michealbernal Posted September 7, 2018 Share Posted September 7, 2018 OK, so I installed the carburetor I rebuilt with every ones help and the car runs great. Thank you all for your assistance. Now two additional issues have surfaced that I do not find referenced in the shop manuals. The first is fan belt tension. The engine was running hot so I assumed the belt was slipping and tightened it up and the engine cooled down but I don't want to run the belt too tight and ruin the fan bearings. Can someone tell me what the fan belt tension should be. Also the hand throttle and spark advance /retard levers will not hold a setting. Is there a friction on these that can be adjusted? Any info appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hubert_25-25 Posted September 7, 2018 Share Posted September 7, 2018 If the fan hub has not been replaced with an aluminum center with sealed bearings, you should do this. This photo shows the old style and what a new hub looks like. Tony Bult has fan hubs from what I understand, as well as someone else on this forum. Do a search on Fan hubs. I would also purchase a fan belt tension tool. I can't tell you what it should be tensioned to, but this is the best way to keep the tension where you want it. They are a breeze to use to check the tension. They are a little over $100 new, but you could get a used one also. I would disconnect the spark and throttle linkage at the base of the steering column first. Check that there is no difficulty in moving either the throttle or the distributor. The gears at the base of the steering box are fragile so be careful with these. Make sure that the spark and throttle levers move smoothly and that the arms at the base of the steering box are moving all the way. In my 1925 Standard, there are shoes with a spring behind them just behind the horn button. Hugh 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raydurr Posted September 7, 2018 Share Posted September 7, 2018 My 1929 Buick will overheat if idled too long in hot weather. If I run engine at a fast idle it will run forever with no overheating. It is because either the water pump or the fan needs RPM to be efficient. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carmover Posted September 10, 2018 Share Posted September 10, 2018 When you take the levers off of the steering wheel it is real hard to get the shoes and springs back in there.It will certainly get your blood boiling! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michealbernal Posted September 11, 2018 Author Share Posted September 11, 2018 Carmover, do I have to take the levers off to adjust the friction and tighten things up or is there some kind of external friction adjustment? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leif Holmberg Posted September 11, 2018 Share Posted September 11, 2018 You need to remove at least the upper level,the best way is that another people hold the rods on place at the other end of the steering column.That will prevent the gears to be in the wrong possitions. Leif in Sweden. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hubert_25-25 Posted September 11, 2018 Share Posted September 11, 2018 Leif is correct. Really a 2 person job. One person on the bottom end keeping the gears and shafts up. (The gears at the base of the column are pinch points and the teeth can be broken easily as they are pot metal). Hugh 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dibarlaw Posted September 11, 2018 Share Posted September 11, 2018 I know when I replaced my steering unit it took a LOT OF FOCUS AND FORETHOUGHT. Also do not forget that Michael has an extra complication as he has a 3rd tube for the light dimmer switch. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leif Holmberg Posted September 11, 2018 Share Posted September 11, 2018 If remember right the 3rd tubes light switch will hold the gears on place,that will made it easier to remove the levels at the steering wheel? Leif in Sweden. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carmover Posted September 11, 2018 Share Posted September 11, 2018 8 hours ago, michealbernal said: Carmover, do I have to take the levers off to adjust the friction and tighten things up or is there some kind of external friction adjustment? Micheal, if I remember right the there is no way to adjust the shoe tension other than maybe stretching the springs a little bit.I would be cautious not to stretch it much though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hubert_25-25 Posted September 11, 2018 Share Posted September 11, 2018 The shoes are micarta (bakelight) and the stationary wheel is aluminum. There is no adjustment. Perhaps some lubricant or wax got inside. Maybe a broken spring. Not a bad idea to have grease around the spring to prevent corrosion. I would just disassemble, clean and inspect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michealbernal Posted September 11, 2018 Author Share Posted September 11, 2018 Carmover, Leif, Dibarlaw and Herbert 25-25, thank you all. Now I am getting some insight into this situation. Examining the top of the steering column near the horn button I observed two screws, one 180 degrees opposite the other. Do I remove these screws to remove the horn button and access the springs and friction shoes? Any info. appreciated. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hubert_25-25 Posted September 12, 2018 Share Posted September 12, 2018 First disconnect the negative battery terminal. I have 2 accessible screws on my throttle lever. My throttle lever is a little different from yours. The rear screw releases the horn button. Back this screw out. Push on the wire from the bottom of the steering column and it will push the horn button out where you can unscrew the wire from the horn button. Unscrew the front screw on the throttle lever on mine, but it looks like in you case there are some screws into the face of the bakelight. Now you can carefully pull on the throttle lever to remove it. You will see the shoes underneath. Hugh 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RatFink255 Posted July 9, 2019 Share Posted July 9, 2019 Hugh, what did you use to polish up the spark lever? mine looks like yours did before cleaning. so far put red scotch bright to it to get the rough oxidation off. I was thinking of soaking in vinegar but thought i would ask before messing it up. I used vinegar on hand saws with great results but they are steel and this stuff looks to be aluminum. Brice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hubert_25-25 Posted July 11, 2019 Share Posted July 11, 2019 (edited) Brice, I tried the vinegar on aluminum, and it has no effect. When the oxidation is real bad, I think you need to break that off first. 00 Steel wool will work better than scotch brite. Consider also using fine sandpaper prior to buffing. Be careful about putting scratches in the work, as this will only require more sanding with finer grades of sandpaper to remove the scratches. You then need a bench grinder and a buffing wheel. Eastwood sells buffing wheels. I use the wheel that is sewn together, but there is one that is sewn tightly and spiral wound. I don't really use that one. I mainly use the white rouge. I think the spiral wound is for coarser polishing and using the red rouge. You can find a used bench grinder on ebay or craigslist. Any chrome shop will clean up the aluminum, but I do mine. On my Jaguar valve covers, they were pretty bad. I decided to let the chrome shop polish them first, then I only needed to keep up with them using simichrome and hand polish. On my starter levers, I could not get them to just polish up on the buffing wheel. They do look 95% better, but I have a few spots showing up. I am going to sand them gently in a few places, maybe even with 600 paper to try to get the oxidation out and then polish them again. You have to be very careful with anything that you give to the platers for replating or polishing. Sometimes they polish stuff to a nub. Too much street rod stuff these days and they will grind off all the marks and lettering if you do not tell them to leave it. Hugh Edited July 11, 2019 by Hubert_25-25 (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now