Wake up ! It's time, Sept 2009 Banger meet

you my have a flywheel rubbing in your bellhousing when the clutch gets pushed in if you lost your thrust

 

Since a trans issue has been brought up, my second gear is noisey. I have another cluster gear with some pits in a couple teeth, but not worn. How do you think it will hold up? It looks real good otherwise. Should I even bother putting it in??

 

Hey guys quick fuel question on a fuel problem w/ my A banger with Stromberg 97 (English reproduction)and scalded dog intake. I had been running it w/o a fuel pump and it was OK if the tank was reasonably full. I have since installed a 6V fuel pump, regulator, and filter (came with the pump).

Installation:
I mounted the new filter, pump and regulator inside the frame rail on the pass side. The 1/4" hard line comes out of the stock filter on the firewall, through a 90 degree bend and goes down along the firewall, through a piece of 1/4" rubber line, into the new filter then into the pump. I put one of those chrome 1-6lb adjustable regulators after the pump, then another section of 1/4" rubber line and into a 1/4" hard line that goes up from the regulator and into the Stromberg. I will post a couple pics below to illustrate.

Symptoms:
The car idles and runs great up to about 25MPH. If I push it to 35 it will go about 500 feet and starve out. I tried setting the regulator up as high as 3.5 and it still starves out. I had a couple of choice backfires as well. I am concerned about setting the regulator too high.

My assumptions:
I am assuming that the use of the 1/4" line could be one issue, but why didn't it choke when running gravity fed? Are there any issues with my pump location, use of the stock firewall mounted filter, use of a second filter, or the order in which I have assembled anything (I don't think so)?

 

Chris, I feel i should apologise for dismissing your remedy for my problem so quickly, as i thought it was bigger than it was. Yes you were 100% correct the throw out bearing was as 'dry as a nun's' and missing the grease nipple thingo, I cleaned out the hole, ran oil down there, then grease, installed a grease nipple thingy and the noisy bearing was no more.

Thanks for your reply, you saved me pulling the pan and going on a wild goose chase.
I owe you a couple of beers.

 

Andy,
I'm running a similar set-up.7.5:1 head , ports cleaned up, Improved B cam and dual 81's.

I'm using a pointer that I made that bolts to the timing cover and a mark I put on the pulley. I also use a timing light that you can dial in the advance you need and just line up the mark to the pointer for your initial advance. It is much easier to set up the ignition timing this way.

What Distributor are you using? I'm going to assume that you will use one with mech advance. I think the stock B dist. has a total of 24 degs of advance and it comes in early and pretty fast. Like it's all in by 1600 - 1700 rpm. I set my stock B at 8 deg adv. at idle ( @ 600 rpm) that gives me @ 32 degs at full advance. I am now running an FSI distributor and it has 29 deg mech advance that comes all in @ 1750 rpm. I set it the same 8 deg. at idle. That gives me @ 5 deg more total advance, but it doesn't ping like the stocker does if I set it to that much total advance. The stocker is probably a little loose.

It starts very easy and there is no knock or ping. Good throtle response and last week when it was hot (mid 90's) it was running @ 170 degs on the freeway @ 70-75 mph. Around town in traffic it never got over 185 deg.

That's what is working for me.

.

 

The first thing I would do is remove that regulartor and try it. My experience with those type of regulators is that they are a POS. very inaccurate. Most or those types of fuel pumps don't put out much more then 2.5 - 3 psi anyway. The Stromberg can handle that.

.

 

I have used one of those regulators and Crazy is right. To set the regulator you need to have an accurate way to check the pressure. Most vacuum gauge's will also check fuel pump pressure. I have inquired as to the pressure of the pumps with theses kits and was told the pump supplied 5 to 7 lbs. but they didn't include a regulator which they agreed was needed for most "vintage" carburetors.

 

Thanks guys - I'll try removing the regulator tonight and see what happens.

 

just jumpin in to show the sept 26th show at ralphs diner in worcester...same folks that bring you the milltown show.....

 

Ouch! Never thought of that. Yes it bangs, but once the truck starts rolling, it goes away. When I got the rolling chassis, the trans was full of water, so anything is possible. I assumed that it was junk, and just drained it, dried it and refilled it with the hopes it would work and started looking for a spare. I picked one up last summer and it's starting to sound like I made a good investment.

 

I'm running a GM 1-wire alternator with a small pulley, a four-bladed fan and an Omega leakless waterpump. I've had a little trouble with the pump getting some end-play. It's since been fixed, but I'm worried I may have caused the problem. My question is, how tight should an A fan belt be?

 

Just curious guys- What kind of spark plugs are you guys running

I have a 12V system and need to get a set- any goods/bads/or swear bys?

 

HEY WILL-- can I ge a shot of your pitman arm and how you attached the drag link- looks not so stock and i am needing to work on mine.

 

Not too tight!! I leave a bunch of play in the belt. You should be able to turn the fan without the belt moving, the pulley should slip.

 

Yeah, once you get rolling, you're not putting as much load on the gear.

Water.......not good! Also, keep in mind that the cluster gear is always turning with the clutch out, even in neutral. So, any bits of gear in the trans can get cought up between the input shaft gear and the main cluster gear. I think I may have that problem, I keep hearing clicking noises coming from the trans when idling. I know my second gear is gone.....very noisey!!

 

Polecat,
Which Lion Speed Head do you have?? If you got it from Charlie Yapp, the literature that came with it will tell you which plugs to use. I forget what the AC Delco number is. When I send photos later, I will let you know.

 

Got another parts cashe yesterday outta Los Osos. The pics below are what was left from a restorer of Model As and early flathead V-8 ford powered cars/trucks. Lots of drums and odds and ends mainly model A but a couple of wide 5 and double A brake drums also. Still have not gotten through all the crates. Mainly stock stuff, no speed parts yet . PM me if you see anything that interests you.-Weeks

 

T W Dustin

1/4" tube is marginal at best, and I have run into different wall thickness. At one point, a friend replaced a piece of 5/16" tube on a stock setup, and had exactly the same problems that you describe- the new tube had a small ID

Herb

 

My roadster was doing the same thing, and the crank moves front to back, too. But I greased it up and she runs like a top. I run that poor thing hard, she holds up good, though.

I'll take you up on those beers, someday

 

Thanks Herb - if eliminating the regulator has any issues I will move to 5/16 in. tubing next. Thanks for the feedback.

Tom

 

I'll bet money on the regulator being the problem. I have several friends that have had that same style regulator give them head aches and being faulty right out of the box!

 

Well Chris "out of the box" (or shrink wrapped plastic on cardboard) is definately the case here.

I eliminated the regulator and gave it a good test run in the garage (with the rear end hanging outside for any EPA freaks) and it seems ready for a good run under load. I will report back. Sucks that I paid almost $50 for my "problem" and doubt I can return it now that it's "used".

Tom

 

I like the direction you are heading with your car just thought I would say good job with it. Glad to see you are sharing your travails with us here. I appreciate it alot. It gives some fact to all the talk I have heard about this set-up and that set-up etc... Thanks again.-Weeks

 

So a quick update. I eliminated the POS SoCal regulator and it is running like a champ. I just did the first "grocery run" to Sprouts for some veggies, shrimp and good beer. Ran awesome at 45-50 MPH for a 1 mile stretch (2x). I am cruisin' at this point. Thanks to Crazydaddyo for the solution (and others that reconfirmed).

So what do I do with the POS? I will try to return to SoCal but I am not real enthusiastic about seein' any "green" ;-)

 

No problem Weeks - I figure that is what this site is all about. I still have some changes coming but it is making great progess. I might be about done 'till Goodguys in Nov. Then I will tackle the drop axle, '53 F100 front brakes and '46 Ford rear brakes.

Tom

 

Your welcome. Sell the POS to a kid with a VW. They don't know any better..

.

 

Hey Polecat, here is a shot of my pitman arm setup:



I got a shortened pitman arm from Mike's. They refurbish the pitman arms by cutting the old balls off, drilling a hole, and then welding in a new ball on a stud. I asked them to leave the hole, then used a 7 degree tapered reamer for the later tie rod end. My Dad did the same thing with his pitman arm - cut the ball off, drilled a hole, then used the tapered reamer. Tie rod ends and drag link are all from Speedway. I am using hot rod steering arms (from Chassis Engineering) on roundback spindles so I had to get to the later tie rod ends somehow. Could've made a drag link with different ends on it, but this seemed like a really clean solution.

By the way, the steering box is Model A and was rebuilt by Mike's as well. It works great, I am very satisfied with the feel of the steering and have never considered going to an F1 or F100 box.

Tire update: Coker's customer service has been excellent, they are sending out two new tires. However, they made it clear that they will test my tires and I will be billed for the new set if they check out OK on their equipment. They were very skeptical that I would have problems with the 6.00s, and more skeptical that I would have a problem with both of them. I trust my tire guy, but wonder why he didn't observe that they were 1/8" out of round while he was spin balancing them? Shoot, you can see them hop up and down as you drive down the road!

So now I am paranoid that I have the wrong tubes, or that they have a flat spot that I should drive through, or there is some other problem that is my fault??? Is it too much to expect tires to be round? I never had these problems with the dirt track tires or the 7.00s out back!

I hope to get it reconciled one way or another next week and will report back. I think the car is gonna ride and handle MUCH better than it did with the dirt track tires once I get this sorted out.

Will Kimble
www.kimblemandolins.com

 

Love your roadster, looks awesome! What intake manifold is that?

 

Weeks!!!!!
I need a trans!!! Or, at least a good cluster gear. Rear hub/drum assemblies??? How much???

 

Piewagn PM on its way. Everyone else like I said PM me please I have recieved a few already.-Weeks