Detailed Description on How to Start the Model A. Do this and it will start every time. For more Model A videos, search youtube for "Jackbahm", or see: • Ford Model A
Thanks Jack. All your videos are very good. I think it's fun that all stock Model A's have same sounds, from the sound that the shift lever makes when you check it for neutral, to the sound of the starter, and of course that great engine sound.
I have model As that have not run in many years!!!! Take the right steps and she will run again. But let me say...I loved what this gentleman had to say and thanks for the great information...Very Good Advice!!
Thanks, very simple and easy to understand. I hope we can keep Model A's on the road for another 90 years without people cutting them up. If they want, they should go buy a Factory Five.
I drove a model A for the first time a few weeks ago. I am now getting ready to sell my Cadillac CTS-V, as I have decided to purchase a Tudor Model A for my primary means of transportation. Year round, in Chicago.
But what will you do about all the salt & calcium chloride or magnesium chloride that they spray on the roads in the wintertime? Aren't you concerned that it will rust out?
Smoky mountain Boys They are not expensive. You can get a pretty good driver for $8-$9K. They are all around you they are not scarce. There is probably within a mile of you right now. Parts are cheap. Get one and play with it.
Just in time 529, I did not get all of your comment, but watch my other videos on trouble shooting and the ignition system and get that thing started. If it ran before, don't go changing a bunch of parts. No need to. Clean those points. jack
Jack, totally new to Model A and your website. I'm a retired truck/bus mechanic, volunteered to put a remote fuel shutoff on my landlord's '28 rumble seat coupe, and now he wants me to start it. It has not been started for two years (since a recent engine overhaul), has no gas in it, and a low battery. I'm charging the battery (6v pos grnd) and planning to try to rinse as much rust out of the gas tank as possible. Need help, I can't even open the radiator to check coolant level. His end goal is to sell it. Lawrence in Albuquerque. Thanks.
Kevin, get one. There are a ton of them around and you can get a very nice one for under $10,000. There is probably a model A club near you. They are all over the place. Caution. Don't buy the first one you come across. jack
Hello I'm years old 14 and have a 1930 Ford Model A sport coupe I recently put up a video explaining how to start it. After seeing your video I took it down because of how good this one is! But I got a comment from someone saying "you need to put the levers down all the way because that why they are there". Have I been starting my Model A wrong this whole time? Also great video's love the Model A tutorial ones! Keep up the great work Sincerely Brandon
Brandon Butler holy crap !!! What a coincidence, where are you from??? I’m 14 as well , and have a 30’ Deluxe coupe I am working on . Didn’t think anyone else my age was interested in the A’s!!
No, no, you do not need an 8 volt batt. It is just a bandaid. You either have a batt with an internal short, or your car has an electrical load on the batt. Remove the cable from the batt post, then touch it to the post and look for a slight spark. There should be none.
so jack i just got a 6volt battery for a big flashlight from the store for $2 and i got a light switch and made a full connection for the horn! it sounds good i think it sounds better than bench on the car battery. no we can drive around with a proud loud ahoooga
I would really like to see a video on getting the Model A horn function right with a full and nice AAAAOOOOGA I hear so many Model A horns that do not sound good. Let's really focus on what is important!! In caring for our beloved MODEL A FORD we need to see and talk about improving the BRAKES. Namely the incorporation of the CAST IRON BRAKE DRUMS which is the greatest enhancement for safe driving the Model A Ford!!. WHO WOULD HELP BY PUTTING OUT VIDEO ON THIS PLEASE!!!!!???
Hey jack sorry to bother u again but it's is about my model a. So the batter was fully charged the we were driving down the road and the car just dies o us and we try to start it but not even a turn the lights don't turn on or anything lucky I had my multimeter on me so on the side of the rode we take a look and it reads 0.54 volts so it came down from 6volts almost nothing so i got it home just about 3 hours ago and I charged the batter and I got it up to around 50% so I can use my 6volt 250amp engine start and guess what... NOTHING!!! so I take it off and I have a 100% charged battery in my garage and I made sure with my multimeter and a batter tester read 6volts i put it in the car and nothing happens again but if I turn on lights it turns on then if I turn them off and turn back on nothing and I have my battery tester next to me and the voltages are gone! I tested my alternator and it's fine but I never herd or dealer with this problem. So if u can help In anyway that would be grat
Hey jack I have got the horn working and everything working great! Today we brought it to a car show for the first time everyone was into it because we have a bunch of oldies. Any ways we got home and we wanted to take it out to dinner for my moms birthday and we get out there and the battery is dead it can turn over but I tested it and there is hardy no power and can barely turn on lights. I have a 12 volt battery charger and starter and the charge has a 2A and 6A or 40A fast charge. It also has a 200A engine start I was wondering if u can use the engine start on the 6 volt system but I just want to be safe than to be sorry.-thx Justin
+just in time529 People do use a 12v batt to jump the 6 volt system, but I would not do it unless you had to. For a short time, 12 volts on a 6 volt starter can work OK. Either your batt is bad, or your charging system needs help. Fix it. We all run alternators instead of the old generator. If you want to get her started, just give her a push. If it really is running good, it should start right up. Good luck and stick with it.
My late Brother left behind alot of model A's part's cars he got at 14, he never got to restore his coupe due to a bad accident as a kid. The coupe he got for $75 is missing everything, we drove it around dirt roads but has been sitting 50 years in my Dads basement garage. Its been over 50 years since I started a Model A. Your video was helpful but could you go over the gas adjustment valve, I forgot the settings. Thanks JR
You must get Les Andrews red book. The model a mechanics handbook. Take a look at my book also, Get a Horse. From me or blurb.com. You can review the entire book on line. No need to buy one. On the idle air adjust you can do with your fingers or small screwdriver. Turn it all the way in, then out about a turn and a quarter. That will get you in the ballpark. On the gav valve, adjustable with the choke rod, run it all the way down then open it about half a turn or less. Let us know how you make out. Where are you locate? There may be a club near you. Good luck. Jack
+just in time529 Yes, but it is not supposed to change the sound. You can alter the sound by changing the torque on that screw. The can will bend just enough to screw things up. When you get it sounding good, leave things alone. You don't want you can to fall off, so go easy on things. Some horns just won't toot unless the engine is revving. Not right, but that is the way it is. Stay with it. You have to have an aooga horn on an A.
Sorry for a late reply I just got finished taking the engine out and replacing the gaskets and oil and cleaning the carb and just got it back in the car because we did not know the last time there was an oil change or gaskets changed. I have been searching for that oil or lube u told me for the rear end and transmission and I can't find it anywhere not even the classic car shops, speed shop,crate motors stores, I checked about every store in a 15-20 mile radius u know where I can maybe get online
+just in time529 Just go to the Snyder's site and order the 600W gear oil. There is other stuff some people use, but most of us just use the 600W. I use a mixture of that and STP, or equivalent. That super slippery additive that most stores have. Be sure to retorque those head bolts a few times as they settle. You don't need a loose bolt.
I have a friend that has a 1931 Model A Roadster Deluxe and it looks like oil is spraying from the dipstick area. Is the a rubber insert for the hole opening where the dipstick slides in? Plus, how you make the parade sound?
my father in law has a model a1930 sitting in are garage.hasnt run in about 3 years.i live in buffalo ny.its in beautiful condition.i want to try and start it,not familiar with starting these cars.anyway you can send me directions on starting this.would be greatly appreciated.i want to sell to someone who would love this car,car shows etc..thank you
Hey jack a quick question how many DCV should the battery be at because it changes for me everyday one day it will say 1.5 and start and other days it says 5.0 on the same setting
There are a few ways, but the simplest is to just drop the little IP (4 screws) and put a jumper across the ignition switch terminals. Or remove the wires from the switch and connect them. To turn the engine off, you could leave the switch by passed and just disconnect the passenger side of the coil. or pull the fuse. Good luck. Get that car running.
Hey jack so on the internet I see many diagrams for the horn wiring system but I trust some one who actually has the car and know what he is talking about like you. So one diagram I saw had a horn wire to the alternator and the other to the horn rod. Another had 2 horn rod wires connecting to the 2 horn wires and I was starting to get lost. And also how many amps does it take to start the model a becuase I'm doing a project about cars and I need that piece of info thx-Justin
+just in time529 Under no load, the starter will draw 50 to 60 amps. Don't know what it draws under load. You can go to Fordbarn.com and ask the question. You will get 42 answers, I'm sure. They know their stuff. On the horn, There is one wire from the alternator/generator to the horn, and a wire from the horn to the center of the light switch which finds it's way to the horn rod. All the horn rod does is ground that circuit so the horn sees hot on one side and ground on the other side. Take things apart and check all this out. It will all go back together easily. jack
I'm hoping to be a future Model A owner and I was wondering, do you see any people nowadays using their Model A as their daily driver? I've seen a few videos of a guy up here in Northeast Michigan with a campain he did a few years ago called "365 Days of A" where he set himself the challenge of driving a 1930 Model A 2 door sedan for an entire year as his daily driver and with great success from what I've seen.
Go to blurb.com and search for "get a horse" book. You can see the whole book under " preview ". Read it over and that might get you started. I'm leaving for SC in the morning so I won't be of much help to you for a few days. Check all battery connections. All of them. !!!!!! Keep me posted. We will figure it out.
+Jack Bahm hey jack well jack i kind of fixit it again but im not satisfied and im scared to drive it because i know once i start it will run but im scared to drive it to the gas station and turn it off and try to turn it back on. i got it to start with a fully charged battery but its not vary strong cranks it seems as if it is vary sad and just does not want to go vary more. when i get it to run and drive down the road it feels vary week and the model a has 1,678 ORIGINAL MILES! because my family kept it to be a show car and the one who bought it never really drove it becasue he knew the car was going to be really big one year so i just dont understand and since i just got my permit this is my daily driver? so if you got any thing imm al for it
Yes, most of us always shut off the gas valve when we turn the engine off. If the float should stick down and let gas flow, you could empty your tank in your garage and ruin your whole day.
hey jack i have been grinding hard on the model a and right now it is running great! ive been grinding on everything and it just came to my mind what type of oil should i be putting in my rear end and trany? in my engine im running it with 50w non detergent. thanks justin
+just in time529 50 w is a bit heavy, unless you are in very hot conditions. Or, if it is an oil burner. Go with 30 or 10/30. The A engine does not care what you put in it as long as it is clean oil A lot of people overkill this subject and would disagree with me. On the tran and rr end, just use the 600w you can get at the suppliers, such as Snyder's. I do use STP in the strg gear box. Messy when it leaks out, but I still use it. Have fun.
I use both, but some of us have found that our engines seem to like the Shell rotella for some reason. I use 10w30 or 10w40. Change it every 500 to 1000 miles and keep it clean.
+Jack Bahm sweet thanks for all the information! So I was wondering so the big 6volt battery's that they use for flashlights would that work to bench test the horn because I'm tired of taking out the car battery to do it.
A model A wants to start. If the gas is there with some spark, it has to start. All I can offer is this video which you probably have already seen. jack ua-cam.com/video/eXA6izLrTOc/v-deo.html
Rest in peace Jack. Thanks to UA-cam you will be an inspiration to generations of Model A aficionados.
Jack Bahm was the original Model A UA-camr, and has my deepest respect. You are missed, Jack.
Thanks for making this video! Its very helpful for people like me who don't own a Model A but occasionally have to move one.
Thanks Jack. All your videos are very good. I think it's fun that all stock Model A's have same sounds, from the sound that the shift lever makes when you check it for neutral, to the sound of the starter, and of course that great engine sound.
I have model As that have not run in many years!!!! Take the right steps and she will run again. But let me say...I loved what this gentleman had to say and thanks for the great information...Very Good Advice!!
Thanks, very simple and easy to understand. I hope we can keep Model A's on the road for another 90 years without people cutting them up. If they want, they should go buy a Factory Five.
I drove a model A for the first time a few weeks ago. I am now getting ready to sell my Cadillac CTS-V, as I have decided to purchase a Tudor Model A for my primary means of transportation. Year round, in Chicago.
But what will you do about all the salt & calcium chloride or magnesium chloride that they spray on the roads in the wintertime? Aren't you concerned that it will rust out?
Not smart
@@sportster88 with a car being painted and inspected, usually not an issue
Great information Jack! Been looking for this exact type of video. Please keep the Ford MODEL A videos coming.
My dream car!!!
Smoky mountain Boys They are not expensive. You can get a pretty good driver for $8-$9K. They are all around you they are not scarce. There is probably within a mile of you right now. Parts are cheap. Get one and play with it.
Jack Bahm I will be on the look out for one !!
Really nice video. Thanks for making this video and other like them.
Just in time 529, I did not get all of your comment, but watch my other videos on trouble shooting and the ignition system and get that thing started. If it ran before, don't go changing a bunch of parts. No need to. Clean those points. jack
You are the man!
I have a 31 and your clips are VERY helpful.
Nice video . Thanks for teaching me how to start a model A
Jack, totally new to Model A and your website. I'm a retired truck/bus mechanic, volunteered to put a remote fuel shutoff on my landlord's '28 rumble seat coupe, and now he wants me to start it. It has not been started for two years (since a recent engine overhaul), has no gas in it, and a low battery. I'm charging the battery (6v pos grnd) and planning to try to rinse as much rust out of the gas tank as possible. Need help, I can't even open the radiator to check coolant level. His end goal is to sell it. Lawrence in Albuquerque. Thanks.
Kevin, get one. There are a ton of them around and you can get a very nice one for under $10,000. There is probably a model A club near you. They are all over the place. Caution. Don't buy the first one you come across. jack
Hello
I'm years old 14 and have a 1930 Ford Model A sport coupe I recently put up a video explaining how to start it. After seeing your video I took it down because of how good this one is! But I got a comment from someone saying "you need to put the levers down all the way because that why they are there". Have I been starting my Model A wrong this whole time? Also great video's love the Model A tutorial ones! Keep up the great work
Sincerely
Brandon
Brandon Butler holy crap !!! What a coincidence, where are you from??? I’m 14 as well , and have a 30’ Deluxe coupe I am working on . Didn’t think anyone else my age was interested in the A’s!!
No, no, you do not need an 8 volt batt. It is just a bandaid. You either have a batt with an internal short, or your car has an electrical load on the batt. Remove the cable from the batt post, then touch it to the post and look for a slight spark. There should be none.
so jack i just got a 6volt battery for a big flashlight from the store for $2 and i got a light switch and made a full connection for the horn! it sounds good i think it sounds better than bench on the car battery. no we can drive around with a proud loud ahoooga
+just in time529 Good Job !!!
JUSTIN GOTTARDI
I would really like to see a video on getting the Model A horn function right with a full and nice AAAAOOOOGA I hear so many Model A horns that do not sound good.
Let's really focus on what is important!! In caring for our beloved MODEL A FORD we need to see and talk about improving the BRAKES. Namely the incorporation of the CAST IRON BRAKE DRUMS which is the greatest enhancement for safe driving the Model A Ford!!. WHO WOULD HELP BY PUTTING OUT VIDEO ON THIS PLEASE!!!!!???
I want one.
Thanks, my dad passed away before he ever taught me how to start his A.
Let me know if you have any other questions about the car. Happy to help. jack
Great videos...wish I had one to start and shift!!
This is VERY helpful! Thank you!
Hey jack sorry to bother u again but it's is about my model a. So the batter was fully charged the we were driving down the road and the car just dies o us and we try to start it but not even a turn the lights don't turn on or anything lucky I had my multimeter on me so on the side of the rode we take a look and it reads 0.54 volts so it came down from 6volts almost nothing so i got it home just about 3 hours ago and I charged the batter and I got it up to around 50% so I can use my 6volt 250amp engine start and guess what... NOTHING!!! so I take it off and I have a 100% charged battery in my garage and I made sure with my multimeter and a batter tester read 6volts i put it in the car and nothing happens again but if I turn on lights it turns on then if I turn them off and turn back on nothing and I have my battery tester next to me and the voltages are gone! I tested my alternator and it's fine but I never herd or dealer with this problem. So if u can help In anyway that would be grat
Hey jack I have got the horn working and everything working great! Today we brought it to a car show for the first time everyone was into it because we have a bunch of oldies. Any ways we got home and we wanted to take it out to dinner for my moms birthday and we get out there and the battery is dead it can turn over but I tested it and there is hardy no power and can barely turn on lights. I have a 12 volt battery charger and starter and the charge has a 2A and 6A or 40A fast charge. It also has a 200A engine start I was wondering if u can use the engine start on the 6 volt system but I just want to be safe than to be sorry.-thx Justin
+just in time529 People do use a 12v batt to jump the 6 volt system, but I would not do it unless you had to. For a short time, 12 volts on a 6 volt starter can work OK. Either your batt is bad, or your charging system needs help. Fix it. We all run alternators instead of the old generator. If you want to get her started, just give her a push. If it really is running good, it should start right up. Good luck and stick with it.
My late Brother left behind alot of model A's part's cars he got at 14, he never got to restore his coupe due to a bad accident as a kid. The coupe he got for $75 is missing everything, we drove it around dirt roads but has been sitting 50 years in my Dads basement garage. Its been over 50 years since I started a Model A. Your video was helpful but could you go over the gas adjustment valve, I forgot the settings. Thanks JR
You must get Les Andrews red book. The model a mechanics handbook. Take a look at my book also, Get a Horse. From me or blurb.com. You can review the entire book on line. No need to buy one. On the idle air adjust you can do with your fingers or small screwdriver. Turn it all the way in, then out about a turn and a quarter. That will get you in the ballpark. On the gav valve, adjustable with the choke rod, run it all the way down then open it about half a turn or less. Let us know how you make out. Where are you locate? There may be a club near you. Good luck. Jack
Well done
Thank you
Thanks Jack can yu make one shifting gears? Ok bye.
also jack on the horn the screw that keeps the shell on on the back by the ajustment does that have to do with anything to make it go ahhoooga
+just in time529 Yes, but it is not supposed to change the sound. You can alter the sound by changing the torque on that screw. The can will bend just enough to screw things up. When you get it sounding good, leave things alone. You don't want you can to fall off, so go easy on things. Some horns just won't toot unless the engine is revving. Not right, but that is the way it is. Stay with it. You have to have an aooga horn on an A.
Sorry for a late reply I just got finished taking the engine out and replacing the gaskets and oil and cleaning the carb and just got it back in the car because we did not know the last time there was an oil change or gaskets changed. I have been searching for that oil or lube u told me for the rear end and transmission and I can't find it anywhere not even the classic car shops, speed shop,crate motors stores, I checked about every store in a 15-20 mile radius u know where I can maybe get online
+just in time529 Just go to the Snyder's site and order the 600W gear oil. There is other stuff some people use, but most of us just use the 600W. I use a mixture of that and STP, or equivalent. That super slippery additive that most stores have. Be sure to retorque those head bolts a few times as they settle. You don't need a loose bolt.
I have a friend that has a 1931 Model A Roadster Deluxe and it looks like oil is spraying from the dipstick area. Is the a rubber insert for the hole opening where the dipstick slides in? Plus, how you make the parade sound?
my father in law has a model a1930 sitting in are garage.hasnt run in about 3 years.i live in buffalo ny.its in beautiful condition.i want to try and start it,not familiar with starting these cars.anyway you can send me directions on starting this.would be greatly appreciated.i want to sell to someone who would love this car,car shows etc..thank you
Hey jack a quick question how many DCV should the battery be at because it changes for me everyday one day it will say 1.5 and start and other days it says 5.0 on the same setting
I have a model a and I lost my key do you have any suggestions on how I can start my car
There are a few ways, but the simplest is to just drop the little IP (4 screws) and put a jumper across the ignition switch terminals. Or remove the wires from the switch and connect them. To turn the engine off, you could leave the switch by passed and just disconnect the passenger side of the coil. or pull the fuse. Good luck. Get that car running.
@@JackBahmlll thank you
Hey jack so on the internet I see many diagrams for the horn wiring system but I trust some one who actually has the car and know what he is talking about like you. So one diagram I saw had a horn wire to the alternator and the other to the horn rod. Another had 2 horn rod wires connecting to the 2 horn wires and I was starting to get lost. And also how many amps does it take to start the model a becuase I'm doing a project about cars and I need that piece of info thx-Justin
+just in time529 Under no load, the starter will draw 50 to 60 amps. Don't know what it draws under load. You can go to Fordbarn.com and ask the question. You will get 42 answers, I'm sure. They know their stuff.
On the horn, There is one wire from the alternator/generator to the horn, and a wire from the horn to the center of the light switch which finds it's way to the horn rod. All the horn rod does is ground that circuit so the horn sees hot on one side and ground on the other side. Take things apart and check all this out. It will all go back together easily. jack
I'm hoping to be a future Model A owner and I was wondering, do you see any people nowadays using their Model A as their daily driver? I've seen a few videos of a guy up here in Northeast Michigan with a campain he did a few years ago called "365 Days of A" where he set himself the challenge of driving a 1930 Model A 2 door sedan for an entire year as his daily driver and with great success from what I've seen.
Thank you very very much for the info!
Go to blurb.com and search for "get a horse" book. You can see the whole book under " preview ". Read it over and that might get you started.
I'm leaving for SC in the morning so I won't be of much help to you for a few days.
Check all battery connections. All of them. !!!!!!
Keep me posted. We will figure it out.
+Jack Bahm hey jack well jack i kind of fixit it again but im not satisfied and im scared to drive it because i know once i start it will run but im scared to drive it to the gas station and turn it off and try to turn it back on. i got it to start with a fully charged battery but its not vary strong cranks it seems as if it is vary sad and just does not want to go vary more. when i get it to run and drive down the road it feels vary week and the model a has 1,678 ORIGINAL MILES! because my family kept it to be a show car and the one who bought it never really drove it becasue he knew the car was going to be really big one year so i just dont understand and since i just got my permit this is my daily driver? so if you got any thing imm al for it
just in time529 Send me a note at virtualamodel@gmail.com and we can get serious about your car.
Jack do you know any motoring enthusiests club thats in australia sorry if i spelt that wrong
does the polarity of the coil matter?
Yes it does. The + should be on the passenger side of the coil. That side goes to ground through the points. + Ground.
Do you know if there are/ were any cabin heat options for a 1930 Model A to extend the driving season a little bit longer into fall?
There is the old manifold heater that most of us use. Check a catalog. Does a good job in winter but will run you out in the summer.
Like this car
Sujay Rao Mandavilli
Man are we lucky we just haven’t turn the key haha
Shut the gas valve off ??
Yes, most of us always shut off the gas valve when we turn the engine off. If the float should stick down and let gas flow, you could empty your tank in your garage and ruin your whole day.
I would like to say I have learned alot from your videos. Thank you all the effort to help us !!
How far down do I pull the spark level after start?
I usually pull it down to about 9 o’clock, and it’s perfect.
Red dog, you have to give me your email address then I will put something together for you. Jack
hey jack i have been grinding hard on the model a and right now it is running great! ive been grinding on everything and it just came to my mind what type of oil should i be putting in my rear end and trany? in my engine im running it with 50w non detergent. thanks justin
+just in time529 50 w is a bit heavy, unless you are in very hot conditions. Or, if it is an oil burner. Go with 30 or 10/30. The A engine does not care what you put in it as long as it is clean oil A lot of people overkill this subject and would disagree with me. On the tran and rr end, just use the 600w you can get at the suppliers, such as Snyder's. I do use STP in the strg gear box. Messy when it leaks out, but I still use it. Have fun.
+Jack Bahm so it does not matter detergent or non detergent oil in the engine? What do u prefer
I use both, but some of us have found that our engines seem to like the Shell rotella for some reason. I use 10w30 or 10w40. Change it every 500 to 1000 miles and keep it clean.
+Jack Bahm sweet thanks for all the information! So I was wondering so the big 6volt battery's that they use for flashlights would that work to bench test the horn because I'm tired of taking out the car battery to do it.
+Jack Bahm and to make things clear so can I hook one wire to the negative terminal and the other wire to the frame of the body would that work?
A model A wants to start. If the gas is there with some spark, it has to start. All I can offer is this video which you probably have already seen. jack
ua-cam.com/video/eXA6izLrTOc/v-deo.html