problems can be rectified by replacing an aging harness with a new one. If you have no current to the lights or horn the problem is probably not with the battery. Also , keep an eye on your ammeter when you shut off the engine. Sometimes the cutout contacts will stick and cause a direct drain through the generator; this will show as a negative reading on the ammeter. Usually a tap on the starter button will cause the contacts to release. This is just cautionary and is not directly related to your current problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrcvs Posted May 18, 2014 Author Share Posted May 18, 2014 Okay, I took apart the starter switch, and now that I know how this works, I put it back together again, and can hear a 'click' as the starter shaft makes contact with the brass button beneath. So this isn't the problem! I had put it back together again before I read the comment about connecting the battery charger directly to it.When you think about it, I did at least get something with the old battery. The new battery - nothing. Shows up fully charged on the battery charger and my connections 'look' good. It has to be something with replacing the battery, as simple as that sounds???On another note, this just demonstrates how impractical the high school and/or college system really is. You would not believe the junk I had to take to get a rather useless college degree. The essential courses are not all the junk I had to take, but rather, they need to be teaching you how to fix things in high school/college instead of the theoretical bull****. Now, maybe they teach you these things if you major in engineering, but I made the mistake of not doing this. I regret this every day. Had I done so, not only would I be more practical at digging myself out of holes such as these (can't get car to run), but also I would have better employment opportunities, too. I guess the moral behind this is if you are young and wondering what to do, study engineering, or at least something where you can fix things and make them work better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackofalltrades70 Posted May 18, 2014 Share Posted May 18, 2014 If I would have known where you lived, as I was in Hershey,Pa with my son yesterday, we probably could have sorted this out for you.Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrcvs Posted May 18, 2014 Author Share Posted May 18, 2014 jpage, I did take apart the starter switch again, and hooked up the negative (black) cable to the starter button and the positive to the housing of the starter. When I plugged in the battery charger, no response in the starter, but, no matter what I did, I still could not get the starter to show anything other than check battery, as opposed to battery charging.Any ideas? It seems odd that the starter (or anything else) would fail EXACTLY when I put the new battery in, but then again, nothing seems to be working, either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrcvs Posted May 18, 2014 Author Share Posted May 18, 2014 If I would have known where you lived, as I was in Hershey,Pa with my son yesterday, we probably could have sorted this out for you.Sent from my iPhone using TapatalkYes, Macungie is between Hershey and Clarks Summit...however, I didn't buy the battery until yesterday afternoon and charged it for awhile and figured the car would fire up last evening...and no such luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCHinson Posted May 18, 2014 Share Posted May 18, 2014 You may have a short or loose connection inside the starter. Remove the starter and starter switch. Using either the battery and jumper cables or a charger, connect the ground to the starter body and touch the negative connector to the large brass button under the starter switch. If the starter runs strong the problem is not the starter. Have you ever replaced the original harness, if not you may also have some hidden problem in the system. The Model "A" electrical system is a rather simple one and almost all electrical problems can be rectified by replacing an aging harness with a new one. If you have no current to the lights or horn the problem is probably not with the battery. Also , keep an eye on your ammeter when you shut off the engine. Sometimes the cutout contacts will stick and cause a direct drain through the generator; this will show as a negative reading on the ammeter. Usually a tap on the starter button will cause the contacts to release. This is just cautionary and is not directly related to your current problem.Please note what I have reposted in the bold text.If you get a click when you depress the starter switch, the starter drive could be stuck, or the engine could be stuck, or the starter could be bad.Repost your results after you remove and test the starter in this manner. That may enable a remote diagnosis... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrcvs Posted May 18, 2014 Author Share Posted May 18, 2014 Please note what I have reposted in the bold text.If you get a click when you depress the starter switch, the starter drive could be stuck, or the engine could be stuck, or the starter could be bad.Repost your results after you remove and test the starter in this manner. That may enable a remote diagnosis...Okay, I tried again, just touching the negative (black) connector to the brass button (key off on car) and ... Nothing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JACK M Posted May 18, 2014 Share Posted May 18, 2014 It sounds like you need to figure out if the engine will turn before blaming the starter. Try taking out the spark plugs and put it in high gear and see if you can get the engine to turn by pushing it. You should be able to do this by yourself, but a friend with a strong back may help.You had the head off? Would the engine turn then?If the engine is free then start looking into electrical problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrcvs Posted May 18, 2014 Author Share Posted May 18, 2014 It sounds like you need to figure out if the engine will turn before blaming the starter. Try taking out the spark plugs and put it in high gear and see if you can get the engine to turn by pushing it. You should be able to do this by yourself, but a friend with a strong back may help.You had the head off? Would the engine turn then?If the engine is free then start looking into electrical problems.If that were the case, wouldn't you at least get some sort of response from the starter? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCHinson Posted May 18, 2014 Share Posted May 18, 2014 (edited) mrcvs,It does not appear that you understood the previous instructions.Did you remove the starter from the car per the previous post? That involves unscrewing the starter rod from the starter switch, removing the large battery cable from the starter switch and removing three bolts that hold the starter onto the engine. After you remove the starter from the car and remove the starter switch, you can test the starter with jumper cables or perhaps with a battery charger. As soon as we learn how the starter works independently from the car and its electrical system, we can hopefully isolate and pinpoint the problem that you are having. There is also a chance that when you remove the starter, a problem may become evident with the starter drive (often called a bendix). Edited May 18, 2014 by MCHinson (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GLong Posted May 18, 2014 Share Posted May 18, 2014 mrcvs: you cannot get a starter motor to turn using a battery charger, it pulls 100's of amps. A battery charger is usually 10-20 amps maximum. So: use jumper cables and a battery, not the charger. OK, another few items: when you have the starter out of the car, can you see the gear on the flywheel where the starter's gear engages? Take a large screwdriver, prybar,, crowbar, or whatever you have, and try to turn the flywheel prying against the teeth on the flywheel. It should move fairly easily, remember, normally you can spin the motor with a hand crank on the front of the engine. If the flywheel won't turn, the problems are in the engine. If the flywheel moves freely, then lets move on to the starter. With the starter on the work bench, can you physically pull out on the gear that is on the starter shaft? I don't know if your starter has a lever that throws the gear into the flywheel, or if it has a 'bendix' drive that uses the rotation of the starter motor to throw the gear into the flywheel. I don't remember working on a Model A starter. But either way, the gear must be able to be engaged with the flywheel teeth. I'm gonna back track to the battery: Do you have a voltmeter? a VOM: Volts/Ohms/meter. You need to check the 'fully charged' battery. New batteries CAN be bad, it's very rare in my experience, but it can happen. Your new battery when hooked up should turn on your headlights, honk the horn etc.. if not, then it's NOT hooked up.Do you have a camera, and could you take a photo of the ends of your battery cables?? Is the negative one, the one going to the starter, does it have a clamped on battery cable connector that hooks it to the battery post?? is it the type with two bolts, usually 7/16" through a flat strap that clamps the copper wire of the cable to the battery clamp? If so, remove the cable from the clamp and clean it and replace it. If it is green or white with crusty corrosion, the clamp will not conduct the electricity. Now, for the other, the + cable, is it clean and shiny inside, where it goes over the [clean and shiny] positive battery post.. I mean CLEAN!! U use a pocket knife to scrape the inside of the battery clamps.. they can LOOK like nice gray lead, but are hard crusty corrosion, and once you scrape the inside of the clamp it's obvious it's NOT lead, it needs to be CLEAN, and the same for the battery post.. I've pulled many a battery cable off of a 'dead' battery, scraped the inside of the clamp, scraped up the sides of the battery post all around the post, cleaning multiple stripes on the post, reinstalled the CLEAN, metal to metal connectors, NOT CORROSION TO CORROSION, and whallah !!! the battery is NOT dead, just can't make a connection through the gray, hard corrosion inside the battery cable end. Your battery, from post to post should measure 6.2 volts minimum. A lead-acid battery cell makes 2.1v so 6.3 is resting voltage.. if your battery is bad, it will read: 2.1, or 4.1, or something less than 6.3. BUT my bets are on the battery cable clamps having a layer of corrosion you didn't recognize. Now, as for education: while good vocational schooling, starting at high school does go a LONG way towards being able to understand and fix cars, it is NOT what you missed that is frustrating you now.. What you missed is hands-on experience with cars and machinery. This is what you are getting NOW: hands-on training on your Model A, battery connections, cables, starters etc.. so when you encounter someone else with similar problems, you will have the experiences from your car, and can share, and help.. just like we on this forum are helping you now.So: don't [if you can] get frustrated: just look at it as an opportunity to LEARN.. and once you hit the starter, and the engine turns over, and fires off, you will have a silly grin on your face that won't go away for an hour.. the feeling of accomplishment is hard to get any other way. GLong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarlLaFong Posted May 18, 2014 Share Posted May 18, 2014 Everyone seems focused on the starter and the Bendix, along with cracked blocks and stuck engines. None of these explains why he has no lights or horn. You can yank the entire engine out and the horn and lights will still work Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCHinson Posted May 18, 2014 Share Posted May 18, 2014 58Mustang,I certainly agree that it would be nice to be able to get an accurate discription of exactly what he observes about the car. From everything I have read, I don't see any post where he describes his horns and lights as working. That is obviously some information that will help identify what is happening, but so far, I don't see that information. My best guess is either a bad new battery, improper wiring, a stuck engine, a stuck starter drive, or one of a few other possible explanations. I really hope we can find a local AACA member to stop by and observe what is happening and get it running for him. If not, given enough time and clear description of the car's condition and results of various tests, we will certainly be able to get it running. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarlLaFong Posted May 18, 2014 Share Posted May 18, 2014 "Then I tried the lights and horn and nothing again. So what gives?"Post #1, first paragraph, last sentence.It is an electrical issue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCHinson Posted May 18, 2014 Share Posted May 18, 2014 mrcvs,Can you please clarify. That could be intrepreted as the lights and horn are not working, but elsewhere you seem to indicate that only the starter is not working. Have you gotten any voltage readings from the battery yet? Without good information describing the actual condition of the car it is very difficult to figure out how to help you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrcvs Posted May 18, 2014 Author Share Posted May 18, 2014 Okay, sorry for the level of frustration...but I was frustrated!One of you suggested taking a knife to the positive ground battery clamp and I did this. MAGIC. She wanted to turn over, but wouldn't quite do so! Okay, so I checked the fuel tank, and it was empty despite the gauge saying it was full. Added some gas and just took her for a spin. Still no lights or horn, and I had these before, but I can live without those, as long as she runs.So, I feel really STUPID right now. I guess I figured if it worked in contact with the old battery, the clamp would work just fine with the new battery. By the way, when I say I scraped it out with a knife, I mean I really scraped it! So hard, a small piece of metal flaked off!I do get aggravated sometimes with the junk I took to get a degree. Would rather have had Fixing your Model A 101 instead of English 101. Something I can use in life. By the way, I DO use my hands in my real job. I am actually a veterinarian so I can fix animals. Seems like I should be able to fix cars, too!Thanks ALL of YOU. Makes this forum truly GREAT! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackofalltrades70 Posted May 18, 2014 Share Posted May 18, 2014 I would still suggest that you check the voltage at the battery with it running. Just to make sure that you are charging the battery to eliminate any frustrations later.Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCHinson Posted May 18, 2014 Share Posted May 18, 2014 Glad you got it running, but I still suggest you clean all of the connections in the electircal circuits. If one terminal was corroded, there is a good chance that others are also in poor condition. You really should pick up a Model A Ford Mechanics Handbook. It will enable you to learn how to systematically troubleshoot problems. As far as the horn and lights, you probably need to trace the wiring and you should find something disconnected or some other corrosion causing that gremlin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryB Posted May 18, 2014 Share Posted May 18, 2014 A friend of mine, Keith Ernst from Orwigsburg PA will be in Macngie for the Antique Truck Club of America's truck meet on June 13 & 14. His specality is Ford Model AA trucks which are very similar to Model A cars. He will have a stand in the flea market selling parts under the name Tired Truck Restorations. Talk to him about your problems, he will be glad to help. Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpage Posted May 18, 2014 Share Posted May 18, 2014 (edited) You may have a bad light switch connection inside the metal box at the base of the steering column that's affecting the horn and lights. If the spider comes loose or is broken or the box separates the contacts will not mate and you'll not have any lights or horn. Some times the wire bale comes loose and the halves of the box will separate. Edited May 18, 2014 by jpage (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GLong Posted May 18, 2014 Share Posted May 18, 2014 MRcvs: very glad to hear of your success! It's pretty amazing how the inside surface of a battery clamp can look clean, and look like metal, yet be nothing but non-conductive corrosion !! So, you probably have a similar issue with the lights and horn. There should be a main wire feeding a fuse box? I'm not sure if the Model A had a dedicated fuse panel. But somewhere, either from the [-] battery connection, or the [-] cable connection at the starter, there should be a wire, a bit smaller in diameter than a pencil, that provides power for everything in the car: horn, lights etc. Find and follow this wire to a fuse panel, or to the light switch and see what is amiss. Being a Vet, you have lots of experience using the process of elimination to solve problems, cars are much the same as animals, they are both 'mechanisms' that need certain things to operate: the animal: blood to circulate oxygen to the brain and body, Heart to circulate it. kidneys and liver to clean and purify, alimentary canal for food and waste. The engine is quite the same, just takes a different thought process.Glad you got the car out and running!! Congrats ! GLong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrcvs Posted May 19, 2014 Author Share Posted May 19, 2014 Well, took it for a second spin and lights and horn are working! Must be a short somewhere. Will check this out on another day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarlLaFong Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 Glad to hear it wasn't a cracked block Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Bruce aka First Born Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 Glad to hear it wasn't a cracked block [/QUOT LMAO!! Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Henderson Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 (edited) While from the indications it appears to be an electrical problem, lets digress back to your previous comment about a freeze-up that required the head to be replaced. You need to be sure that the full extent of the freezing damage was to just the head. Heaven forbid that there was no more. One event that can disable the starter is a cylinder full of coolant, because it is non-compressible and will cause lock-up. So, to eliminate this possibility, pull the plugs and insert some absorbent object such as a pipe cleaner or a soda straw with a q tip attached. No water should be in the cylinders. Of course, if cylinders were rusted, that too could make the engine become stuck. Also observe the level of the oil in the pan, has it risen, which would be caused by water getting in? If these more serious troubles are ruled out, then the solution to your problem is of a much more routine nature and though now perplexing don't panic, the solution is close at hand. Edited May 19, 2014 by Dave Henderson (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JACK M Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 Although I have done it I am always shy to pry on ring gear teeth. Probably OK if the engine is free, but if its stuck you may create another issue.Its so easy to nudge the car in gear to check for a free engine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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