[R W Burgess]

Originally Posted by Bluesky636

Well, so what was the cause/solution?

The carburetor has not been taken apart, so I can still drive it on and off my transport trailer. If you had seen the link above from the Hudson Web Site, they mention the inferior medal used in manufacturing the carb body. Evidently, moisture will penetrate the body, because it is so porous, and "swell" the internal parts. When this happens, the venturi will not move back and forth (providing more or less fuel as the vacuum requires.....my understanding of it, mind you.) So, you have the throttle flapper opening, but there is no heavy flow of fuel, which causes the engine to stall.

I can start the car with the choke wide open and the motor races. I close the throttle down some and the engine slows down, which gives me enough regulation to get it on the trailer. By no means is this any good for highway driving.

I hope this is correct information, it's the best that I can understand it. I will have another rebuilt carb waiting for me in North Carolina Monday morning...and a pickup full of tools.

I will update this thread next week. I hope I have a smile on my face!

Wayne

[24T42]

Wayne,

Just in case - we have a very nice 'Hard Luck' trophy. Of course, the car actually has to be on an official tour route to qualify not in your drive way.

See you Sunday.

Judy

[R W Burgess]

Originally Posted by 24T42

......... Of course, the car actually has to be on an official tour route to qualify not in your drive way..........

See you Sunday.

Judy

The Essex is in the trailer, not tied down yet, but in the trailer, along with battery chargers, spare tires, tools, all weather cover for it's roof insert, odd tie downs, quarts of oil, antifreeze, gasoline containers, spare jacks, jack stands, spare copper tubing, tubing connectors, rubber hose, hose clamps, cleaning accessories, and a cleaning lady!!

I told Gloria that if she's well enough to go, she'll be well enough to wash and polish our new ride!

Wayne

Whoops, almost forgot my jump box, first thing in the morning...........in the pickup! Wait!!!! And a power point PROJECTOR!

[Bluesky636]

Originally Posted by R W Burgess

The carburetor has not been taken apart, so I can still drive it on and off my transport trailer. If you had seen the link above from the Hudson Web Site, they mention the inferior medal used in manufacturing the carb body. Evidently, moisture will penetrate the body, because it is so porous, and "swell" the internal parts. When this happens, the venturi will not move back and forth (providing more or less fuel as the vacuum requires.....my understanding of it, mind you.) So, you have the throttle flapper opening, but there is no heavy flow of fuel, which causes the engine to stall.

I can start the car with the choke wide open and the motor races. I close the throttle down some and the engine slows down, which gives me enough regulation to get it on the trailer. By no means is this any good for highway driving.

I hope this is correct information, it's the best that I can understand it. I will have another rebuilt carb waiting for me in North Carolina Monday morning...and a pickup full of tools.

I will update this thread next week. I hope I have a smile on my face!

Wayne

I think you mean "float" not "venturi" at the bolded section. Float controls fuel level. The venturi control airflow through the carb. Your problem as initially described was an overflow of fuel. That is a float problem, not a venturi problem.

I think this is your problem and solution as desribed in the link you provided:

"They also argue that the Carter BB-1 gets along better with an electric fuel pump than the Marvel carburetor (which an electric pump can overwhelm, causing gasoline overflow from the float bowl), but that problem can be resolved by installing a $5.00 pressure reducer in the gas line."

[R W Burgess]

Originally Posted by Bluesky636

I think you mean "float" not "venturi" at the bolded section. Float controls fuel level. The venturi control airflow through the carb. Your problem as initially described was an overflow of fuel. That is a float problem, not a venturi problem..

The carburetor expert from North Carolina told me that this carb has a "Variable Venturi", meaning to me that it moves "open and closed" as the throttle valve opens and closes, asking for more or less fuel. The throttle valve (flapper) is mounted up in the manifold, not in the carburetor. This is the reason the car will not respond to accelerator changes( opening flapper valve-more air)), but to choke changes (closing off air).

Originally Posted by Bluesky636

I think this is your problem and solution as described in the link you provided:

"They also argue that the Carter BB-1 gets along better with an electric fuel pump than the Marvel carburetor (which an electric pump can overwhelm, causing gasoline overflow from the float bowl), but that problem can be resolved by installing a $5.00 pressure reducer in the gas line."

It already has a pressure reducing, but I agree, in that this engine will probably run much better with a gravity fed vacuum tank, using the electric pump as a backup.

This is what we intend to do, when we arrive in North Carolina, (replace the carb, and reinstall a properly operating vacuum tank).

By the way, I'm an amateur at operating a car this old, just the messenger in this case, in fact. I welcome all inputs or suggestions, since it's the only way we learn from each other.

Wayne

[DeSoto Frank]

Wayne,

The "inferior metal" issue with your carb ( and other early die-cast"pot-metal" ) is due to high lead content in the alloy, causing "intergranular corrosion" - literally corrosion at the molecular level...

The result is that the metal expands and cracks, then crumbles. Pot metal parts inside of other parts can jam from this swelling.

Once it begins, there's no way to stop it.

Sadly, most pot-metal made before the Depression seems to suffer from this "disease", not only on cars, but also talking machines and other objects that required complex detail castings.

Good luck with the Essex !

[R W Burgess]

Final update!

The rebuilt carburetor that a friend brought me has cured my cars fuel ills. I also had to use a separate fuel tank to overcome the original tank's contamination problems. Just wanted everyone to know that the Essex is running again.

Happy days for everyone.

Wayne