carbdoc

Hmm, not a bad idea, BuickEight. I might have to try that. Jeff

So I am starting to gather, Owen . . . but thanks. Jeff

Thanks, Matt and Ted. I'll give the SOS / Scotch Brite idea a try. Jeff

Bob, I can't afford Coker tires for a car that I drive infrequently, though I wish that I could. What else is there? Have you tried to buy narrow whitewall tires appropriate to a 1960s-70s car lately, size 225-75-15? Has anyone else successfully used something with which they "bleached" or dyed their tires white again? Jeff

Two of the new narrow-stripe whitewall tires I purchased less than one year ago as a set of four are now turning brown. I have tried scrubbing with Black Magic Bleche-Wite and with Soft Scrub, but with limited success. The two other tires remain normal-looking and clean-up just fine when dirty . . . but the "brownwalls" never achieve more than a medium-tan appearance --- ugh. One other weird thing: on all four, the black part of the sidewall never seems to look quite "clean" after they have dried no matter how much and how hard I scrub. But at least this I can mitigate by using some Meguiar's tire dressing. Yes, they are cheap tires (MileMakers, probably China-built), but I have had lots of cheap tires in my lifetime and none of them did this. Any suggestions as to how to make my brownwalls gleam white again? Jeff

Info found . . . but thanks anyway, Bob. Jeff

Can anyone provide photos and/or a specification sheet for the Carter WDO #488 carburetor used on the 1940 Graham Hollywood Supercharged? Jeff

Can anyone provide photos and/or a specification sheet for the Carter WDO #488 carburetor used on the 1940 Graham Hollywood Supercharged? Jeff

Thanks so much, Jerry --- this is helpful info! I checked the air valves this morning: all centered, no sticking, plenty of opening distance. I will copy your discussion of the injector to the customer. As an aside, the principle you describe reminds me of "starter injector" on my 1984 BMW which was built 60 years later! Jeff

I recently restored the carburetor for a 1923 Pierce-Arrow. The customer now complains that it runs much too rich . . . and I have thus far been unable to determine why. In the course of the restoration, I did nothing to alter the metering characteristics of this carburetor, nor did I "tighten-up" the reed valves found under the bug screen. All three appeared to have differently-calibrated (graduated) tension so I cleaned them up but otherwise left them strictly as they were. Since I am not sure how to identify this carb, here is a photo; click on image to enlarge: There are a couple of capital "T"s and one capital "U" stamped into the main casting, but other than the word "PIERCE" and some patent dates on the bowl lid, I can find nothing to positively I.D. it. When I fill the carburetor to the correct level with test fluid, none leaks out unless I tilt it dramatically. When I shut off all three mixture adjustments (high speed, low speed and another which I cannot identify) as a test and apply compressed air to the fixed air inlet, no test fluid is seen to blow out past the throttle valve. I am mystified as to why/how it can run rich. Does anyone have any literature about these carburetors? Any breakdowns, cutaways or technical info (such as it existed back then)? Failing that, has anyone had any experience with these units? I have been in business for 25 years and have never encountered one. Please let me know if you have any info to share ASAP as my customer needs to prep this car for winter storage very soon. You may contact me any way you choose. And no, I don't know why the image is displayed upside-down below; I have tried to delete it but it does no good. Jeff Dreibus The Old Carb Doctor jdreibus@yahoo.com 800-945-2272

Thanks once again, raceabout. I simply don't "get" how that tiny vacuum channel is expected to lift that heavy plunger by a "nail head" which is a fraction of the diameter of the plunger's girth. Moreover, how can the (theoretically) falling plunger be expected to deliver a shot of gasoline as would a conventional accelerator pump when the discharge nozzle's channel is already above the bottom of the plunger when it is pulled all the way up into its bore?!? This fact is what had me largely convinced that this carb has the wrong plunger, but apparently not. I will more closely study the documents which you sent and try to make some sense out of this. Jeff

raceabout, The pistons are nearly identical! They are within .006" of being identical in length, and the balance of the dimensions similarly correspond. The very minor differences in measurement could be accounted for by wear and/or the manufacturing tolerance discrepancies which existed almost a century ago. Apparently somebody thought this system would work "'way back when" . . . though it mystifies me as to how. Oh, and the plunger bore in this carb is .625" in I.D. I measured it with a new piece of 5/8" O.D. brass tubing and it "just fits" without binding. I forgot to ask: so is there nothing else located in that plunger bore? No valve between the piston and the cast bolt in the bottom of the bore? Nothing located inside of either one? If not, I'm tending toward the conclusion that the system was designed to operate via some sort of pressure differential that I can't comprehend. From my perspective, for that system to be anything other than a built-in vacuum leak would seem to require defiance of certain laws of physics . . . And your fiber washers are pulled and awaiting shipment; just get me an address. It's the least I can do to repay all the help you have provided. Jeff

Wow, thanks so much, raceabout --- the PDF file downloaded to my computer flawlessly and I just printed it off! I will probably have some questions about the piston once I compare the dimensions to the one which came with the carb I am restoring. Yes, I do indeed have the fiber washers for the fuel inlet and the cast and cross-drilled "bolt" which retains the plunger; just PM or email me your address and I will send a set to you pronto. Thanks! Jeff jdreibus@yahoo.com

Thanks so much, raceabout! Jeff

21, Thanks so much for responding; I had just about given up hope! My biggest questions are: does the 13818 Pick-Up Plunger fit tightly in its bore, or is approx. 1/32" of side play present? Because that is what the piston has, plus the geometry of the Dxisting pick-up Plunger seems all wrong to allow vacuum to lift it anyway. Also, Dyke's seems to show a "valve" of some sort beneath the piston; I see no air valve on the carburetor, so I am going to say "no" to an adjustment on the dash. The whole assembly looks exactly the same as the carb in your illustrations, if that helps. Jeff

I am in the process of restoring a Penberthy Ball & Ball SV22 carburetor for a customer; this carb happens to be on a '21 Mercer sedan, but I know that other makes used this model (and similar) Penberthys. As is the case with so many components, this carburetor has been "messed with" by everyone who should be barred by Federal law from working on such a complex device! My immediate problem is that the piston in the primitive accelerator pump / power valve system seems to be incorrect, and the "valve" mentioned (but not clearly illustrated) in the 1927 Dykes Carburetor Supplement is missing. While the carburetor will no doubt operate without the needed components (albeit with decreased power) provided that the vacuum source is plugged with lead shot, I consider it to be unprofessional to disable anything if I can instead restore it. I could really use some photos / dimensions of the original missing / incorrect parts if anyone has such a carb (perhaps a spare?) and would not mind disassembling it for a bit of picture taking and measurement. Jeff Dreibus The Old Carb Doctor

I am in the process of restoring a Penberthy Ball & Ball SV22 carburetor for a customer with a '21 Mercer sedan. This particular carburetor has been "messed with" by everyone who should be barred by Federal law from working on such a complex device! My immediate problem is that the piston in the primitive accelerator pump / power valve system seems to be incorrect, and the "valve" mentioned (but not clearly illustrated) in the 1927 Dykes Carburetor Supplement is missing. While the carburetor will no doubt operate without the needed components (albeit with decreased power) provided that the vacuum source is plugged with lead shot, I consider it to be unprofessional to disable anything if I can instead restore it. I could really use some photos / dimensions of original parts if anyone has such a carb (perhaps a spare?) and would not mind disassembling it for a bit of picture taking and measurement. Jeff Dreibus The Old Carb Doctor

Tekno, Thanks. Actually, we have 93 octane available here . . . so the net octane yielded would be about 90. Jeff

Tekno, I have no doubt that what you say is true, but wouild 93 octane premium run through your ethanol-extraction system still be capable of operating (for example) my 1970 Chyrsler 300's 440, a relatively high-compression engine, without spark knock? Jeff

Tekno, I dislike the advent of ethanol as much as the next guy, but . . . I have been told by at least two sources, one of whom was an API engineer, that removing the ethanol form a tank of modern gasoline reduces the remainder's combustion characteristics by three octane points. If this is true, so doing would simply be a costly exercise in supplaning one undesirable characteristic with another. Jeff

Thanks, Karasmer. Jeff

UPDATE Okay, here is what I used: Permatex Extreme Rearview Mirror Professional Strength Adhesive, item # 81840, purchased at AutoZone and bearing a 2009 copyright date. And here is how it performed: so far, so good. I used it precisely according to the directions, but I let it dry for two hours instead of the suggested fifteen minutes. No problems, even though the adjustment joint of the mirror is a bit stiff. I'll keep you posted if it should fall off . . . Jeff

Ben, Same here: '78 D-150 Adventurer Club Cab with the 8' bed. I'll be installing the mirror with the new adhesive tomorrow; I'll post brand and part number of adhesive at that time. Jeff

Matthew, I have instructed wifey to find newest package available on her sojourn to town. Thanks again. Jeff

Matthew, Thanks. I had begun thinking along the same lines: limitations of shelf life. But with mirrors falling off of everyone's windshields with such alarming regularity, wouldn't one think that the product would never sit around long enough to go "stale"?!? That was what I had assumed . . . . until I couldn't get this one to stick, no matter what I tried! Jeff