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Fuel starvation
Having just crawled back from regionals, thought I'd post some of things I've done and what I "think" I found out.
If you've read the regional posts you know I had problems coming back. Decided to follow John G to Grants Pass and visit my mother for a day and it started to run crappy on the first mountain pass I climbed... as John disappeared into the distance and I slowed to about 40MPH. I found I could go fine on the flats and going downhill, but could only climb hills as long as I didn't accelerate. Caught up to John finally (I'm sure he looked back to see me nowhere in his rear-view mirror and slowed down for me) and he followed me to Grants Pass at my rate of speed. Thanks again John.
Instead of visiting Mom I spent most of Monday just doing a shot-gun attempt to solve my problem. Had no tools to speak of so I replaced fuel filter first. Nothing. Then tried a new fuel pump and hose to pump. When I was removing the hose it was seeping fuel. Ah-ha -- suction leak! That'll be it! Nothing. :confused:
On a side note... the more I dig into this car the more I'm convinced the 40,000 mile odometer reading is original. It had the original inlet hose to the pump still on there. I suppose this would have made it 140, 000 miles too, but there's other things I've noticed too that don't add up to a high-mileage car.
Anyway... I then decided it might maybe be the Pertronix unit failing. I had one on my '56 Panel fail with similar symptoms once. So after spending another $70 on all replacment parts - points to coil - I decided not to put them in and just see if it would clear up on the return trip. BIG Mistake. I found myself in the first rest area swapping out all these parts. Well, let me tell you how "good" a Pertronix system is. It ran like crap with points. But with so very few tools on hand I would not know what my dwell or timing was. So back to the Pertronix. I'd convinced myself by now it was fuel related.
I made it home slowly, but surely, and proceeded to (over the next few days) to check everything else out. I jacked up the car and found the hose coming out of the fuel tank was so loose it could not have helped but to suck air. I decided to check the tank strainer anyway -- it was pristene. New tight hose and I was sure everything would be fine again. Right? Nope. :mad: No difference! I know I was fixing things, but they didn't seem to have caused any problem I noticed before. Weird.
All that was left was the carb. So off with its head! Inside I found a little bit of crud, nothing much, but there is a part in there that is about 2" long and brass and has about 8 or 10 holes drilled around it. I think it's where the main jet feeds fuel up to the venturi. I'd say that about 6 of the 8 or 10 holes were blocked. That couldn't be a good thing.
So I now have a kit to rebuild this little 1-barrel Holley Model 1940 carb and if that doesn't fix it -- anybody want to buy a '65 tudor wagon cheap? :ROTFLMAO: Or maybe I'll shoot for a best V-8 reward next year.
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I'll buy your wagon..
Get a fuel pressure gauage and check your fuel pump pressure and welcome to the world of these wonderful holley one barrels..
I could tell you stories about the fun I've had with mine..and trying to find a decent replacement..
I thought you had a 32/36 webber like Kenny does..
It was great meeting you at the regionals..
Nathan
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When I bought the car it had the original Autolite carb on it and I tried to rebuild it, but it was just really corroded, so I opted not to touch it. So I went to the local parts house and asked them what they had and they only had the one-barrel Holley. Though it took a slight modification to install, it's been a great runner for about 10 years. But there was a 2-year period where I didn't drive it at all and I think that's when it probably crudded up.
I've got to look closer at Kenny's some day. I do know he did a nice job from what I remember. One of these days I'm going to have to ride in it and see how much pep it gives.
It was good meeting you both as well.
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On a side note.
On your copper exhaust gasket where did you find the material and how thick did you use?
The wife called around trying to locate the magic copper material and we got quotes anywhere from $80 to $800:eek:
All we were asking for was a 2 foot x 2 foot less than a 1/4 inch thick...
At $800 a pop I'll buy another manifold first...or a shiney header:D
Nathan
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Of course I got mine before copper was costlier than gold....
but the copper came from a friend of mine (the Mustang guy) and he just gave it to me, so I don't know where he got it or what it cost. It really doesn't take that much really, but it's about 1/16" thick is all. I'll see if I have any left and measure it tomorrow. It's buried out there somewhere, but at the very least I can measure some that is exposed on the car now.
There is a place in Seatlle (google them) called Alaskan Copper and Brass and we buy a lot from them at work. They may be able to ship you a piece. I didn't do it as one long piece and I think a 1' square might be enough. Oh, but that's right, this was a stock manifold that won't quit blowin' out gaskets, wasn't it. Still... copper isn't "that" expensive yet.
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www.onlinemetals.com is another good place for copper and other metal products. They are local (in Ballard). You can order online or walk in.
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Just to let anyone know who wants to know, it was the carb causing my problem. Rebuilt my 1v Holley and once back on all the problems went away.
Amazing none of the other problems I found from the tank forward made any improvements, but I guess I wouldn't have found them (or even looked) had I not had the carb fail. So, in a way, it was a good thing it happened. But why it couldn't have happened without 800 miles to go to get home... :doh: ... ouch.
Anyway, don't know if I like the design I discovered they used on this carb with a somewhat "passive" accelerator pump. It's not very quick to act and as such it has a stutter on a hard acceleration, but I've got some ideas on how to improve this. Putting on a Weber would be one way, I know, but I wont be doin' that until I can make a mount that puts that style carb facing forward like it should be. :D
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maybe Kenny chime in and tell you how he made a plate to rotate the carb adapter..
I be;ieve kenny also knows a guy that has tune-up parts for those carb.
Nathan
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IIRC, Kenny's is turned sideways like it would be using the adapter made by Clifford. There's another adapter I saw too, but it doesn't rotate it much either. There's a pretty decent write-up on the whole thing on the Classic Inlines web page... though it seems to have only gone so far and then stopped with the explanation.
I'll have to dig out the Performance 6 handbook I bought a few years ago (it's buried here somewhere) and see what Dennis has to say...
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Of course you can always install one of these. There is no fuel starvation issues here. It's just the opposite.
http://www.rainierfalcons.com/galler...ete_Engine.JPG
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The Clifford adapter actually points the bowl towards the driver's side shock tower when it should point toward the radiator. I went with the Stovebolt adapter which orients the carb correctly if you use the original Ford adapter plate (where the coolant hose attaches on it's way to the heater core). Unfortunately this makes the carb sit too tall so I made a base plate out of 3/16" iron plate that is just like the Ford piece but much thinner. I also had a machine shop mill some off the top and bottom flange of the Stovebolt adapter and it has plenty of clearance.
When I get my new cylinder head done, I'm having the machine shop mill as much as possible off the carb boss on top of the log. I'm hoping to get rid of my homemade plate. Here's a link with some comparisons.
http://home.centurytel.net/fordfan/F...onversion.html
