[Bubsyouruncle]

So, here is a project story.


I have been fussing with my old Ford and have determined that the fuel pump push-rod has worn down and is now too short for providing sufficient stroke to keep the carburetor fuel bowl full. I got a used 38 caliber pistol cartridge and filed the end down to make a thin spacer for the top of the push-rod. I disconnected the line between the fuel pump and the carburetor and removed the fuel pump and push-rod, put the spacer on the top end of the push-rod, and went to return it into the engine.



And proceeded to drop the spacer into the valve train! In a location where I could not get to it with my gripper retrieval tool. And, since the spacer was brass, could not use my magnetic retrieval tool. Screwed, blued, and tattooed.


My 10 minute job has now turned into maybe a 2-hour job.


Have to remove the intake manifold to get at the lost part. Could have left it in there without too much chance of damage in the future, but that would be inelegant and I would never be comfortable driving any great distance because at the worst possible time it would find its way between a lifter and a valve stem.



To remove the intake manifold I have to remove the generator and the ignition coil and the vacuum connection pipe to the distributor and one of the two radiator hoses.



So, off comes the generator (That thing is a lot heavier than it used to be!) and the ignition coil (two bolts and two wire connections).
Off with the radiator hose, quite a struggle because time has welded it to the engine and the radiator. Carefully disconnect the vacuum line to the distributor. Remove 20 cap screws. Lift off the intake manifold. Retrieve lost part. Put manifold back on the engine.



Last three sentences elapsed time less than two minutes. First four sentences elapsed time about 45 minutes, what with stubborn bolts and up and down stairs securing proper sized wrenches.


Now the perfectionist kicks in. I get out a wire wheel and a tap and die set and clean out the bolt holes and the screw threads. Takes about an hour, but so what. When I reassemble it will be factory-fresh. Oil the bolts and torque them to 23 Ft-lbs in a criss-cross pattern starting at the middle of the manifold.



Reinstall the vacuum line. Reinstall the ignition coil. Install the fuel pump and push-rod and spacer without dropping the spacer into the intake manifold. Reconnect the fuel line between fuel pump and carburetor. Reconnect the ignition wiring.



Pick up the radiator hose to reinstall it and metal pieces fall out of the hose. The radiator hose used to have a wire spring running from one end to the other internally to keep it from collapsing under vacuum pressure when the engine was running. This spring has rusted away in places. I inspect the engine head attachment point and use several different tools to remove broken off pieces of this spring from inside the head. The other one will be just like this one.


Road trip to secure new hoses.



NAPA has them but have to be ordered. Will be able to pick them up on the 12th.


So far, other than the usual bumps on my old skin I have not suffered any injuries, but I still have to install the two radiator hoses.