RJBT, You put the carburetor in the dishwasher? :laugh: You are either single - or about to be! You are a brave man! :beer
Well, I am not single and when my girlfriend opened the dish washer she frowned for a minute because she could smell that "car part smell" between her plates and dishes !! But she is a very understanding and chuckled at my creative "mistake" as she called it. Well back to scrubbing parts in the sink (we live in an apt) when she is gone. Not very easy to do all this without a house+garage !!! (I do have a basement) I would love to get simple green but it does not exist in France (not imported yet). I'll try to find another product. Acetone ? White spirit ?
Dang, I cant live without simple green....:laugh: I also use lacuer thinner or a mixture of lac thinner and acetone... but dont get acetone on any plastic parts.... or either one on paint.....AND DONT USE IT AROUND ANY KIND OF FLAME.... IT IS EXPLOSIVE AND FLAMABLE......
Gasoline used to work in the old days. But now there's so much junk in gasoline you would end up crudding it up worse. Acetone, sounds, better. Simple green, better yet.
Oh, now I read this post. ou: Yeah, I know what you mean. I live in an apartment. And, my car is stored at my Dad's & Mom's condo carport. Is, white spirit the same as mineral spirits? I would try mineral spirits.
I would use acetone,,, but be very, very carefull with it because it is highly flamable,,,, use it outside only,,,, when you put the carb into it , put a lid on top of the container to prevent fumes spreading.... dont wear clothes that create static electricity when working with it....dont smoke,,,, the only other thing I can think of that might work is the spray alluminum wheel cleaner.... or bead blast the carb.... that will difinitly do it.....
To clean aluminum: Use a few tablespoons of Lye* to a container of water and submurge the aluminum part for about an hour. Use gloves and eye protection. That will strip just about anything off aluminum down to bare metal. I wouldn't do this with a carb that has not been disassembled though. *Lye is the main ingredient in most drain cleaners. I like to use the granulated Red Devil brand if you can find it. Depending on the type of aluminum alloy (that have a high copper content), in some cases the aluminum will turn dark. In those cases, a "desmut" is used that is Ferric acid or Nitric acid based. or just use that to begin with. Search the internet for suppliers. Most of these chemicals are found in home anodizing kits. Hope this helps! Erik
I washed some valve covers in the dishwasher once, my wife still gives me a bad time about it even though I scrubbed all the oil off the inside of the dishwasher.....
In my quest to refurbish/clean my carb I tried to take all the jets out. All came out except one which I (stupid move) wrecked the flat head screw driver knotches. Is this an issue ? I assume it wont affect the jet. Am I right ?
It might become an issue since you've distorted the jet's shape. Looking closely at the picture though I can see you didn't affect the venturi of the jet, so it should still work, but it may yet be a problem. One other thing I noticed on the photos of the carb base was that there are no mixture setting screws. Interesting; - this might be part of your "runnability" problems; - since there's no way to set the idle mixture you are completely reliant on setting the idle speed; - and on a bad mixture that can actually put the carb on the off-idle (different) circuit and change its performance characteristics. You might want to look into getting another carb, (I imagine it would be difficult to import one to France) or at least get those plugs drilled out and put in idle screws. Another suggestion might be to have that carb base "decked" for level; - chances are with that little bit of corrosion the baseplate is probably distorted, and this could cause vacuum leaks. If you get the baseplate planed flat it may cut out some of the corrosion. Does that carb still have the starter switch (for the gas pedal start) mounted on it, or is a newer one? Bottom line here is you may be able to get that carb working again, however it may never work to the original specifications or deliver the performance you want. I would probably start hunting down ($$$) a new carb and keep this one in reserve as parts.
Here are some pictures of it before disassembly. It is the standard carb for the 401 in 1960 so I suppose everyone tunes it the same way (for the idle speed/mixture). The carb was working pretty well before although the engine was running rough (which I assume was due to the lack of a steel plate between the carb and the exhaust holes in the intake manifold). For the jet, no the ventury is not damaged/touched... So I assume I am fine :-( ? unless the upper pieces (screw driver blade shoulders) affect the ventury. Action: I'll leave it alone and not mess with it. Starter switch. Yes it has one and it works perfectly. Base-plate planed: Great idea !! thanks. I might be able to do that with sandpaper and a flat surface ?
Yep, you pretty well wrecked it up....:laugh: but it will still work because the hole thru it is not altered.....
I just realized I made a mistake; - on your pictures I see that the idle mixture screws are there; - my mistake. It looks pretty much like the stock carb; - fairly rare to find with a working start switch. Most of the ones I've seen were rotted out in the bottom. Basically the best way to plane the bottom is to take it to a machine shop and ask to use their "lapping" table; - which is a perfectly flat table covered in emory cloth. This way you can insure that what you sand off will be perfectly flat.
I have lapped a lot of stuff with wet or dry sandpaper and a piece of plate glass.... you are working with alluminum , so it will cut down fairly quickly.... that jet is not ideal,,, but you would be hard pressed to identify any difference in the performance... unless there is something plugging that passage way up.... blow it out good with compressed air to be sure that it is open and working.... double check the emulshion tubes that the jet feeds.....
I have the carb dismantled (except the butterflies) and soaking (thanks to my unaware gfriend's fish pan!!) in acetone. I have been rubbing, fine sanding and cleaning parts... I have a problem with all the metal peripheral stuff (see pic) which are slightly rusted. How can I treat these (in my kitchen !) to keep them from rusting further ? Should I OSPHO them (and the rinse - I have some in the basement) ? Sand and paint (not good idea I think) ? Or .... do nothing ? Roland
Yeah !!! Got the bodies all clean and all the venturis and stuff.... Have a rebuild kit (sorensen). Will methodically put it all together this weekend. Have ordered a steel carb plate to protect the base. Think i will put some epoxy glue on base to even out the pits (after doing some lapping on a plate glass). I now need to clean up the intake manifold. There seems to be a lot of carbon/deposit inside. Two questions: How do I get inside to clean it up ? Any products break it down ? Where does carbon come from and how do I prevent future build up ?
Fuel pump related question: The last Po put a FACET electric fuel pump which he bolted to this block off plate (see pic). What is behind this plate ? If I take it off does oil pour to the ground ? Is this plate fine or should I replace it with a better plates ? One day I wouldlike to put a std fuel pump back on (when finances permit it). Is there an advantage to have a electric fuel pump ? (the cooling liquid came from my slightly unbolting the thermostat housing. It looks ugly. Think I should take it off, clean it and put new gasket.).
An eccentric on the cam for the fuel pump arm Oil will not pour on the ground if, removed when the engine is NOT running here, are nice dress up plates $10 US; http://www.eelco-usa.com/index.php?cPath=24_29_35&osCsid=5lllr8gs5j59rpmgm7usetits6 I understand for competition, there are advantages (I am NOT a competition driver) I don't see an advantage for a daily driver. Pump diaphragms give out from time to time but are easily rebuilt. I've not had a proplem with my mechanical pump since rebuild 8 years ago. Yes, not a difficult fix.
For less expense and trouble, stick with the electric fuel pump.... You are doing a good job on the carb.... looks a lot better.... to clean the small parts in the first photos... get one of those wire brushes that looks like a tooth brush and brush them out.... then put some rust killer like naval jelly on them and follow that with some argent silver paint..... they will look like new.... just some ideas....
