Morgan Wright Posted January 28, 2020 Share Posted January 28, 2020 19 minutes ago, Mark Kikta said: Today I got most of my Stewart Vacuum tank parts back from the glass bead blaster and they really cleaned up well. One issues I noticed was that the bolt that holds the fuel line on the top of the tank was really deformed from someone really torquing it down,most likely to stop it from leaking. I think I need to do something to it so it won't leak for me. Maybe I will file the underneath of the bolt head smooth?Someone must have put a lot of pressure on it to deform the head like this and also crack the bolt around the hole for the fuel to go through. Anyone have any other ideas or anyone have a similar bolt they want to sell? The world would be a much better place if the word "pot metal" was erased from the dictionary. I can guarantee 100% that the pot metal lid is cracked and ready to break right off. The do make an aluminum alloy solder that can repair pot metal but it's no stronger than PC7 or JB weld and I suggest you use that. Take it from me, if there is any question about pot metal, the answer is "yes, it's broken". 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Kikta Posted January 28, 2020 Author Share Posted January 28, 2020 I left the outer tank to get painted but brought the rest home. The pot metal top doesn't look cracked in these pictures but I will inspect it closer. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Kikta Posted January 28, 2020 Author Share Posted January 28, 2020 OK I'll check it out Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgan Wright Posted January 28, 2020 Share Posted January 28, 2020 If it's not broken that's great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Kikta Posted January 29, 2020 Author Share Posted January 29, 2020 It appears to be solid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hubert_25-25 Posted January 29, 2020 Share Posted January 29, 2020 (edited) Mark, From the twist in the banjo bolt, it appears that the threads held in the pot metal when someone tried to tighten the bolt. I would suggest using a lot of never seize on the threads and then don't worry about it. Run the bolt on the threads a few times dry to clean and chase the threads. Use new copper asbestos gaskets or red fiber. www.restorationstuff.com has the gaskets. Also - get rid of the steel plugs and buy brass. Hugh Edited January 29, 2020 by Hubert_25-25 (see edit history) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgan Wright Posted January 29, 2020 Share Posted January 29, 2020 Maybe they tightened it so much because they didn't have the nice copper gaskets that you have. Use them. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonMicheletti Posted January 29, 2020 Share Posted January 29, 2020 If you use copper seal rings, be sure to anneal them - even if they are new. Heat them to red hot and quickly quench them in water. That will fully anneal them to full soft. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgan Wright Posted January 29, 2020 Share Posted January 29, 2020 18 hours ago, Mark Kikta said: From this picture I can see you need to file the underside of the nut flatter.: 18 hours ago, Mark Kikta said: 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Kikta Posted January 29, 2020 Author Share Posted January 29, 2020 I'm going to try to turn it in my lathe to get the underside flat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Kikta Posted January 31, 2020 Author Share Posted January 31, 2020 Tonight I took Terry Wiegand’s recommendation and turned this deformed brass fitting for my vacuum tank on my lathe and it came out great. I should have much better luck getting it to not leak now. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgan Wright Posted January 31, 2020 Share Posted January 31, 2020 What you don't understand is that fitting would never leak gasoline. It's a vacuum system, not a pump system. The top of the vacuum tank where that fitting is makes a vacuum, and if there is a leak there, it would suck air in, not gasoline out. The person who put all that torque on the nut to stop a leak just kept on tightening it hoping to stop the vacuum leak, to make the vacuum tank work. The actual vacuum leak could have been many other places, most likely the lid itself. That's why I use RUBBER gaskets between the upper lid and vacuum tank, and between the vacuum tank and lower tank body. That's probably where the vacuum leak is, not that nut. Cork gaskets are baloney, use rubber. I used the 1/16 inch thickness red rubber gasket material at any ACE Hardware store. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Kikta Posted January 31, 2020 Author Share Posted January 31, 2020 Sounds like a good idea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Wiegand Posted January 31, 2020 Share Posted January 31, 2020 The problem with using rubber gaskets on an application like this is the location of the tank. It is very close to the exhaust manifold and subjected to repeated heating and cooling. The rubber would last for a while and then start to break down. In my humble opinion, the best thing to use would be a copper crush gasket. Morgan is correct - it is a vacuum leak issue and not a fuel loss thing. Look at all vacuum connections real close because that is where trouble can start very quick. Terry Wiegand South Hutchinson, Kansas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Kikta Posted January 31, 2020 Author Share Posted January 31, 2020 I see that. Well, cleaning this up will give me a better vacuum seal also which is a god thing. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgan Wright Posted January 31, 2020 Share Posted January 31, 2020 This is where I made the 2 rubber gaskets. The originals were cork. One between the lid and lip of the upper tank, and one between the lips of the upper and lower tanks. . 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonMicheletti Posted January 31, 2020 Share Posted January 31, 2020 If fuel with ethanol gets near those rubber gaskets, you can kiss them goodby. There are kits with correct gasket material availablr - dont reinvent the wheel plus, you'll save yourself a lot of greif. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Milewski Posted January 31, 2020 Share Posted January 31, 2020 Mark - take it from one who did this - me - make sure that nipple lines up with the top of the pump, if it is not installed properly then you will only burn the gas in the canister, there wont be any suction - I too used cork gaskets with a little bit of sealer Jim 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgan Wright Posted January 31, 2020 Share Posted January 31, 2020 6 hours ago, DonMicheletti said: If fuel with ethanol gets near those rubber gaskets, you can kiss them goodby. There are kits with correct gasket material availablr - dont reinvent the wheel plus, you'll save yourself a lot of greif. I use non-ethanol. The "correct" gasket material was cork which I declined to use. Vacuum tanks are famous for being unreliable. I am guessing a major part of their unreliableness has to do with vacuum loss, and a major point of vacuum loss is probably that big rim where the lid joins. So many people have given up on vacuum tanks and added fuel pumps I can see there has been a huge problem with them. I can't add a fuel pump, as my car is a POF (preservation of original features) car. So far, my vacuum tanks works fine, if there is a problem down the road I'll try a different material. I can't imagine that cork is the best material for preventing air leaks in that lid. Every air fitting I've ever seen, from tires to basketballs to car windows, used rubber so that's what I tried. Maybe there is something better, like neoprene or something. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonMicheletti Posted January 31, 2020 Share Posted January 31, 2020 Morgan, you are lucky. No non-ethanol around here. And the ethanol stuff is a PITA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgan Wright Posted February 1, 2020 Share Posted February 1, 2020 1 hour ago, DonMicheletti said: Morgan, you are lucky. No non-ethanol around here. And the ethanol stuff is a PITA We have this awesome chain over here called Stewarts. They started off as a dairy and ice cream but developed into convenience stores with gas and everything. Totally awesome chain, there are hundreds of Stewarts in NE New York, and EVERY ONE has non ethanol for the 91 octane (the other octanes have ethanol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgan Wright Posted February 1, 2020 Share Posted February 1, 2020 Look at all the Stewarts! https://www.pure-gas.org/index.jsp?stateprov=NY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Kikta Posted February 1, 2020 Author Share Posted February 1, 2020 My radiator shop technician glass beaded my tank for me and said that the inside parts had been plated with something originally. Then I read that the inside parts were originally nickel plated, so I decided to give a try at re-plating the float so it wouldn’t corrode. It worked pretty well. Not perfect but it’s bound to help some. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony theriault Posted February 2, 2020 Share Posted February 2, 2020 On 12/30/2019 at 8:29 PM, Mark Kikta said: Today I replaced the padding material needed on the top brackets and bottom straps for mounting my newly reworked gas tank. I attached the material to the top bracket with a split rivet as it was originally attached. After putting the top brackets and insulating material in place, I jacked the tank up into position and installed the lower straps and insulating material. I tightened the lower straps and the tank is in place. hi mark where did you bought your new tank ? I need one for my k49 project. Do you know where I can buy All the gazoline gauge too ? thank you very much, anthony 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Kikta Posted February 2, 2020 Author Share Posted February 2, 2020 Anthony, This is the tank off this car that I had cleaned and sealed inside. It was like like someone had replaced it many years ago and not used much according to the guys at the radiator repair shop that did the work. I know it had not been used since the late 50s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Kikta Posted February 2, 2020 Author Share Posted February 2, 2020 Oh you asked about the gas gage.....mine works fine but I need to make/get a new face for it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazyfamily Posted February 9, 2020 Share Posted February 9, 2020 On 2/2/2020 at 7:55 AM, Mark Kikta said: Oh you asked about the gas gage.....mine works fine but I need to make/get a new face for it. Hello Mark! i too am working on the face/dial on our 27/27, I had some templates made up for the gauge and it’s my first practice run on a paint can lid. The route that I am going seems to be a bit different than most folks, I am acid etching the original face of the gauge with new markings. This process will allow the paint/coating to sit inside the etched area and shouldn’t flake or wear off. That’s my thought process anyway! Here is my first practice run on paint can lid: 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Kikta Posted February 9, 2020 Author Share Posted February 9, 2020 Wow that looks great! What process did you use to etch that piece of metal? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazyfamily Posted February 12, 2020 Share Posted February 12, 2020 (edited) On 2/9/2020 at 8:35 AM, Mark Kikta said: Wow that looks great! What process did you use to etch that piece of metal? Edited February 12, 2020 by Crazyfamily (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Kikta Posted March 20, 2020 Author Share Posted March 20, 2020 Tonight I finished making my battery cables. I grounded the battery to the frame as original and also to the transmission. Added an electrical cutoff switch in the positive line to the starter. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Kikta Posted March 30, 2020 Author Share Posted March 30, 2020 Now that I have finished with the rear axle, differential and rear wheels, I’m back working on the engine. I used my little whistle on each cylinder to find top dead center so I could get all of my valves adjusted properly at .010. Then I retarded the spark lever and set the engine at 7deg retarded. I installed points and set them as the book calls for at the number one spark plug terminal on my new distributor cap. I set the points at .025 as the book calls for. Next on to plugs ad plug wires. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Kikta Posted April 24, 2020 Author Share Posted April 24, 2020 Well today was another exciting day and a milestone in my effort to get the old girl running again. I completed the wiring and combination switch installation. Then for the first time in over 60 years, I put power to the system. I Watched but no smoke was present anywhere. When I turned the switch on, the starter I rebuilt began clicking and motoring. How exciting! Then I pushed the horn button and the horn fired up as well. One step at a time we are making a little progress. Next on to plug wiring and gapping the plugs. Then on to checking out the vacuum tank and hooking up the radiator. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Kikta Posted April 24, 2020 Author Share Posted April 24, 2020 Another photo 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Schramm Posted April 24, 2020 Share Posted April 24, 2020 Mark, Looking great. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgan Wright Posted April 25, 2020 Share Posted April 25, 2020 This car is going to run like Usain Bolt on prune juice. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Kikta Posted April 25, 2020 Author Share Posted April 25, 2020 I sure hope so😁 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Kikta Posted April 26, 2020 Author Share Posted April 26, 2020 Got out my NOS Blue Streak spark plugs this morning to gap and install in the old girl. I am told they were good plugs years ago and that a lot of racers used them. I hope they work well. I do have a set of AC C77L as backup if these don’t work. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Kikta Posted April 26, 2020 Author Share Posted April 26, 2020 I actually cranked the motor with the starter today for the first time. Seemed to work fine with no smoke or sparks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Kikta Posted April 26, 2020 Author Share Posted April 26, 2020 I also installed my radiator hoses and the gano filter. I definitely don’t want to clog up my new radiator core. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Kikta Posted April 26, 2020 Author Share Posted April 26, 2020 Today I also grounded a spark plug that was attached to a plug wire and had my wife crank the car with the starter. I had a good strong spark. Now I am getting excited. The coil looks good. I believe the old girl is just itching to start!! It won’t be long. I need to clean up some electrical work, finish the vacuum tank and fill the coolant system. After we finally get some dry warm weather, we’ll give it a try. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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