How to Start and Shift a 1931 Ford Model A in Cold Temperatures
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 29 ก.ค. 2024
- Cranking the engine for a long time and grinding gears when shifting are not conducive for the longevity of any vehicle, especially a 91-year-old Model A. Viewers of my previous Model A video gave me some helpful tips in their comments on starting and shifting a Model A, which is even more problematic in cold temperatures. In this video, I used some of these suggestions, and by golly, they worked! Now if I can only remember these procedures the next time I go for a ride in my Model A.
Beautiful pickup Randal. Assuming that you are not spoofing us, you definitely are short on understanding the vehicle. The choke, the mixture, the transmission, the spark advance, etc. There are great TH-cam videos that will teach what you need to know. Look for them.
You start the car with the spark advance up. Always. If cold, you twist the choke control counter clockwise a bit to open the mixture valve some, then pull up and hold (closing the butterfly valve restricting the air and increasing the fuel flow by causing increased vacuum) while cranking for a few cylinders then release. Readjust the idle mixture to 1/4 turn open (back where it was) as the car warms up.
The spark advance is moved down as the car warms. The amount down is adjusted according to the speeds the engine is turning as you drive down the street. In the up position, the motor will not kick back and starts easily, but won't have much power. (Don't attempt to manually crank start the car until you understand the spark advance. You may break your wrist.)
To drive, you move the lever down a couple notches, (if the lever is worn you may not feel the notches, but look at the marks on the plate behind the lever to understand). All the way down is too much. (40 degrees of advance) Halfway is probably about right for town driving.(20 degrees of advance??)
The transmission is like a semi, tractor trailer, --big truck. There are no synchronizers to allow you to shift as you did in the Toyota. By shifting, you are disengaging two gears and reengaging with different ones. One of them is controlled by the speed of the rear wheels over the ground, and the other is controlled by the rpm of the engine. (clutch pedal up)
The speed of the two gears must be matched to engage. At a stop sign you need to be fully stopped to downshift without difficulty. (with clutch pedal pushed down, the engine is disengaged from both gears and the two gears will come to a stop allowing a proper shift into low or reverse. This can take a few seconds. Up shifting, the engine rpm must decrease to align with the rear wheel speed. Downshifting, the engine rpm must increase via the throttle (your right foot) to match the rear wheel speed.
You need to feel for the next gear gently when starting up through the gears as a rookie. (first to second and second to third) easing off the throttle a bit to make the shift. By moving the shifter slowly, you can BARELY feel the teeth of the two gears come into contact with each other. You will feel a zing and maybe hear the sound of this too. Zing is a no go, adjust throttle before attempting to put into gear. If the feel of the zing increases with throttle adjustment, wrong direction on the throttle. Go the other way. This is without using the clutch. As a beginner, it helps to count in your mind--one, pause, two. Out of gear on one, pause, into gear on two.
Double clutching helps slow the process down and teach the timing, but eventually, you will shift without double clutching and intuitively know the rate to move the shift lever while easing off the throttle. You'll be able to shift low in the range or all the way at the top. (As when in heavy traffic)
As a 14 year old, I could kick the shifter with my foot without the clutch from one gear to another. But, I understood the feel, the throttle, and the right time. I wouldn't try this for a while if I were you!
Randal, I just watched the video again. I'd like to add a bit more to my previous comment.
You are using the clutch as you would in your Toyota, which has a synchronized transmission. By using the clutch as you always did, you lose the option of adjusting the speed of the front gear (the one attached to the engine) to the back gear. (the one driven by the speed of the rear wheels) When I was young, I learned like you are. Patience and timing eventually gets it right.
But when you don't get it right, you have to start over from a full stop! Not good in traffic! Or, from neutral let the clutch out and then adjust the throttle and feel for the gear again. (clutch up, engaged) keep reading....
So, a little more might clarify. Moving the shifter from one gear to another, it always passes through neutral. In neutral, no two gears are in mesh, but the front gear is connected to the engine if the clutch pedal is up. (clutch engaged) Using the clutch as you are, if you miss the gear you have to start over because the clutch is disengaged and the front gear is disengaged from the engine. It can coast down to a stop and you have no way of controlling it. You were late in making the shift, and its now moving to slowly as the rear wheels are still driving the rear gear.
I'm sure there are Model A drivers doing as you are, I suggest you go out on that lonely road and use the clutch to initial get the car moving and then learn to shift both up and down without the clutch, as a truck driver does. Then use the clutch as you roll up to the stop sign. Etc.
From neutral, clutch engaged, if you miss the gear, you can blip the throttle to accelerate the front gear above the speed of the rear gear and feel for it again. Did you ever hear a truck driver blip the throttle and then grind the gear again or perhaps find it and go on his way?? He's not using the clutch pedal when up and down shifting.
Good luck and have fun, it's a beautiful old pickup.
Rob, not all 1931 Ford Model A pickups are the same.
First, thank you for watching my Model A video(s), and for your detailed, instructional comments. I have only briefly scanned through your many paragraphs, but will certainly read them over again in full.
My dad, who owned this Model A for 18 years was my instructor. Driving it was second nature to him. After he gave it to me, I quickly discovered that I wasn’t getting it right. So I included my struggles with starting the engine and shifting the gears in my videos to show viewers it isn’t all that simple to do, expecting that I would get comments with suggestions from experienced viewers like you!
Anyway, back to my dad’s familiarity with this Model A. Over time, I learned from him and his stack of service invoices from his auto mechanic that the engine had been completely rebuilt, and the carburetor replaced with an Zenith model that has improvements to the fuel mixture over the original Zenith carburetor. As a result, the choke rod cannot be turned in the cab to adjust the fuel mixture. It only can be pulled out briefly while starting, and then it retracts automatically when released because it is attached to a spring. I am now routinely pulling the choke out for a few seconds one time as I crank the engine, with the throttle lever advanced slightly.
Regarding the spark advance lever, my dad told me his mechanic said to leave it where it is set. But after reading yours and others comments, I have been fully retarding it when starting and advancing it about midway after the engine has warmed up. It seems the engine runs smoother and doesn’t stall as much during the warm up.
Now to the shifting. You are correct, as I admitted in my video, I was trying to shift the gears at the rpm and speed like I did for 20 years driving my 1997 Toyota pickup. Doesn’t work, period!
Then, during a phone conversation with my dad, he suggested I look at the instructions in the original Ford Model A Instruction Book that was included in the stack of books and binders he gave to me. I looked through the boxes again and finally located it. It is a thin, 5 1/2” x 8” pamphlet. Bingo! Pages 8-9 of the Instruction Book explain how and when to shift the gears: 5-8 mph shift to second, and 12-15 mph shift to third. Doing this, I am shifting smoothly with no grinding of gears! And when the engine and transmission is still cold, engaging the clutch in either second or third gears from a dead stop works just fine on level roads, with just a little more riding of the clutch. Better to put a little more wear on the clutch than grinding the gears.
Again, thanks for your comments. I expect to record a new video in the spring showing what I have learned from the Model A Instruction Book, along with practice driving this unique, old car.
This is a beautiful car, I always enjoy watching the videos you post they are very well made!
Hi Randall,
it's great to see you slowly getting more and more into the car.
My two cents on starting and shifting:
The choke should be used simultaneous to the starter: Pull it as soon as you start cranking and let it fall in as soon as the car starts running. Choking it while running will flood the engine and make it run too rich, resulting in the "unhappiness" you whitnessed.
To keep the car happy while its warming up, you use the mixture adjustment: The choke can also be turned like a screw!
Settings should be as follows: Turn the choke all the way in until you feel it seat (no need to jam it down) and open it 1/2 to 3/4 turn for warmup. Once she's warm (should only take 5 minutes), you can start screwing it shut to about 1/4 open. You'll feel it start surging when the mixture starts getting too lean.
In regards to shifting: A cold transmission can be shifted quicker than a warm one. Because the oil is still thick and slows the transmission down faster. A truck also has a different rear end than a city car, so the gears are closer to each other (ratio-wise) to give it more torque. I have never driven a Model A Pickup before, so I can only guess, but what I'd suggest to try is going right from 1st to 2nd without hesitation. If that doesn't work, try to take mental notes of how the engine sounds at the same speed in 1st and 2nd gear. Say, 10mph. That way, you can accelerate it to 10 in 1st and wait in neutral for the engine to calm down and make the sound it should in 2nd, then shift.
Another approach might be to start in 1st and gently grind against the position of 2nd until the grinding goes away and you can engage 2nd. Note how long it took until the grinding went away and you know how long to wait before shifting next time.
I know, it's a bit of guesswork. The pause between gears also has to be longer, the faster the engine is turning at the point of shifting.
All a bit hard to explain with words - I wish I could just hop over to the US and show you what I mean xD
Anyways, best of luck with shifting. Do you still have footage of your dad performing a quiet shift? You might just try and copy exactly what he did, how long he revved, how long he waited... A bit like a choreography.
Best wishes, happy holidays and a great new year
Adrian
I might be able to give a few pointers on starting and shifting. These cars with the age and wear don't all behave the same, but hopefully this will give you another data point to refine your experience.
Cold start: Turn on the gas, wait 30 seconds or so. Depending on how long it's been since it last ran, it can take a bit of time for the carb bowl to fill.
Spark advance all the way up. Now pull down the throttle lever while watching the gas pedal. Once the pedal just starts to move, go three clicks more with the lever. Pull out and hold the choke. Turn key on. Press clutch, then hit the starter. Listen for three revolutions, release the choke, continue holding the starter. Mine will typically fire as I'm pushing the choke in.
Shifting: Straight cut gears can be a bit finicky, but there's a few things I've found to help. These transmissions need a very heavy weight oil and they need to be full. I've purchased 600w from Mike's Afordable and Snyder with no noticable difference. Even a little bit low or old can adversely affect shift quality. If it's been awhile, change the gear oil.
Check out your clutch adjustment. The pedal shouldn't have much play. A clutch releasing when your foots just off the floor probably needs adjusted.
First to second can typically be done in a smooth movement. I find shifting out of first at 5mph to be ideal. Once you get a feel for the gears, you'll get the timing. Second to third I always double clutch, almost always smooth. A low speed shift certainly makes it easier, but if your in traffic and need to move, I've found double clutching to be faster.
Great videos by the way!
Thanks for your detailed pointers and the complement! Sharing my Model A experiences on TH-cam is a lot of fun!
Regarding adjusting the spark advance during startup, I have not moved this lever, at least not intentionally, because my dad's mechanic who rebuilt this engine told him not to. That said, based on yours and other comments, and the Model A Starting Procedure posted by Model-A.org (www.model-a.org/starting.html), I'll give it a shot!
I have not yet changed the transmission and differential fluid, however, doing this is on the top of my list. I do know that 600w fluid is in the transmission and differential. I have the partial bottle given to me by my dad’s mechanic. Every time I take the Model A out for a drive, one or two drops of oil appear on the cardboard sheet beneath the transmission drain plug. There is a lot of discussion on the Internet whether the original 600w oil is better than more modern fluids of similar weight.
Finally, I would like to learn how to double clutch.
So, I expect to be posting several more How to (or not) Model A videos in the future! Thanks again for our comment!
I have very little experience. In the summer I start my 1931 Chevrolet without a choke. Last week during the cold I started with a little choke just as easy as summer. As soon as the engine starts running, the choke could be closed again.
So did 1931 not have a spark advance lever?
Randell look up Paul Shinn, quickly
Nice to see you took my advice!
Are you double clutching?
No. Don’t need to for upshift. Downshift is a different matter, which I have yet to accomplish. Any suggestions? Thanks for your comment!
@@randallwingett You should on every shift, if you dont it will grind unless you rev match it perfectly witch i see you are nod doing
I don’t ever comment on Videos but this is without a doubt the most painful video I have ever watched you should not be driving
Where is your poor Dad? This is shocking; what about the spark advance? You keep the choke in? Warm up the differential?
Seems you do not learn about it. Or let someone who knows about it instruct you? Why don't you study it first?
What.....