UPDATE Page 2 — Question About My ‘26 Dodge’s Carburetor

[cahartley]

I feel your pain....trust me.

Until you get that carb straightened out you can't chase other problems.

It's like a carb/ignition problem........both have identical symptoms (which are almost always ignition) but you have to eliminate one to chase the other....... 

[DB26]

1 minute ago, cahartley said:

I feel your pain....trust me.

Until you get that carb straightened out you can't chase other problems.

It's like a carb/ignition problem........both have identical symptoms (which are almost always ignition) but you have to eliminate one to chase the other....... 

Yeah. I’ll figure it out eventually. And I meant to say TonyAus2 not Bob in my previous post. I did Tony’s method where you throw out the 1/16 measurement thing and just enrich it. 

[cahartley]

There can be no guesswork with the needle/lever engagement.

It has to be right......close won't cut it.

Once you get it right you shouldn't have to fiddle with it ever again.

That's the upside.......  

[DB26]

On 4/11/2020 at 7:38 PM, MikeC5 said:

A compression test would at least tell you if one cylinder or two adjacent cylinders are low compared to the others which would suggest an HG problem.  Do you mix the anti-freeze 50/50 with water?  If less, the smell might not be that obvious.  Since your car was running without the white smoke in the not too distant past, I wouldn't expect it's excessive oil burning from piston ring wear (oil burning smoke usually has a blue tinge also).  If it were rich running, as Tony mentioned, you would expect black exhaust smoke.  

I did my compression test today. My results are as follows. 
 

#1 Cylinder (Closest to the Fan) 53

#2 50

#3 53

#4 (Closest to the firewall) 54 

[nearchoclatetown]

DB26, the compression is good. What kind of gas do you have in it? ethanol? how old? I had trouble with one of my cars similar to yours. I had ethanol in it and the dashpot froze. That is the cylinder that goes up and down to allow more gas in when you rev it up. When I took the carb apart there was no grit or crud. It was just frozen in place. It has to move very smoothly to work right. I no longer use ethanol. 

[DB26]

5 minutes ago, nearchoclatetown said:

DB26, the compression is good. What kind of gas do you have in it? ethanol? how old? I had trouble with one of my cars similar to yours. I had ethanol in it and the dashpot froze. That is the cylinder that goes up and down to allow more gas in when you rev it up. When I took the carb apart there was no grit or crud. It was just frozen in place. It has to move very smoothly to work right. I no longer use ethanol. 

I use 87 from the local 76 Gas Station. I live in Los Angeles County, so there is no escaping the ethanol. Not sure of our percentage. Gas is probably 6 to 8 months old or older. I believe there is fuel stabilizer in it.

 

I just put a new gasket set on this carb and cleaned out the dashpot while it was apart. Had some crud in it, but I believe all passages are clear now. It does move freely. 

[nearchoclatetown]

How long ago did you have it apart? My truck ran on Tuesday to go to and from the gas station. By the next Monday the dashpot was seized and it didn't run. Ethanol SUCKS. 

[DB26]

8 minutes ago, nearchoclatetown said:

How long ago did you have it apart? My truck ran on Tuesday to go to and from the gas station. By the next Monday the dashpot was seized and it didn't run. Ethanol SUCKS. 

Just 2 days ago. 
 

When I had started this thread April 8th, I was using a different carburetor. It was a Stewart Detroit Lubricator, but not original to the car.

 

I swapped them 2 days ago with another Stewart carb from 1926 that says Dodge Brothers on the float cover, which is more appropriate. 
 

This carb would not run on the “factory” setting. It will run if enriched. (The choke pulled out) I have it running slightly enriched right now and it seems the black smoke has gone away. 
 

I’m not sure why the original carb started smoking as it had pretty much the same settings. I tore that one down and don’t notice much different between the new and old carbs. 
 

 

[nearchoclatetown]

I would drive it, get it good and warm. Try some fresh gas as soon as practical. All the carbs are basically the same except for the very first ones for '14 and early '15. Your float top should have a stamped cover, not cast but they both function the same. 

[DB26]

2 minutes ago, nearchoclatetown said:

I would drive it, get it good and warm. Try some fresh gas as soon as practical. All the carbs are basically the same except for the very first ones for '14 and early '15. Your float top should have a stamped cover, not cast but they both function the same. 

Good idea. I will get her out on the road with some fresh gas very soon.

[stakeside]

Great help and information.

[Alan Cutler]

May want to locate a 76 (Sunoco) station that has leaded racing fuel, there is one in Newport Beach I go to.....also, double check you don't have water in your tank/lines, if you do, by running it rich you overcompensate for the poor running....

 

https://www.sunocoracefuels.com/fuel-finder

 

(I'll go back to the truck forum now)

 

 

[DB26]

33 minutes ago, Surf City '38 said:

May want to locate a 76 (Sunoco) station that has leaded racing fuel, there is one in Newport Beach I go to.....also, double check you don't have water in your tank/lines, if you do, by running it rich you overcompensate for the poor running....

 

https://www.sunocoracefuels.com/fuel-finder

 

(I'll go back to the truck forum now)

 

 

Good idea. I will check the tank for water and get myself some racing fuel. If I can’t find one close enough I’ll go fill up a fuel can. Newport Beach is about 35 miles from me.

[nearchoclatetown]

Racing fuel of 104 octane is very unnecessary with a compression ratio as low as DBs have. It takes more energy to ignite and burns much hotter and costs a lot more. Stick to basics. 

[DB26]

4 minutes ago, nearchoclatetown said:

Racing fuel of 104 octane is very unnecessary with a compression ratio as low as DBs have. It takes more energy to ignite and burns much hotter and costs a lot more. Stick to basics. 

Good point. Would the negative effects of ethanol be easier to deal with than having the engine try to deal with racing fuel?  

[Mpgp1999]

I use avgas. It is 100ll 100 octane at altitude. At sea level it’s basically premium. It has no ethanol and stores very well. I only fill my car up once or twice a year. The fuel will be used long before it turns. Since I have a 12v system it runs well. If you are interested I have another thread about it. It’s called avgas in a Dodge.

[nearchoclatetown]

And Matthew, you also have threads asking for help because your car doesn't run right. Never mind. 

[MikeC5]

When you think you have water in the gas, what do you do?  There is stuff called 'Dry Gas' (and many other brand names) which is basically (guess what) ethanol.  Ethanol and water mix so when added to the tank, it allows removal of the water by burning the mixture in the engine.  Putting 10% ethanol gasoline in achieves the same thing.   I have never had an issue running regular unleaded (10% ethanol) gas in my '25 and don't even bother adding fuel stabilizer for the winter season (it does get well below freezing in eastern. CT).  I do shut off the vacuum tank fuel feed to carb and run out the gasoline when putting the car up for winter.  To the best of my knowledge, there are no rubber components in the fuel system on these cars, so the worry about ethanol deteriorating rubber parts isn't there.  I can't imagine why anyone would put high octane leaded racing fuel in one of these low compression engines but hey,  it's your money.  If you are concerned about the quality of fuel, go to one of the major name brand stations that sells a lot of gas.

Edited April 22, 2020 by MikeC5 (see edit history)

[Alan Cutler]

1 hour ago, MikeC5 said:

 I can't imagine why anyone would put high octane leaded racing fuel in one of these low compression engines but hey,  it's your money.

 

Just to know, its for the lead, not the octane, in CA its the only way to purchase fuel with lead.

[MikeC5]

But why do you feel lead benefits your Dodge?  A little googling and I came up with this: 

Quote

Lead was first tried as an “anti-knock” additive for gasoline in 1921. Although other anti-knock additives were known, researchers at General Motors’ (GM’s) Dayton, Ohio, facilities believed that they could make more money with leaded gasoline. In 1923, Thomas Midgley calculated that it would be possible to capture 20% of the gasoline market and make 3 cents per  gallon, for about $36 million per year.16 Within a decade the profits would be ten times that amount, and by the 1950s the profits would be in the billions.

The crucial moment in making ethyl the dominant fuel came when GM and its part-owner DuPont joined forces with Standard Oil Co. (now Exxon) in August 1924 to market leaded gasoline through their partnership in the Ethyl Corporation (now New Market Corporation).

Controversy erupted in October 1924, when workers in a Standard refinery in Bayway, New Jersey, went violently insane after making leaded gasoline. Seven men died and 33 were hospitalized there; meanwhile, ten more were killed at a DuPont facility, and at least two died and 40 were hospitalized in Dayton, Ohio.17–20

Leaded gasoline was the subject of a federal inquiry, but in 1926 the Public Health Service concluded that the dilute additive in gasoline posed no immediate threat to the public. Within a few years, nearly all gasoline contained lead.

 

The engine in a '26 Dodge had changed very little over the previous decade in terms of combustion, so we can reasonably assume it was not designed with leaded gas in mind.  What benefit do you think you're getting by burning leaded gasoline?  

[DB26]

5 hours ago, MikeC5 said:

But why do you feel lead benefits your Dodge?  A little googling and I came up with this: 

 

The engine in a '26 Dodge had changed very little over the previous decade in terms of combustion, so we can reasonably assume it was not designed with leaded gas in mind.  What benefit do you think you're getting by burning leaded gasoline?  

This has been my train of thought on the subject since I bought my Dodge in 2017. It’s once of the first things I deciphered when looking up info on how to care for the car. 

[DB26]

Here’s what the gas sample I pulled today looks like:

 

 

[MikeC5]

It does look a bit nasty but I thought you had an in-line filter.  

[nearchoclatetown]

DB26, I THINK this the result of ethanol gas separating. When left set the ethanol separates and attracts water. To test it buy some new gas place in an open container and let set on a rainy high humidity day. It will separate in to two distinct colors, one being gas the other ethanol and water. 

[DB26]

8 hours ago, MikeC5 said:

It does look a bit nasty but I thought you had an in-line filter.  

This was directly from the tank drain. 

[DB26]

6 hours ago, nearchoclatetown said:

DB26, I THINK this the result of ethanol gas separating. When left set the ethanol separates and attracts water. To test it buy some new gas place in an open container and let set on a rainy high humidity day. It will separate in to two distinct colors, one being gas the other ethanol and water. 

Yes, it appears a bit separated. I’ll make sure to get fresh gas very soon. Might drain the tank and use it in lawn equipment. 

[Longisland26DodgeDepot]

DB26!! Need your help! Or anyone on this thread?!  My grandfather just got our 26 running and he pulled the carb apart and the metering valve fell out… he/we are unsure how to reassemble. Do we put the need down in from the top and mesh the gears? Or do we insert from the bottom, put the spring in and put the cover on?? Any help is greatly appreciated!! 

Edited September 23, 2023 by Longisland26DodgeDepot (see edit history)

[nearchoclatetown]

Contact the DB club store and buy the reprint for the carb. It has measurements you need. Then, down the road, you will have the paper for reference. 

[carbking]

This from the original service brochure:

 

Replacing Metering Pin
The metering pin should not be tampered with
unless absolutely necessary.
If replacement of this pin should become necessary,
it may be accomplished as follows:
First-Remove the cap nut at the bottom of
the rack and pinion housing. Next, turn pinion
shaft slowly from right to left (facing toward the
carburetor), until the bottom of the metering
pin appears at the bottom of the pinion shaft
housing. Continue to turn the shaft slowly in
the same direction, releasing the connection to
the dash control, if necessary, until the rack to
which the pin is fastened drops out. The palm
of the hand should be held to receive this, as the
parts are very loosely assembled. The pinion
6
shaft should be retained at the exact position
at which the rack is released. Install new metering
pin (the way to do this will be obvious), and
return the rack to its proper mesh with the pinion.
Replace dash attachment (if detached); replace
cap; adjust as per instructions given on opposite
page.
The loose assembling of the metering pin in
the rack is for the purpose of providing for freedom
of movement of the metering pin and in
order that binding in the aspirating tube may be
avoided.

 

And it would still be a good idea to have the documentation.

 

Jon

[Mark Gregush]

 

[nearchoclatetown]

Read my response just above carbking's.