[Andyt59]

Alright. I'm new to this group but not to these types of forums.

Here is what I am working on. My father restored a 1927 Buick Model 27-51 (Master series) Sedan. My biased opinion is that it's a beautiful car for an amateur restoration that was completed 10 years ago as a driver.

Well, I brought it home to my garage because a friend of my wife wants to use it in their wedding, NEXT MONTH!!! Unfortunately, I'm chasing Carb gremlins and am getting frustrated. Dad installed a 6 volt rotary pump on it as the vacuum pump was unreliable. This, in turn, requires the use of a pressure regulator and so forth. With the regulator, it won't keep up with the engine's fuel demand and sucks the float bowl (Marvel Brass Carb) dry and the pump just doesn't keep up. Now Dad thinks there is a restriction in the line somewhere so I cleaned it all out tank to carb (including temporarily removing the filter) and even tried it without the regulator. No regulator means fuel went EVERY WHERE!! So, I bypassed some other apparatus (being the original vacuum fuel pump that has been gutted and is there for looks only) and got some improvement but not enough to resolve the issue.

I'm really beginning to think the issue is the carb and am wondering:
1)How the heck do you adjust this thing properly
2)Is there another carb manufacturer that is more reliable that will fit this car.
3)Is there ANY literature available on this carb that would help me figure the stupid thing out?!

SOme input would be awesome and help me out allot. Mind you I am not mechanically "Stupid" as I am a parts changer at a local truck shop here in Boise. I am also working on a couple of restoration projects of my own. A 1959 Ford F-100 4WD truck and a 1965 Ford F-100 Shortbox 2WD truck (For my youngest son). I was also raised around the restoration and upkeep of these old birds and have a special place in my heart for them all...

[1941 CADDY]

FIRST OFF I WOULD GET SOME BOOKS ON IT.

[F&J]

I had good luck with swapping Model A carburators onto different makes. Sometimes had to make an adapter which was two oval plates with a short pipe inbetween. That would be for a carb that had a flange that needed to be rotated 90 degrees...depends on the application.

An oldtimer near here that works on all oldies has a couple different sizes of "test carbs" to get an old barn find car going. The bolt pattern is usually wrong, so he just uses two small vice grips to clamp the test carb on.

So, if you suspect it is the carb, find something to try: even old gas tractors or whatever. It is best to not go much bigger on the bore size, but you can go smaller without a problem.

[Tinindian]

Buy a pressure regulator that is adjustable. The one I have adjusts anywhere from the 22lbs of the rotary pump down to 1lb.

[Andyt59]

Well, sometimes I'm slow but the answer to my problem was simple.

I removed the carb from the car this morning. Noticed something "sticky" all around the base of it (like where leaked gas would gather to eventually dissipate into the atmosphere) I hauled it into work with me and pulled it all apart...

and low and behold!!

Not varnish of the old stinky gas, but GAS TANK SEALER that had dissolved into the fuel from the tank and plugged things up.

So, I stripped the carb down and gave it a good bath. As I had no carb dip or spray cans of carb cleaner, I used the next best thing, Brake cleaner. I scrubbed and washed and wiped and scrubbed and washed and wiped and did I mention how much scrubbing I did? Had to cut one new gasket, installed copper washers in place of someones idea of a repair, and robbed some parts of the same make and model and put her all back together...

Put it back onto the car...

turned on the switch...

Hit the starter (forgetting to pull the choke out) and...

She fired right off!!! After some adjustment on the carb and the fuel regulator, the old girl purrrrrs like an 82 year old car should... Now to find headlight bulbs...

[MCHinson]

Glad you found the carb problem. What type of bulbs do you need?

[nickelroadster]

Sure sounds like you have some old style pre alcohol type of gas tank sealant. I would tear the tank and fuel line out of the car and completely strip that old sealant out before your newly cleaned carburetor needs to be done again. Modern gas tank sealers are now formulated for alcohol whereas 15 or 20 years ago they were not.

[Andyt59]

Originally Posted by MCHinson

Glad you found the carb problem. What type of bulbs do you need?

I lost the part number but it's the 6V, dual element kind that has the pins aligned with each other (not off set). To describe them, they are slightly domed on the top (not totally round)... I had some located new but they got lost in shipping and I was told they were the only two they had...

-Andy

[Andyt59]

Originally Posted by nickelroadster

Sure sounds like you have some old style pre alcohol type of gas tank sealant. I would tear the tank and fuel line out of the car and completely strip that old sealant out before your newly cleaned carburetor needs to be done again. Modern gas tank sealers are now formulated for alcohol whereas 15 or 20 years ago they were not.

I would love to do that but Dad don't want me tearing his car that far apart. He was worried when I told him I pulled the carb!!! I actually love working on carbs. Once you know the basics of how they function they are all really simple to work on. As of right now, I would rather work on one of these old carbs than a newer one (like say a Holly?) because they are so simple!!!

-Andy

[MCHinson]

Do the headlight bulbs look something like this?

http://www.brattons.com/uploads/imag...arge/17780.jpg


I suspect that the bulbs sold by Model A Ford suppliers will work. They are readily available.