Wanted: 1920 Stewart Det. Lubricator Carb Rebuilt or Rebuilder

[fozz71]

My 1920 Dodge Bros Stewart Detriot Lubricator carburetor is giving me fits.

 

I am either looking for a rebuilt one (J2B5 model) or someone who rebuilds them, I'd be willing to pay for one in good working order.

 

Please let me know,

James Chochole

630-608-3978

[Minibago]

Myers early Dodge.

Tom will rebuild one for you.

 

 

Buying secondhand you will not know what condition it is in or if it is even complete.

Myers sell parts too if you wish to rebuild yours, it is quite straightforward.

[gossp]

James,  If you want to make the drive to Lafayette and visit the ‘15 you used to own there is this carb is attached to an engine and transmission from a 17 or 18 and just about every piece of it could be spares you may need some day. I will trade parts or handshakes if you want it. 

Edited March 4, 2023 by gossp (see edit history)

[fozz71]

I contacted Tom and even bought a new metering pin off of him, new gaskets and all. My car idles well but put her under load and she bucks and stalls- no gas to power it. I think the internal piston is not moving under vacuum to power the car.  That's my guess because even fully "choked" or with the metering needle pulled wide open, I can't get the car to run under load. it hesitates, pops and bucks. But take it out of gear and she idles beautifully. It has a fuel pump so that's not the issue. 

Edited March 4, 2023 by fozz71 (see edit history)

[Minibago]

Is it really a carburettor problem?

It could easily be an issue with the condenser or coil or the insulation washer on the base of the points worn allowing spark leakage internally through the distributor body.

 

 

[Mark Gregush]

Are you advancing the spark lever to the top after you start the car? 

[gossp]

1 hour ago, fozz71 said:

I contacted Tom and even bought a new metering pin off of him, new gaskets and all. My car idles well but put her under load and she bucks and stalls- no gas to power it. I think the internal piston is not moving under vacuum to power the car.  That's my guess because even fully "choked" or with the metering needle pulled wide open, I can't get the car to run under load. it hesitates, pops and bucks. But take it out of gear and she idles beautifully. It has a fuel pump so that's not the issue. 

fuel pumps on these dodges tend to be problematic. Any chance you are forcing gas past the “choke” and never really metering any?  Vacuum leaks at the butterfly can make you starve under load too. Dodges can pop and buck rich as well, so keeping and feeding ye on plugs and exhaust is a good idea while troubleshooting. 

[Mark Gregush]

Dumb question maybe, because I can't see one, you do have a gasket installed between the carb neck and block? 

[nat]

11 hours ago, gossp said:

"

under load and she bucks and stalls"

      A worn or improperly timed camshaft can cause an engine to pop and miss upon acceleration.  Stuck valves that have been "freed up"  may be sluggish to close.

 

11 hours ago, gossp said:

"I think the internal piston is not moving under vacuum"

 

     You should be able to hear the dashpot moving from one end to the other when the carb is turned upside down.  If so, vacuum will lift it.

     Are the air and fuel holes in the combining tube, aspirating tube and metering valve clear? 

     The carb I use, (1924?), and the one from my parts carcass, (1926) have slightly different spray nozzles.  One has a little disc that is held in place when the metering valve is tightened.   The metering valves are slightly different as well.

 

12 hours ago, Minibago said:

Is it really a carburettor problem?

It could easily be an issue with the condenser or coil or the insulation washer on the base of the points worn allowing spark leakage internally through the distributor body.

     Minibago has good advice.  The condenser can be tested with an analog ohm meter. Isolate the condenser leads and connect the ohm meter.  Reverse the meter leads and the needle should jump and fall, (a little sluggishly), back to zero.

Edited March 5, 2023 by nat
detail (see edit history)

[fozz71]

Thanks guys, yesterday I decided to pull the feed tube in the tank and clean it out. It wasn't stopped up but once I returned it and hit the fuel pump, the carb bowl filled up instantly.  Prior to that it was spitting and gurgling into the carb, never really filling beyond an inch or so,  but now the pump is filling smoothly and fast- so maybe a chunk of gunk or something was blocking the intake of fuel. So, I resealed the uptake tube in the tank and will test again today. I may need a regulator for the fuel but at least some movement was happening in the fuel line.

Edited March 6, 2023 by fozz71 (see edit history)

[nat]

     I removed the fuel line from the vacuum and fuel tank, then blew air back to the tank end of the line.  I did the same with the tank pick up.

     Gravity feed direct to the carburetor would be a simple way to rule the vacuum tank, fuel line and tank in or out.

[Mark Gregush]

3 hours ago, fozz71 said:

Thanks guys, yesterday I decided to pull the feed tube in the tank and clean it out. It wasn't stopped up but once I returned it and hit the fuel pump, the carb bowl filled up instantly.  Prior to that it was spitting and gurgling into the carb, never really filling beyond an inch or so,  but now the pump is filling smoothly and fast- so maybe a chunk of gunk or something was blocking the intake of fuel. So, I resealed the uptake tube in the tank and will test again today. I may need a regulator for the fuel but at least some movement was happening in the fuel line.

You only need about 1LB of pressure, maybe 1.5, otherwise you can flood the carb. Really, the float and valve in the bowl were not made for even 1-1.5 LBS but I don't think most regulators can go much lower than that. With an electric fuel pump, they never shut off so even when the bowl is full, they are still pushing fuel at their rated pressure to the regulator or full pressure against the shut off valve is regulator is not installed. 

[nat]

     The vacuum tank gravity feeds the carburetor.  Mark has it right.  The fuel in the vacuum tank would have to be about  12" above the float bowl to deliver 1 1/2 PSI to the carburetor.

     My carburetor is behaving nicely now but I always shut the fuel after I turn off the ignition. It would only leak a quart while sitting but that's still enough to destroy all of my assets.  I've seen the carb leak too many times to ever consider an electric pump.

     The seating pressure of the float needle rises with the level of fuel in the float bowl.  That will only stop the flow of fuel, (from any source), IF the needle and seat are crud free and in good order.  

     I've gone to a lot of trouble use all OEM hardware and not butcher anything that has survived for 99 years.   The one exception, was taking  5" out of the fuel line on the left rear to install a large transparent fuel filter.  I hated to do it but I love being able to keep tabs on what hasn't made it to the vacuum tank and beyond.

[Mark Gregush]

My car is stored outside under a tarp, but even so I have long ago got into the habit of shutting off the fuel and running the bowl dry, more often than not. Got in the habit with my Model T, so was easy to do the same with the Dodge, both having shut off valves under the hood. 

How I solved my crud in the fuel line/tank issue. 

 

[MikeC5]

Ditto on the fuel filter unless you have a new gas tank.  An engine with normal vacuum level has no trouble getting fuel past the filter.  I imagine there is very little pressure drop through them (unless full of crud).

[MikeC5]

I'm curious Gossp, in the photo of the engine on a pallet, was the trans and bell housing buried in the ground for a while?

[gossp]

1 hour ago, MikeC5 said:

I'm curious Gossp, in the photo of the engine on a pallet, was the trans and bell housing buried in the ground for a while?

I don’t believe so, but it was outside on a pallet in GA for some time before I left it outside on a pallet in IN. I did get a few good valves out of it for a 16 I owned briefly last year.