36 Ford truck on Ranger

[Torchie]

Working out the bugs.[cl
[P [P [P
Torchie

 

[Old Iron]

Gotta have enough fuel to feed those carbs [P

 

[05snopro440]

I've been test driving my '36 once in a while and adjusting the little linkage rods to the secondary carbs, but it's been raining on my parade. The truck was loosing power and sputtering more and more. I was getting more embarrassed by the hour. Finally I realized that I was running out of gas all of the time. The electric fuel pump had one valve not shutting, I think. Anyhow, I changed the fuel filter, [a horrible job] and changed the pump, [another horrible job]. Now I have 2 1/2 lbs. of pressure up at the motor and it looks like a lot more volume.

Is that all the pressure those little carbs want? Looking good Mac.

 

[bruno]

According to Stromberg it should be 2 1/2 to 3lbs of pressure measured at the carbs.

 

[05snopro440]

According to Stromberg it should be 2 1/2 to 3lbs of pressure measured at the carbs.

Interesting, I didn't realize it was that low for the Stromberg carbs.

 

[MercuryMac]

Snopro, I was also thinking a little higher pressure but a few guys have told me 2 1/2 to three, and then Bruno tells us keep the score low, so I'm going with Bruno. That's what the pump puts out so it's easy to be agreeable.

 

[Old Iron]

It's all about volume and not pressure.
Heck I only run 5.5 to 6 pounds in a Holley 1050 cfm carbs.

 

[05snopro440]

It's all about volume and not pressure.
Heck I only run 5.5 to 6 ponds in with Holley 1050 cfm carbs.

Yeah that 5.5-6 PSI is common for carburetors, I just didn't realize the strombergs were half of that.

 

[MercuryMac]

I agree about the volume being the important factor. These carbs are the Holley and Holley 'look alike' Fords, but they are prone to making a mess with high pressure.

 

[05snopro440]

I agree about the volume being the important factor. These carbs are the Holley and Holley 'look alike' Fords, but they are prone to making a mess with high pressure.

Come to think of it I have heard of guys turning them into fountains with too much pressure.

 

[joedoh]

keep at it merc!

 

[Bamamav]

All the early carbs take 2-3 psi. Any more will overpower the floats.

 

[MercuryMac]

My motor is slanting at 6* instead of 3* so the floats in the bowls of the carbs have to be adjusted a wee bit, so the bowls stay relatively full but not too full. There was a slow-learned lesson there.
Next, I thought the intake was leaking air on the inside of the valley. I pried the battleship up and replaced the gasket. As soon as I started taking the intake bolts out I realized an error in my installation. On a quarter of the bolts, [the ones near the air runners], the counter-sunk holes to get the bolt head down to level aluminium, were too small diameter. They were big enough to envelope a 9/16" hex-head 3/8" bolt, but ------ not enough room for a wrench or socket. Bummer. The bolts were not tightened up properly, in the right order or evenly. I had taken a 70 year old twelve point wrench and ground it paper thin and bent the handle creatively, but it wallowed out and slipped then eventually broke. Anyhow, the gasket was not good anymore.
pic one is -- the intake manifold back on with new Allen wrench head bolts.
pic two is a close up of one of the bolt holes.--- Imagine a bigger hex-head in there.

 

[smallfoot]

Glad ya found it!!![cl

 

[Old Iron]

That'll do it.

 

[MercuryMac]

The test drive for the new intake gasket and bolts was an embarrassing failure. It still is missing and sometimes the gas gets syphoning out of the bowls into the throats, because of the leaning carbs. my fix is to make wedgie risers for under the carbs. Here's the first one, at a 5 1/2* slant.
The first picture shows how 6* slant looks.

 

[MercuryMac]

Recently I decided to check all of the cylinder compressions, in case the lifters adjusted themselves. All were between 158 and 160, really good for a flathead. So the lifters were good ---- cold. In my determination to leave no stone unturned I took the intake manifold off again and checked and readjusted the valves. One was too loose and three were 1 to 3 thousandths too tight, not the end of the world. Setting the valves on a flathead with new adjustable lifters, and no proper wrenches is NOT for the faint of heart. The old solid lifters would be much, much worse to do, however. Anyhow, here I am putting it back together again. I had put a gasket of silicone on each wedgie riser and let it dry. Then came the installation of the carbs. Here they are standing up straight. I also installed my old solid core wires, thinking the missing might come from the new fibre-core ones. A few guys have told me that I can't run electronic ignition very long with steel core wires so I better change that out too.

 

[earthman]

Catching up just now MM. Love the look and the character of flatheads and would happily have them in all my cars but the one i have just frustrates me trying to keep it cool in Phoenix. 100% in agreement on seeing finished cars out and about especially in their natural habitat. I like to see what the area looks like where our members live. Keep them coming Animal!

 

[Torchie]

Keep at it Mac. You are gaining on it.[cl [cl
Some where in my shop I have those wrench's that you needed. Last used on a set of NOS Johnson adjustable lifters.
[P [P [P
Torchie

 

[MercuryMac]

I don't know what brand my lifters are, but I don't need two thin identical wrenches. There are four little holes in the top of the lifter around its edge that you have to grab and hold, while you turn the top bolt in or out. The threads in the lifter are smaller than the bolt so the bolt doesn't turn by itself, in fact it doesn't turn easily at all ---- ever. So you have to have two really thin, really strong wrenches that are very different. Anyway, I made the lifter holding wrench out of a pair of snap-ring pliers and two Allen wrenches cut down. There was some welding and grinding on them and some cursing and turning the air blue also.

E-man, I'm glad you brought up my pet peeve that the guys aren't showing off enough. You'll have to start the ball rolling by showing your vehicles out and about, like animal does.