seando

Thanks for posting! My dad worked for Gould and took me to see the Gould car back in the day. I didn't appreciate it as much as I would now.

Amazing info @Chris. Thanks. Have been out of town. Sounds like it was designed to run uncapped? I can't seem to imagine how that works. I guess something changes as your going up the hill.

Folks, I don't want to get ahead of myself but I am giddy with excitement. I put the whole thing back together today and was able to idle her in the garage for 10+ minutes, sounding so sweet. I then backed her out and drove her around the block, entirely! Pulled her back in garage (up an incline mind you) and checked the filter. Still has gas showing and same level as pre-drive. Then backed her out again and drove her 2 more times around the block! Previously I never made it one entire swing around the block when I would fill the reservoir with gas. I did add a bead of solder to the top micro washer on the inner float stack. That washer had some play. If anyone is reading this in the future, be careful with your solder. If you leave some slop on the center rod it may not clear its pin hole cleanly and throw off the balance by not rising all the way. Instead of topping off the inner reservoir with fuel after the inner can was in place, as I used to do, I only added an inch of fuel before putting the inner can in place. My working theory is that the excess fuel was causing a back vac in the whole system, allowing gas to back suck into the vac line form the manifold. It did stall out a couple times, hard stops and poor clutch work. But a win is a win. Here is the latest video test on YouTube. I tried to make it complete as possible in case there is another future hackanic who runs into one of these engineering marvels. I say that with utmost respect. It's one of the joys of these cars, deciphering what the engineers were able to accomplish with the technology and resources of their day. Special thanks to everyone on this forum who came through with tips and tricks, especially @hchris who seemed to be with me every step of the way. Unfortunately if that end cap is removed it is equal to leaving the hose disconnected from the manifold. When I said "pin hole" I was understating its size. {First time for everything}.

I found a video on a salvaged 29 DeSoto and grabbed 2 screen shots of the vac fuel pump. Doesn't look like that rear port (Yellow in my shot) connects to anything. This is why I try to record everything. You never know what someone may be researching.

Maybe i am starting out with too much fuel in the reservoir bottom? Maybe i should start with just an inch? I had been setting it's level to just below the flapper.

But she runs sooooooooo well. I need to rebuild the carb with my new kit anyway. When I took the inner can out she definitely had more than a couple inches of fuel in reservoir. Inner can still had fuel too. Not 16 oz but some.

Update: I tell you she runs like a kitten when the reservoir has gas and the vac tank is out. Ran for 30+ minutes in garage while I tested vac can. Today's tests. Removed cork floats and tested in bucket of water. Corks float and drop no issues. Connected my brake bleeder vacuum pump to the manifold port on inner vac can. Holds a vacuum no issue. Multiple vac, hold, drop. Repeat. All same. I added a bead of solder to washer holding corks in place on lifter rod. I do think that I am getting too much gas in the setup now. With it all together and running she eventually stalled. I disconnected the vac line on top of can and it was wet with gas. When the inner can is in the reservoir tank that does make an relative air tight seal, intentional or not? With the whole system together gas does not pour into the fuel filter. Rather it trickles. There is a reverse vacuum in the line from the reservoir bottom to the carb. Seems like air gets trapped and prevents gas from pouring into filter. This air bubble cause by gas burning off as she runs may not be bleeding out very quickly from the system because of that air tight factor. In the picture I have colored and marked the connections on the top ports. Blue goes to windshield wiper. Red goes to back fuel tank. Unmarked is vac line from manifold. I wonder what yellow is? It is a straight pin hole to the vac line from manifold. I have it capped off. I guess my other question is, if the system is relatively air tight, and the vac keeps pulling and pulling, that would explain fuel level getting too high and back sucking into manifold. Seems like there should be a relief valve? Sorry for the brain dump all. Really want to preserve this tank and appreciate the help. Other picture is me trying to listen to the vac in the tank.

Quick update: Started her up and she was purring like a kitten. Let her idle in the garage for 5 - 10 minutes. Then she just died. Lost power and died. Now I need to hold throttle open to keep her running. Gas is in the filter still and when she stalls gas leaks out carb as it is unburned and falling back down. Fouled plugs? Going to get new and try it again. BTW: received carb rebuild kit from @carbking and it looks awesome. Also got door handles from @thehandleman and they are spot on what I needed. Little by little.

Now that you mention it, there is a little play in the washers that hold the corks in place. Just a little. I meant to solder them. I put everything back in place. Started her up and idled. Weather permitting will road test tomorrow. Will post update.

definitely floating, but i thought the same thing. If they didn't float they wouldn't open the flapper to dump fuel. But that is why I pondered adding the washers for counter weight in case the cork's mass had deteriorated over time. I have got it to the point where it will dump, slow trickle and stop releasing fuel. Then with more fuel, dump again, slow trickle and stop. I am not sure if the trickle is self induced from the dump splashback, or the cork raising and closing the flapper. Is it slightly gradual given the level drops and the cork rises, or is it supposed to be a sudden and abrupt stoppage? Tornado warnings today so the road test will have to wait.

Takes vacuum off the intake right above the carburetor. The video is not great but I posted earlier about the manifold vac test and tried to get the camera angle as best I could showing this connection.

It sounds like me riding a bicycle. Every hill becomes a challenge. Looks like I am rained out today so I may fiddle with the flapper and try to get her to seat tighter. One test I may perform; if I add a washer to the top of the inner cork stack will that give it just enough additional weight such that the flapper closes with a little more umph and tighter seal. But not so much weight that the corks don't rise. To the naked, or even spectacled eye it looks "tight".

Thanks for the positive words of encouragement. I am going to point the finger at the bottom flapper valve. I took it apart and polished up all components and seals with 1500 wet grit. Recut cork gasket. I performed the test @Jbartlett described with the bukcet of water. No leaking at all. Perfect! Then did the gas test again. Holds great then dumps. Ok. Then it keeps trickling. And trickling. Fiddle with the flapper ever so slightly and it stops. So, I will look at trying to tighten it up but what do we think about making a small gasket for the seal between the flapper and opening?

Got out for another quick test on the suction intake off the manifold. Definitely has suction, enough to keep my finger stuck to the pipe. Once I break the suction the car comes close to stalling.So by process of elimination my issue most likely is in the inner can's floats and valve.

I snuck out to the shop during lunch an did another test of the inner tank closer to what @hchris described. On first pass the can holds the fuel tight. At the appointed level the flapper valve on the bottom appears to open and fuel drops. It is at this point that the flapper valve may not be going back to a tight seal. Fuel continues to trickle out the flapper valve. I jossled the inner tank and it appears the fuel stops trickling, then dumps again and then trickles again. After the video ends I opened the flapper with a screwdriver and the contents dumped. First things first, will polish joint surfaces per @hchris

Update: This morning I tested the inner tank per @hchris recommendation. Filled inner tank and then released drop valve. It did hold gas and then dump its contents. I did not fill it to the point the cork would rise and dump. When I get a better test setup I will. I do think it was not even getting gas inside this tank because it and the cork were dry when I took them apart. Next I connected my brake bleeding vacuum pump to the fuel line that feeds the Kingston from the rear tank. It pulled gas straight away. I seem to have movement in both directions by blowing in through to the back and manually vac gas through the line. Next, I will connect the outer tank so it acts as a reservoir for the carb. Add some gas into it so I can run the engine and test to see if I have suction on the line from the manifold. I will be taking the floats out again and see, now that I know gas was inside there, what does it look like. I need to cut a new cork gasket for that fitting anyway. @ch1929 - Brass fittings are free and clear. No rusty flapper valves here. That is quit the find you had there. I will try to video the tests so y'all can see my testing protocols. My intent is to preserve this car as best I can. She is a survivor and deserves that. I know I can get this Kingston pumping again. * how do I edit the title of this post? I had Stewart on the brain but it is a Kingston as @hchris said. DOH! Desoto tests.mp4 YouTube:

@ply33 this Desoto pulls the vac off the manifold. @hchris let let me check the video quality again. It should be showing me taking the inner float mechanism out of the inner chamber. Instead of being a sealed metal float like the diagrams in earlier posts it is 3 corks, stacked on top of each other with a center rod piercing them. And as you say, as the fuel in the chamber rises the cork stack rises and open the bottom valve. As cork stack drops the valve closes. To my eye that bottom valve is really clean and makes a good seal. Looking at the cork stack and chamber again I do not think fuel is getting inside the inner chamber. Will perform the test you mentioned.

Hi All, Now that I have my carb balanced and running *great* (thanks Carb King) I seem to have an issue with my vacuum fuel pump, which I thought I had fixed by re-corking the gasket. Symptoms: Car seems to idle fine and will continue to run at idle in the garage. It even draws fuel from the tank in the back. I say this because I have added gas to that rear tank multiple times and I check the level with a wood dowel and mark it's level with the date. That gas is leaving the tank. When I drove her on the road she ran out of gas. Looking at the clear fuel filter in line I could see it went dry. There was fuel in the rear tank. I added fuel to the fill hole on top of the Stewart, it gravity filled the clear fuel filter in-line and voila, she ran me back home. I removed the feed line from the rear tank that connects to the top of the Stewart. It does have suction. I am not sure how much it is supposed to have but it had "some". After reading previous posts about Stewarts I decided to pull mine and take it apart, again. It is different than what is documented in the previous posts that I saw. Kind of inverted? I am linking a video of me removing and disassembling the Stewart pump. The inner tank appears dry, which is odd because the gas from the rear tank is going somewhere and the car does run continuously at idle. Any thoughts form the pros? Thanks in advance Sean

Posting new topic on the Stewart fuel pump. Pulled it off and apart. No sign of fuel.

Update: Talked to the carbking and ordered a custom made rebuild kit. YEAH! Also got some invaluable information from him. And wrenched down the plugs tighter than I ever have before. No bubbles. Have taken to adjusting the carb, pre-rebuild with the kit and had to back out the balancer 2 full turns to get her to run leaner. She runs, for now, pretty darn sweet. I even took her out on a road test today to the bus stop to pick up the tax deductions. Contrary to the video the vac fuel pump is apparently not working properly since I ran out of gas on the ride home. I know that it has worked since I re-corked it because I have to fill up the tank. Maybe it isn't keep up with the driving car but does when it idles in the garage, i am not sure. I may splice the line under the car and insert a 6v electric fuel pump w/ gauge in-line even if it's just as a backup. Little by little. youtube.com/edit?o=U&video_id=eWRF_QzTcxA

If it looks like this try Andy Bernbaum, old mopar parts dot com.

Door Handles found (thx Kaiser31) Still need window crank handles.

Hi All, Looking for interior door handles and window crank handles for 29 DeSoto pictured here.

Hi All, I am looking for the right side (or both) cowl light to my 29 DeSoto. Pictured here.