WA-1 Carb part missing help

[kookie1]

I've overhauled my '46-'52 WA-1 carburetor with a carb kit.   Everything went fine until assembling the Climatic Control choke housing.  It looks like I'm missing what the Carter Service Manual calls the 'Piston Housing Strainer' at location 'J'.  By looking at the carburetor screws it appears the carb has been worked on before so I'm wondering if that strainer is a fine mesh screen someone forgot to replace in the choke housing.   I most likely can't purchase a replacement so I'll have to make my own.   Does anyone know where I could acquire some super fine mesh screen?    And how do you specify the 'finest' of the screen you want to purchase?

 

Any help would be appreciated!

[Bloo]

Yes, a fine mesh screen. My 1936 Carter W-1 has it, and if I remember correctly a new one came in the carb kit. My old one was wadded up and falling apart from rot. The air being drawn through the choke stove up the little tube and into the choke housing is unfiltered air, thus the screen.

 

I think McMaster Carr has fine mesh screen, but I wouldn't know exactly what it was. I can say that it looked exactly like the fine mesh screen used in my fuel pump, and often used in sediment bowls on other cars.

 

The piece of screen is formed in sort of a curve and goes in the slot, and the edge is folded over at 90 degrees toward the gasket. In that way it completely separates the fitting from the rest of the housing.

 

If no source turns up soon, I'll go take my choke apart and take a picture. Let me know.

 

[kookie1]

Thanks for responding Bloo,

 

I'll check with McMaster-Carr.     That's really fine for a mesh screen in the pump tube above the ball check.   It'll be trick curving the screen as well as bending a curved, 90° corner.   Should be fun!!

 

Thanks for the help...can always rely on Bloo!!

 

Edit:  Just went to McMaster-Carr and they have a ton of mesh screens.   I have no idea what mesh size to order.   Wish someone knew what size the mesh is in a carburetor!   I suppose I could order a sample kit but that isn't inexpensive either.   Do you think a carburetor kit seller would know the mesh size?   Just a thought.

Edited March 27, 2020 by kookie1 (see edit history)

[Bloo]

Jon (Carbking) would probably know. I'll bet he would tell you. I don't believe he sells parts without a kit, but knowing the mesh size would probably be enough to acquire some. You might call him during his scheduled phone hours and ask. If you're lucky he might even show up in this thread.

 

The size also wouldn't be that critical. It is just there to keep dirt out of the choke pulloff piston and the engine.

 

Here are some pictures of mine:

 

 

Edited March 27, 2020 by Bloo (see edit history)

[carbking]

If you bought your kit from us, and if you are willing to spend the $8.10 priority mail (within the 48 states), will send you a screen.

 

I don't know the mesh size, but have a decent inventory of N.O.S. screens.

 

Jon.

[kookie1]

Well, I bought this Walker carb kit a couple of years ago off Ebay before I knew much about what I was getting into and knowing I would eventually get to the carburetor anyway.   Since I'm done overhauled the carb and found this kit missing small washers, gauges, screens, etc., I'm not very impressed with it but it's too late now.   I just didn't know any better back then.   Such is life, I guess.    Just a quick observation here Jon, but do you mean, "If you bought your kit from us" that the kits you sell don't include this screen either?   Just trying to figure out what is actually supposed to be in these carb kits.

 

Thanks Bloo for taking those pix of your screen.   I think I can use your closeup of the screen with the penny and calculate, fairly close, to what the actual screen mesh size is.   That should eliminate the problem of trying to determinate what I should be looking for.    Thanks again for the extra effort!

 

 

Edited March 28, 2020 by kookie1
Spelling sucked!! Ha! (see edit history)

[carbking]

When you get your mesh, first make a good sharp 90 degree bend by bending over the edge of a piece of metal. Then, work that around the end of a piece of pipe to form the curve.

 

As to carb kits in general:

 

70 years ago, the genuine Carter kits included the screen, as well as the metering rod, the metering rod jet, the idle jet, and some of the linkage. Such a kit today would probably sell for several hundred dollars, but it wouldn't sell. 

 

50 years ago, the FLAPS started complaining about the necessity to stock so many different kits, and the "Jiffy" kit or "clean-out kit" was born. Typically, the kit manufacturers did a spread-sheet of every carburetor using the same pump diameter and approximate length, and every fuel valve with the same physical dimensions (regardless of the orifice size) and then added all of the gaskets, check balls and pin springs that fit all of these carburetors. This would become a clean-out kit.

 

Should you be interested in one of our kits, please call during normal telephone hours. I don't feel this is the place to describe ours.

 

EDIT: got my years wrong. Replace 70 by 85. Replace 50 by 65. Sorry.

 

Jon.

Edited March 28, 2020 by carbking (see edit history)

[kookie1]

Thanks Jon for the suggestions to bending a new screen.   I'll remember those when it comes time.   They're a good idea.

 

Great info on the short history of carb kits as well.   I learned a thing or two.   Makes sense when you consider all the little parts in a carburetor and all the different carbs.

 

I'll keep you in mind for the future!   Thanks for taking the time to answer!