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CARBURETOR CRISIS: Today I cleaned up and installed the Carter carburetor. I made new vacuum advance and manifold thermostat pipes for it. Car started right up. No leaks. Let it warm up, then took it for a drive.

The car does exactly was it was doing before. ..fluffing out when I depress the peddle to go up hill or speed up. So it seems the problem is not the carburetor after all, tho the Stromberg needs that new spring. It wasn't causing the problem.

I disconnected the overdrive ignition ground just to eliminate that as a possibility.

Now I'm baffled. As soon as I hear from Bob Earls, I'll take it to him.

Depressing. I think I'll eat something.

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Joe, have not looked back at previous posts, but is your distributor vacuum and/or mechanical advance working? It sounds to me like this may be the problem.

(o{}o)

JW, I did "the arm moves" sucking test on Post#363:
packardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/newbb ... at&order=ASC&type=&mode=0&start=360

I did the carburetor vacuum test here.
Take your pick:
mktx.com/joe/CarbVacuumAdvTest-desktop.m4v
mktx.com/joe/CarbVacuumAdvTest-iPhone-cell.3gp
mktx.com/joe/CarbVacuumAdvTest.mov

Maybe I didn't sustain it enough to show it's really holding.

Joe

PS. The spring came. May be too small. But that's another carburetor.

I'm embarrassed, but more so should be the 'professionals' at the shop I took the car to. This entire fluffing was due to the right screw holding the distributor to the engine being loose. That's right.

When I was installing the new vacuum line for Carter carburetor, the vacuum advance itself (and the distributor with it) moved a bit when I was fitting the pipe. I wondered about that, but was more concerned that I return it to the original position, believing, per the professional shop, that the problem was the carburetor. Once I knew the new carburetor made no difference, I knew it had to be something else.

Then when JW mentioned the vacuum advance again, I disconnected the line and with a slight tug I could rotate the distributor a couple of inches. That movement could nullify the affect of the vacuum advance at higher RPMs. I managed to get a short fat screw driver on screw holding the collar, but it was tight. So was the screw on the left side next to the advance marks. That left the screw on the right, under the grease holder. It was loose because it had no lock washer. The left side had a flat washer and a lock washer.

I discovered in reassembling that there's precious little room for 2 washers on the right side, so used a lock washer only.

I pulled the distributor, cleaned up the fasteners and collar, and made a new gasket. I reassembled everything and went for a test drive.

Problem solved. So much power! What a wonderful Father's Day gift. I'm driving down to Salem for beer-can chicken and thrilled I can drive the Duchess. Thanks to JW for reminding me to check it.

Joe, so pleased the Duchess is running smoothly again. Enjoy the ride, you have earned it.

(o{}o)

Yes, it was thrilling. 65 all the way on I-5 with the top down.

I stopped for gas and as the car sat getting warmer, my brake lights came on. The Accurate people had re-built the master cylinder to stop a leak, and they had bled and adjusted the brakes after. They had adjusted them too tight and didn't back them off. The car was free-wheeeling when I left the station and drove the additional 20 miles (about 50 in all). I stopped in Salem to call my son to see if I should still collect my granddaughter's husband at the airport. The brakes were locked.

I called AAA and, because I didn't need a tow, they were sending an emergency service guy. I jacked up the car to get the rear wheels off the ground. I hadn't taken any tools. Big mistake. Not even a screwdriver. But I no sooner finished when a young guy arrived. He was confused about why they sent him. "I only do batteries." I said Fine. Do you have a brake tool or a fat screw-driver? He showed me the only ones he had, the largest had a blade 1/8" wide. I was in the parking lot of Value Village and next door was a K-Mart. I asked Would you stay and watch the car while I go buy a tool? OK. He commenced taking pictures of the car and was still doing artsy shots of the hub caps when I came out.

My eldest son and his friend had tried to call me while I was under the car. With no answer they headed out to help me. The car itself was a spectacle People kept stopping to admire it and ask questions. I backed off the rear brakes so I could turn the wheels by hand. Jacked up the front and they were ok. I was gone before my son arrived and called him.

ELECTRICAL: Driving back around 8 with my parking lights, when I pulled on my headlights, the ammeter hung back slightly left of center. I had lights all the way home, but after I was off the freeway, the overdrive wouldn't engage. I suspect not enough juice. I took it out of overdrive the rest of the way home. I have a spare generator, if I need to get this one re-built.

So that will be the next round of testing. Generator or voltage regulator? The next mystery to solve.

PINGING: Also why it pings when I depress the pedal at high speeds. My son suggested an octane additive that he puts in his '62 Vette. I think there's another answer, but he still is an awesome BBQer. I had a terrific time for Father's Day. Beer-can chicken, shrimp kebabs, and all. Yum.

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Joe, the good news is you enjoyed a nice meal with family and you and the Duchess got home safely.

You might want to start looking for another garage to do your work. It seems from these recent experiences that they forget to finish the jobs.

The pinging can probably be easily fixed by retarding the ignition timing a couple of degrees. If I recall correctly, your distributor mounting bracket has a way to easily do this. Packard called this feature the "Octane Adjuster". It allowed the owner to adjust the timing to take advantage of the varying gasoline qualities back in the day.

The device has a scale and pointer so that the timing can be advanced or retarded a specific amount. Check your owner's manual for instructions. If it does not have this device, just loosen the distributor and turn it in the retard direction a very small amount. Road test and adjust more if necessary.

A timing light is not needed for this job, but you may want to put a light on the damper marks just to see where the timing is. I say this because with the movement in tightening down of the distributor you may have moved it too much in the advance side.

What grade of fuel are you using? Might want to bump the grade up to the next one. Good luck.

(o{}o)

PINGING: TIMING: Thanks, JW. I did retard one notch and took it for a short test run. No pinging. However, I still need to run it on the freeway and push it beyond 65 to be sure.

ELECTRICAL GENERATOR In the meantime, I pulled the generator which did not pull the ammeter out of discharge with the headlights on when I rev'd the engine.

I had to undo the bolts in the bracket from underneath. I pulled it out from above after piling up some towels on the fender protector. The bracket measures 6-3/8th in. OD.

The generator is a GGU-something. The only listings I found for GGU were for Chryslers. The bolts are 5/16ths. There were some spacers used. It measures 8-1/8th OD. This generator is obviously not the original and did not come from a 120 engine I had. It could have come from a 1950 custom with a 1947 engine or from some kindly mechanic.

The replacement I have is smaller. GDZ-4805-A. It could have come from the 120 engine or the 47 356, but the only exact listing I had for it was for a '41-'49 Studebaker. It was once in the car, also. It looks like more in size like photos of generators here, like this one posted by JW.

I have read most of the threads on generators and fan belts.

When I looked down at the bracket, there is a flange that juts out from a metal plate on the front of the engine. It has a hole in it that lines up with the bracket. The ear of the replacement generator seems to want to go between the flange and the bracket when the rear ear in on the outside of the bracket.

I was able to get the rear bolt in place, but the front won't line up. Believe I tried everything. The will only go about half way to where it should be. So I took the generator out.

In reading the generator / belt threads, I came across a mechanical drawing for a later model. It appears the flange and the bracket are together on this set up, and both ears bolt to the front sides of the bracket.

I'm thinking of putting a bolt through the flange and the bracket and then trying to spread them apart a little more so the ear would sit in there. I'm thinking it's possible that the front fastening arrangement needed for the larger generator squeezed the flange closer to the bracket than it should be.

I spent an entire evening with every manner of poker to try to line up the front holes, but the ear wouldn't go down any further. I even put the old generator on top to keep pressure on while I worked the alignment underneath.

I could use some sage advice. If I thought the larger generator were correct for the car as much as I think the smaller GDZ is correct, I would take it back to be rebuilt at Philbin and not bother with the replacement.

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The A.E.A. Universal Catalog of OEM Suppliers calls for an AutoLite GEA 4802A for a 1940 senior car. GDZ 4805A is for a 1941 Studebaker Commander, perhaps others. Hope this helps.

Thanks for checking that, Dave. All I can think is that substitutions, maybe parts when being rebuilt?, were common.Reading those threads, I wonder what Don Skotty did to solve his problem. I also wonder if JW still has that engine out of the car.

I know the big one will fit, but I think the smal one is more correct.