Drilling out passage plugs on Zenith Carbs-how NOT to do it!

[Benson]

Here is how NOT to drill out passages!

My Friend restores Zenith carbs.

The other day at coffee he went absolutely "Snake Shite" crazy at the table ... Jumping up and down and banging on the table.

After he calmed down we found out what he so mad about!

He says that he had 5 or 6 carb cores last week where someone had drilled out the passageway plugs with crooked and "egg shaped" holes.

Then they had hammered a round brass plug into the egg shaped hole

Of course they look pretty from the outside but they leak if not replaced.

BUT after the hole is made round again.

Problem is that the hole is now so large that no one makes a plug that large!

They hammered so hard that several castings are now cracked.

He used many more "colorful words" when he described the problem.

[wrndln]

I am sure we all have stories about real idiotic things done to model A's by morons. I have seen real pathetic welding jobs, as well as many other kludges on the 4 model A's I own or maybe I am purchasing the WRONG cars!
Rusty Nelson

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

I've heard of plugging the passages with lead balls, (SHOT)
Bill Round

[Tom Wesenberg]

I think at least half the problems found on Model A's were owner inflicted.
I like to restored generators that have never been touched, but others can be a nightmare.

[Quigley1930]

I'm working on five right now with Tom Endy's instructions next to me and he stresses the fact to not drill out the plugs.He says us a paper clip and it can be tedious but it works.

Sewall

[gweilbaker]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Large gauge copper electrical wire will work. If too large, chuck it up in a drill press and file to size.

[Benson]

Originally Posted by Quigley1930

I'm working on five right now with Tom Endy's instructions next to me and he stresses the fact to not drill out the plugs.He says us a paper clip and it can be tedious but it works.

Sewall

Also welding wire feed wire is fairly strong and more flexible than paperclip and makes going around corners easier.

Additional info: Wire size 0.030 inch works well ...

You can have several different wires bent to go into certain passages,

[Will N]

Soaking the carbs in ammonia will dissolve the brass plugs.

[Quigley1930]

Benson thanks for that information

Sewall!

[Benson]

It helps to prevent the wire from snagging if end of the wire is rounded. So I heated ends of several wires with torch to make a small "blob" on end.

Sometimes it is better if end is sharp to poke through the rust.

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

"Maybe" we could COIN a new descriptive name for RUST? "Maybe" ROTTEN-RUST? "Maybe" the Dog can help???
Bill W. & Buster T.

[Jeff/Illinois]

Originally Posted by Quigley1930

I'm working on five right now with Tom Endy's instructions next to me and he stresses the fact to not drill out the plugs.He says us a paper clip and it can be tedious but it works.

Sewall

That is exactly what I have done. No way I wanted to booger up a good Zenith by drilling out the brass plugs. And I've always been able to clean them out with a paper clip just takes patience and a little time but not that bad. I picked up 4 really nice Zenith carbs and 2 Holley carbs at an estate sale and had no problems with any of them.

The DVD 'Carbs and Carbohydrates' from Vic Duncan is a good one to educate yourself on, but I still wouldn't drill them out like Lloyd shows in the video.