1952-59 Ford CSI on my Edelbrock 1404, manual choke, 500 cfm carburetor - what is this stuff?

DSCN1864 by danman55 posted Apr 18, 2019 at 7:10 AM

Recently I had been experiencing strange anomalies with the Edelbrock 500 cfm carburetor on my 292 (bored to 301) Y block. At cruise, there were really no issues; but at idle it was hard to figure out what was going on. The idle set screw, when backed all the way out to completely close the ****erflies, would not decrease the rpm of the engine. The idle mixture screws were not that responsive. No vacuum at all on the timed port for advance off of the carburetor.

So, I put a vacuum gauge on the engine. Roughly 19-20 but it was vibrating between the two measures. The idle was wacked so I believed that caused the erratic vacuum gauge reading. Then I pulled a plug...

DSCN1917 by danman55 posted Apr 18, 2019 at 7:10 AM

Serious fuel fouling caused by a mixture way too rich.

Time to remove the carburetor and see what the trouble was. Now, mind you, my memory escaped me at first because things tend to run together but this carburetor was actually installed on the engine almost 11 years ago! Back then when it was in its first 100 miles or so, I remember reading the plugs. They were all nice and bright with a burnt orange color on the ceramic insulator. But since that time, the car sat for a couple years in a garage (the fuel tank was drained though when I pulled the engine for the repaint of the 55). And then over the past 4 years of my life here in the ****ord, Ohio, area it was only just this past year that I began driving it normally. However, there has been much time with it at idle lately while I work on different parts of the car. Some fouling was expected but this was crazy, as was the issue with the idle mixture/idle set screw.

Here was another sign that things were "amiss"

DSCN1871 by danman55 posted Apr 18, 2019 at 7:10 AM

I don't think that coating came from the Edelbrock factory.

The following photos show the awful story of one dirty carb...

DSCN1873 by danman55 posted Apr 18, 2019 at 7:10 AM

DSCN1883 by danman55 posted Apr 18, 2019 at 7:10 AM

DSCN1897 by danman55 posted Apr 18, 2019 at 7:10 AM

DSCN1892 by danman55 posted Apr 18, 2019 at 7:10 AM

DSCN1890 by danman55 posted Apr 18, 2019 at 7:11 AM

The "junk" may look like rust, but it was actually a very slimy, smooth, built-up soot. I was amazed at how much there was. What all of this is, I have no idea. I continued to tear down the carburetor and lo and behold what do I find?

DSCN1903 by danman55 posted Apr 18, 2019 at 7:10 AM

If you zoom in you can see debris on that filter screen for the needle seat. There were pieces like this, though smaller, in both fuel bowls and in other places. I retrieved the magnifying gl*** and gave it a look-see.

DSCN1910 by danman55 posted Apr 18, 2019 at 7:10 AM

Yes, friends and neighbors, that is FILTER ELEMENT PAPER!
I have two filters that are paper elements. One is at the fuel pump in the canister:

DSCN1912 by danman55 posted Apr 18, 2019 at 7:11 AM

and the other was an in-line, see through job that I had purchased for several dollars at a local parts store about 5 years ago. The fuel pump filter was very nice, clean, and showed no signs of any issues. The in-line filter was another story:

DSCN1914 by danman55 posted Apr 18, 2019 at 7:11 AM

Disgusting.

Since I have a screen filter at my electric fuel pump on the frame rail, and since I have a very good filter at the fuel pump, I am considering just leaving out the in-line, and running the line from the fuel pump to the regulator and then to the carb without any more filters.

The carburetor parts received a bath in the ultrasonic cleaner last night, filled with Awesome, Vinegar, and Water - they came out very clean!

DSCN1920 by danman55 posted Apr 18, 2019 at 7:11 AM

DSCN1924 by danman55 posted Apr 18, 2019 at 7:11 AM

DSCN1926 by danman55 posted Apr 18, 2019 at 7:11 AM

Just waiting on the blue gasket kit to get all of this back together. I will change out the plugs while I am waiting as well.

Any ideas on the "mud" like substance all around? I did not see much of the dry, powder-like residue we normally see from ethanol, but I do treat the gas tank with a product from Eastwood that treats the ethanol.

 

I would say water in the fuel. Because of alcohol, condensation?? The tank is probably full of crud too.

 

that was what I thought at first as well, but when I dis***embled the fuel pump canister and filter element it was clean as a whistle. The tank I had cooked out about 11 years ago and professionally sealed. But maybe it is water in the fuel - that would not be noticed by an inspection of the fuel pump sediment can.

 

Looks like the Eastwood stuff isn't doing the trick, I use this https://www.goldeagle.com/product/iso-heet-fuel-line-antifreeze-injector-cleaner/ with Marvel Mystery Oil and get this for an inline filter it has a bronze element you can take it apart to clean it.https://www.ebay.com/itm/Russell-Fu...m=223293229535&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851

 

Thanks Jeff, I am going that route and have one of those filters on order. I will also look for an ethanol-free gas station in my area.

 

There are so many horror stories shown here in pictures of what that stuff does. https://www.google.com/search?q=eth...AUIDigB&biw=1343&bih=648#imgrc=FMpYSsytvVY8eM:

 

Jeff, after looking through several of the pages of all the photos of ethanol damage, I have come to the realization that this carburetor was not all in that bad of a shape.

 

I don’t trust “resealed “ tanks
Coating let go and I had the same mess
Go with a new tank, my 2 cents

 

Jeff, thanks for the tip on the Russell filter (and all of your helpful tips). Mine came today to replace the discolored clear one in my fuel line. I'm looking forward to many years of service from it.