craigger01

One last update. The engine is running very smooth now. Ended up having the fuel tank acid washed and steam cleaned. Also had it coated internally. Car rune even better as some old the sludge that had built up in the tank was restricting fuel flow. Put on over one hundred miles and did another individual cylinder compression test. 1- 112 2- 108 3- 110 4- 112 5- 112 6- 108 Starts and idles smooth. Thanks again for the help on this site.

Hi Craig I was able to source a set of Moog kingpins today in stock locally. 131 CDN plus 5% tax. About 98.00 USD. Moog is pretty good quality. Hope they work well, I will let you know.

Bloo: Thanks for your suggestions. I took the carb off and apart this morning. Tested the float and it was fine, no holes. I then took both the bowl and mate and used a 120 grit automotive sandpaper to level the matting surfaces. I did this by putting the sticky sandpaper down on a piece of tempered glass. I then worked the surfaces until all were even. You were right both surfaces had heavy warping. I had never had to take so much material off. I then also opened the distance for the seat setting distance from the spec of 1 9/32 to 1 15/32. The bowl surfaces are sealed and no more fuel running down the carb. Mission accomplished. Car starts, cold and hot fine and idles nice. Acceleration static is good also. I haven't taken it out for a run yet. King pins are shot so tackling them next. Once the frontend is done I will get a mechanical inspection for insurance and be on the road in a week or two. Thanks again for all the here at Pontiac forum. Craigger01

thanks I will work through your suggestions. I usually use a chunk of tempered glass and level the mating surfaces with a bit of sandpaper but didn't do this on the rochester as it had the raised ibbing on the surface. I thought it would seal up very well. It just seems to be leaking from the bowl matting surface. Not running rich at all. I think the fuel pump has been changed as there were 4 more in the trunk of the car. i think will try lowering the float first.

Ok. so I have the engine running very well. It appears to be overfueling though but not affecting how it runs. I am thinking my float settings are wrong as fuel continues to come from the bowl gaskets. I am using 1 9/32 for the upper float setting and 1 3/4 for the lower float setting. Any one know anything different. These numbers come from the carb kit. Thanks Craigger01

A Big Shoutout and Thanks to all that responded to my query.. I was able to get the engine starting a running very well. It starts easily and idles smooth. Acceleration is good. The carb kit i received from from Craig at Mobileparts was correct and the instruction that came with the kit spot on. Its a little muddy right now but when it dries up I am going to go out and run the car for a couple hours. I will then plan on completing another leak down and compression test to compare with my initial numbers. I will post once i do that. Thanks again for all the support here at the Pontiac forum. PS I also have a 1960 Pontiac Parisienne convertible waiting for restore. Might be a couple years before i get to it though. Cheers Craigger01

I received my Carb kit from MobileParts. Thanks Craig! I have the carb soaking in CRC product called Tyme. I was not able to get a gallon in Canada but was in the US last week and brought a gallon home. I am going to leave the parts soaking overnight and plan on reassembling on Sunday. I will let you know how it goes.

Thanks looking for a drivers LH side for a 52 Chieftain

Yes I am going to call you tomorrow. I need a kit. Thanks Craig Craigger01

While looking in the trunk I found a copy of a manual for the car. The car is a Rochester installed . I could not find a model number. Does anyone know if the Rochester is the proper carb. When I phoned my local parts guy he said it should be a Carter. I need a carb kit as this was full of old gas and sediment. Craigger01

Had some more success today. Traced out some exhaust gasket material I bought from NAPA along with cork material for the valve side covers and intake/exhaust . everything went together fine. Bloo you were bang on with the valve stem to lifter clearance. I checked them all and they are within tolerance. Also when I was cleaning the oil and dirt off the side covers the front one has some embossed lettering on it. Surprise there was stamped Clearance .011 - .013. Good call Bloo. Got the engine firing on squirting a little gas in the carb. I had put some premium fuel in the tank and thought all was well. As it turns out the car had not run in 13 years. I drained all the gas or whatever was in there. Pulled the drain plug on the tank and blew air through the fuel line from the pump to the tank. Still no fuel to the carb so removed the fuel pump. Has one with a strainer bowl which was plugged solid. Cleaned it out and finally the car runs without spray. Had to keep it at high RPM seems the float may be stuck as it would not idle and seemed to be overfueling. I will take the carb apart tomorrow and clean it up. Also the choke does not work appears to be seized in the open position. Once I get it running/idling smooth I am planning on getting it up to temp and then rechecking compression and leak down. Hopefully it trends in the right direction. Craigger01

Thanks. I will get a manual and research the specs I need. Hopefully all goes well. Craig i will call you , Thanks I appreciate!!

So having some good luck with everything so far. The leakdown was a bit dismal. All numbers over 100 on the differential 1- 30, 5 - 26, 3 - 28, 6 - 24, 2 - 48, 4 - 24. at TDC . I was able to free the heat riser with penetrant and the brass hammer with a tap to the side as suggested. The carb butterfly was also seized from sitting and was able to free it as well with penetrant and sitting in solvent overnight. The car is empty of gas according to the gauge and the fuel pump did not pump any product yet. I had turned it over quite a bit when i completed the compression checks. I am uncertain how long it has sat. The son said he used the car as a wedding car and his oldest has finished high school. Could be as much as twenty years in the garage but i don't think so as the dust on it wasn't that thick. The 1/4 inch tubing on to the carb choke control from the exhaust manifold was corroded so replaced it also. I am going to put five gallons of premium in the tank after i check the lines. Would you happen to know what the clearance is on the valve to lifter gap should be. I had removed the intake/exhaust manifold and valve side covers to check that all valves were moving as advertised. Also to clean up and repair the heat riser. I measured .013 on both the intake and exhaust valves on number one. I haven't looked at the rest yet but they appear to be about the same. There is just a bit of movement as I have turned each one when at TDC. When i removed the manifold i could see there was a significant exhaust leak at number 4 cylinder. I have sourced a supplier locally that can provide gasket material. I plan on making my own (Old school) for the reassembly

So I did a compression check and got these results on the first one dry> 1- 90, 2- 82, 3- 0, 4- 95, 5- 0, 6- 82. I then squirted oil in the spark plug holes two strikes each cylinder. Second compression test 1- 112, 2- 82, 3- 0, 4- 115, 5- 107, 6- 102. I then sprayed deep creep penetrating oil in number 3 and 2 more squirts of engine oil in the spark plug hole and got 110 compression. Then performed a leakdown. I have blow by , air coming from the oil fill spout, cap off on TDC of 1,2,5,and 6. The compression on 3 and 4 come up 90 degrees before TDC. I think i have a couple of stuck intakes valves. More investigation to come. Also the heat riser valve is stuck in the closed position. Craigger 01

Thanks for the quick response and info. I will post the results of my leakdown and compression test. Also great info on the sheet metal tubing. I am going to check that out today. Later.