Re: "Waking Sleeping Beauty" .... The Blog!

Posted by Jim L. in OR On 2012/8/20 18:20:40

Yesterday afternoon I decided to tear into the carburetor on the '55 even though I didn't[' have a new carb kit to put it back together with. I went in concentrating on the "Part Throttle System" and that was the culprit - but. I went in expecting to see bits of blue rubber from the accelerator pump that came apart when I used compress air to clear out the passages. There wasn't any. What I did find was little viscus bits of black "snot" - which suggests to me that the source was NOT the kit but some pieces of rubber hose that I hadn't got around to replacing.
Anyway, I buttoned everything back up but by then it was getting late and I was tired.

Today, I went out for a test drive and guess what? She absolutely and positively ran like a dream. Smooth acceleration, smooth up-shifts and NO lurching and bucking at a constant speed what so ever!

My amateur conclusions are that the kit from NAPA was suffering from old age. I mean really - how many calls do you think they get for a 4GC kit these days no matter how many makes used them back in the day.

Next, I just moved replacing all rubber fuel lines with "fuel injection" hose WAY UP in the "to do list".

Last but not least, put a filter back in the fuel bowl and maybe one before the pump for good measure.

Anyway, it is a relief to finally know what was going on or if not that, at least know what stops it.

I want to thank BigKev, Su8overdrive, Tim, PackardV8, Brian, Dave, JD, JP, and of course Howard and anyone else I have inadvertently forgot for patiently sharing the benefit of the knowledge and experience.

My next project will be the power seat motors, but not right away. I just want to drive for a while without worry - at least about the fuel system.

I AM going to get a GOOD carb kit from either Daytona or some other reliable source.