Emergency Resuscitation Of A Dead Engine

AA Ford Discussion Group relating to the repair and restoration of your AA Ford.
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smallvillekent
Posts: 1
Joined: September 18th, 2018, 2:29 am
Model Year: 1930

Emergency Resuscitation Of A Dead Engine

Post by smallvillekent »

I wonder if you can help me.

I am writing a work of fiction set on a farm in Britain during The Battle of Britain that features an AA truck on its last legs.

Beyond driving a Ford Mondeo, I have little experience or knowledge of Fords in particular or vehicles in general (as will become evident).

For the purposes of the plot, I require the truck to break down at one point, and, be resuscitated by a farmer’s wife, in a wholly unorthodox manner, to function on an emergency basis (the engine will probably have to be stripped after the emergency has passed).

Are there any known problems that the AA suffered from that could be overcome with a one-time, brute-force bodge?

My ‘placeholder’ method involved the character having at the engine with a hammer. I’m sure that this would be unlikely to achieve the required result, and is, also, rather clichéd (i.e. bashing a mechanism to restore its functionality).

Having read up on how early tractors required shotgun cartridges to start the engine, I toyed with the idea of having my character use a cigarette lighter to ‘do something’ to the spark plugs. However, I lack the engineering know-how to develop this further.

Does anyone know of an emergency technique that might have started a dead AA engine on a one-time basis?

If such a technique doesn’t exist with a Ford AA truck, does anyone know of another model, available in the 1920s, that would fit the bill?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Regards,

S

P.S. I am a first time novelist writing on spec, so don’t have the resources to commission professional research.
KimVanOrder
Posts: 753
Joined: August 11th, 2013, 4:25 pm
Body Type: 82-A Platform
Model Year: 1928
Location: Hamilton, Mich.

Re: Emergency Resuscitation Of A Dead Engine

Post by KimVanOrder »

Electrical issues are there. A simple short or open circuit will stop one. Distributor rotor some how popping off. The top of the distributor is held on with two clips. If they would pop lose, the cover could lift up and the rotor jump off. This may happen because of the use of the hammer. then to fix it ,,,,?? find the parts and set them back in place and use the hammer to reshape the clips to hold. Or since this is fiction. hitting on the water pump to free it so the fan and pump and Gen. can turn again.. Using the head of the hammer to re-connect the distributor to spark plug, ADA missing brass strap from dist. to plug. Hit on distributor to move timing. or repair rod that sets timing.. Of course there is always the anomalous Gremlin that needs to be chased out!!
KVO
Dec. '28 AA
Bob C
Posts: 1442
Joined: April 24th, 2003, 11:50 am
Body Type: Mail truck, Stake tr
Model Year: 1931
Location: SO CAL

Re: Emergency Resuscitation Of A Dead Engine

Post by Bob C »

Some times the carburetor float valve can stick closed and a tap on the carburetor can free it up and the engine will start.
Also the starter brushes can stick and tapping the starter with a hammer will free them and the starter will work.

Bob
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Farrell In Vancouver
Posts: 314
Joined: February 23rd, 2011, 6:52 am
Body Type: Deck
Model Year: 1931
Location: Vancouver BC Canada

Re: Emergency Resuscitation Of A Dead Engine

Post by Farrell In Vancouver »

No Hammer involved but a good emergency fix for a farmer wife might be a broken fan belt. Truck over heats and stalls out. She cools it down with a bucket from the well and sacrifices her best nylons to fashion a makeshift Fan belt. (It does work for a while)
KimVanOrder
Posts: 753
Joined: August 11th, 2013, 4:25 pm
Body Type: 82-A Platform
Model Year: 1928
Location: Hamilton, Mich.

Re: Emergency Resuscitation Of A Dead Engine

Post by KimVanOrder »

Farrell In Vancouver wrote:
October 1st, 2018, 2:55 pm
No Hammer involved but a good emergency fix for a farmer wife might be a broken fan belt. Truck over heats and stalls out. She cools it down with a bucket from the well and sacrifices her best nylons to fashion a makeshift Fan belt. (It does work for a while)
Fish net??? :shock: :lol:
KVO
Dec. '28 AA
User avatar
blgitn
Posts: 201
Joined: July 6th, 2013, 6:36 am
Body Type: 275-A
Model Year: 1931
Location: West Point, VA 23181

Re: Emergency Resuscitation Of A Dead Engine

Post by blgitn »

How about the old" leather belt for a con rod bearing" trick?
R/ Roger.
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