Frustrating !

[billpedalino]

This damn '47 has fought me the entire distance and continues to do so to the very end!

I'm looking to put come 'confidence' miles on it on my only day off (Sundays) and it continues to be stubborn, like a tantrum-prone child. This morning's objection was that it will not continue to run unless the fuel petcock is pulled up into the reserve position. It leans out, evidenced by the increase in RPM just before it spits through the carburetor (again lean) and stalls out. But, when I disconnect the fuel line at the strainer, it flows freely, as I suspected (clean tanks, Carl Olsen's fuel valve assembly, etc...) Looks like NEXT Snday will be spent in my hot garage in yet another problem-solving episode.

Also, when its hot it doesn't immediately return to Idle-RPM when I rev it slightly, indicating a possible intake leak. I can't describe how careful I was in rebuilding this carburetor and installing the manifold. In 40 (+) years, I've done this more times than I can remember! Looks like I'll be doing what Cotton suggested to me a long time ago - building a block-off plate and low-pressure testing the intake track. Hell, I even have the Snoop on the shelf for the test!

You've GOT to love this avocation to be in it, because it can surely frustrate the hell out of ya....

I'm done venting now...

[sirhrmechanic]

Some cars (and bikes) want to be restored. They cooperate at every turn.

Others become known as "The AntiChrist" and fight at every turn! Sounds like your '47 is one of those that should be called "Christine."

On the bright side, we rebuilders/restorers always win in the end. It just depends on how many frustrating moments we are willing to endure.

Keep the faith! You will triumph!

Cheers,

Sirhr

(PS, we have a Phantom 1 Murphy Body in the shop that I swear is going to be the subject of a Stephen King Book. Jumpin Geezis on a pogo stick... this car has fought every effort to get it back on the road. I should have pressed it into a cube.)

[T. Cotten]

Bill!

When you tested your manifold, did you test ALL of it?

Late '46 and '47 brass manifolds of all models are subject to casting porosities, probably because they were cast from dirty ordinance scrap.

'47 OHV manifolds leak in diabolical spots. Wormy examples attached.

....Cotten

[billpedalino]

Cotton - Wormy indeed !!

I'm using a reproduction manifold and peek seals and I did NOT test the intake track at all! I was so sure that my technique was so perfect that testing would not be necessary (and I was lazy).

'There's never time to do it right, but always time to do it over...'

By the way, can those peek manifold seals be used again upon re-assembly?

[sirhrmechanic]

BTW, with brass or bronze manifolds, you can easily tin them to get rid of any porosity. Product called TinTite can be applied... whole unit heated. It tins the exterior beautifully. Vacuum Impregnation can also be used, but for yellow metals, tinning works very well.

Cheers,

Sirhr

[billpedalino]

Sirhr,

Anti-Christ indeed.... I'm doing this for a long time and this one has proven to be a real bear. Luckily it's one of my own!

And believe me, the crushed-cube idea has crossed my mind on more than one occasion.

[46EL]

Over the years I have had this happen numerous times.
And looking for the obvious things sometimes is where I have screwed up.
What I thought were Carb problems sometimes ended up being a bad coil or a bad condenser or a plugged vent on a gas cap.
Electrical problems I thought I had ended up being a bad carb body that was thoroughly
inspected and rebuilt but was nothing more than junk or a bad needle or bushing.
What I thought was a bad intake seal ended up being a sticky valve that was not seating properly.
Just my thoughts but what do I know anyways??? 46el