36 Ford truck on Ranger

[MercuryMac]

Here's a closer look at the power bulge on the SuperBee with the strips on.
This the second motor in the car, [not miled out] and then the original one ready to go in as soon as somebody gets the piano untied from their ------ well you know.
Oh, I almost forgot to brag, it has a New Process A833 four-speed.

 

[MercuryMac]

Since I put the newly rebuilt flathead motor in my '36 I've had 'smooth running' issues. It missfires all of the time, especially when it gets warmed up. I've changed everything at least once and most things twice or three times.
Here's a couple of pictures of the motor this afternoon, with a professional tune-up, electronic ignition, new coil and condenser, timed on the scope, new sparkplug wires, different rebuilt centre carburetor, and liberally siliconed carb bases. After the test drive I realized that I just wasted a lot of money and days and didn't gain a thing.
I know how Don feels because I'm doing the same things he is with the same results.

 

[DozerII]

That really sucks MM, the engine is real cool looking, sure makes me glad I haven't gone with a six pack set up.

 

[Bamamav]

Beautiful engine Mac, I love a dressed flatty! [cl Wouldn't want to own one, though. Nor do I want multiple carbs anymore, either. I'd just be happy to have something that ran good and didn't cost a fortune to keep up.

Maybe I'm just getting grumpy in my old age?[ddd

 

[MercuryMac]

Thanks guys, I like the looks of the engine, myself, but, three deuces are making me older ----- and grumpier.

 

[lowbudget50]

Thanks guys, I like the looks of the engine, myself, but, three deuces are making me older ----- and grumpier.

Very good looking truck for sure. My three carburetors I have on my 50 Chevy gave me some hiccups for a while. But I just kept after it and once I got it running right it was well worth it! I know you'll get it figured out

 

[BlueNorther]

above you say "heavily siliconed carb bases". I hope you didn't put silicone RTV sealer any where in contact with gasoline, it will melt the RTV and turn it into snot balls that will migrate to the worst places possible, like inside vacuum passages of the carbs.

Carb gaskets should be installed dry, no sealer allowed any where, any time.

 

[MercuryMac]

The first few times I installed the carbs, they were dry. I soon realized that the old Holleys had to stand up really straight and my motor was slanted back 6*, so I had to make slanty blocks underneath the carbs. My fabricating skills are not perfect so I siliconed the gasket. Mostly, though, I siliconed around the outside of the slanty blocks top and bottom. Now, I'm thinking the vacuum leak is past the throttle plates in the secondary carbs.
Thanks for the heads up on the gasoline/silicone reaction problems. I better go back to the drawing board.

 

[MercuryMac]

Today, I dug the '36 truck of the machine shed and performed yet another couple of tests. I found that the secondary carbs drew quite a bit of vacuum, especially the front one. That's at an idle with the secondary carb idle circuits soldered shut. So, I built two plastic caps for the tops of those carbs and went on a test drive. No luck at all, so a crappy run. Now I'm making caps for underneath the carbs. They will be a lot more work to install, but they will eliminate any leaking around the throttle shafts.

 

[DozerII]

With the problems you and Don have and are having with multiples carbs sure makes me glad I'm not. Hope you get it sorted out MM[P[P

 

[smallfoot]

I sure hope you get it figured out soon...hate to see it cool but motionless!

 

[53 stickfigure]

I had a 3 carb setup on an old 300 ford, wouldn't smooth out either. I blocked off each carb one by one with a solid piece of gasket material under one at a time. First one didn't change but when I blocked off the center carb, it was smooth as silk. I never switched it out, just ran the front and back after I made a solid metal gasket and ran it that way for about a year until I sold it. One bad carburetor ruins the whole setup.

 

[53 stickfigure]

I had a 3 carb setup on an old 300 ford, wouldn't smooth out either. I blocked off each carb one by one with a solid piece of gasket material under one at a time. First one didn't change but when I blocked off the center carb, it was smooth as silk. I never switched it out, just ran the front and back after I made a solid metal gasket and ran it that way for about a year until I sold it. One bad carburetor ruins the whole setup. The center one was just a dummy.

 

[Torchie]

Mac.
What’s the track width on the Ranger front end?
Thanks
Torchie

 

[MercuryMac]

Stick, today I am following in your footsteps, somewhat. I made plates for under the bases of the carbs and installed them under the front and back ones. So the middle carb is still the functioning one. The two secondaries have their idle and power valve circuits blocked so they wont work to drive with. Anyhow the truck now idles nicely, but still won't pull much on the road. This experiment is also a failure.
When does a determined individual become a pig-headed lout?

Torchie, I think, from inside of tire to inside of tire is 48". I'll measure it tomorrow.

 

[Torchie]

Thanks Mac .
If you can get me the measurements for center tread to center tread as well.
Torchie

 

[Bamamav]

Mac, the 350 I pulled out of my Lincoln had a 2gc Rochester on it, and it pulled fine. Are you sure it's a carb problem, and not ignition related? That 2 bbl should support that flathead just fine, although the open plenum on the intake could cause a drivability problem at some speeds.

 

[MercuryMac]

Bama, I'm running out of things to blame. I also believe that a two barrel carb will serve a flathead in the mild driving conditions that I'm asking of it. It has a complete, professional tune-up and change of carb very recently, with no real improvement. One of the new ideas I have is a vacuum problem in the intake, but I never thought of the shape of the plenum. I'm still determined to figure out how to make a three carb set-up work.

 

[Bamamav]

I looked at a three-two intake for a small block Ford, the inside was one big plenum, it would probably be a dog at low speeds. Yours may be different though.

Have you tried the old starting fluid trick while it was running? Spray it in a short burst at the carb bases, if there's a leak, the rpm will shoot up.

 

[MercuryMac]

Yes Bama, my plenum is just a hollow tube too but not really big. I've used the starting fluid test a few times but I keep changing things, so I'll have to do it again.
Torchie, my Ranger wheel width on the front end is 55", [centre of tire to centre of tire].

Today's test was to check the power brake booster in case it is sucking air.
As I was frustratingly trying to undo my power brake line from the intake manifold fitting so I could block it off, I noticed that the fitting was loose. Hmmm, maybe a vacuum leak. [pic one] It was in a horrible place but I finally got it out, cleaned it up, siliconed it, and tightened it in. Then I screwed a plug in the fitting. No test-drive.
The other fix is one of my gauges had its faceplate slip down halfway. Working under the dash on a little old truck has some moments too, but the job is started.