Things NOT to do with a Zenith carb-for your enjoyment!

[Fred K-OR]

Over the years I have worked on my carbs. I know nothing about what to do with them. So I try to read the books, look up stuff on FB but I succeed in messing up more carbs. So thought I would share some of the real screw ups.

1. Don't forget to tighten the drain plug on the bottom of the carb. It WILL fall out when you drive. Did this, was driving along and had problem. Pulled out choke and made it all the way home without the plug in carb.

2. When working on more than one carb at a time, and you have the parts spread out on your workbench, don't forget to put the venturi tube back in the carb you are working on. I put the carb on the rig, started it up after a lot of choking, and it RAN! Could not figure out why it ran badly. After finding two venturis on my bench, I knew why. That is the rig RAN WITHOUT the venturi tube in the carb! You may not believe this but it is true!

3. When trying to find out why gas leaked out the back of the carb where the choke is, I thought I would check out where this might be coming from. Thought I had better tighten the cap jet a little tighter because thought that may be where it was leaking. Well tight is tight! When to tight, you strip the threads in the lower body of the carb and you then really get a leak out the back of the carb!

4. Thought it would be a good idea to put a number of gaskets under the main jet to keep it from leaking. Well then it is to low and the gas flows out the back of the carb!

Well hope I did not bore you all with my stupidity working on carbs. But it has been a learning curve!

[Mikeinnj]

Fred, I admire your honesty. Live and learn....

[Synchro909]

Originally Posted by Fred K-OR

Over the years I have worked on my carbs. I know nothing about what to do with them. So I try to read the books, look up stuff on FB but I succeed in messing up more carbs. So thought I would share some of the real screw ups.

1. Don't forget to tighten the drain plug on the bottom of the carb. It WILL fall out when you drive. Did this, was driving along and had problem. Pulled out choke and made it all the way home without the plug in carb.

2. When working on more than one carb at a time, and you have the parts spread out on your workbench, don't forget to put the venturi tube back in the carb you are working on. I put the carb on the rig, started it up after a lot of choking, and it RAN! Could not figure out why it ran badly. After finding two venturis on my bench, I knew why. That is the rig RAN WITHOUT the venturi tube in the carb! You may not believe this but it is true! I've made the same mistake on other cars and they ran too, no power though

3. When trying to find out why gas leaked out the back of the carb where the choke is, I thought I would check out where this might be coming from. Thought I had better tighten the cap jet a little tighter because thought that may be where it was leaking. Well tight is tight! When to tight, you strip the threads in the lower body of the carb and you then really get a leak out the back of the carb!

4. Thought it would be a good idea to put a number of gaskets under the main jet to keep it from leaking. Well then it is to low and the gas flows out the back of the carb!

Well hope I did not bore you all with my stupidity working on carbs. But it has been a learning curve!

I've learned the hard way that if you intend separating the top from the bottom, remove the carby from the car first. You are almost certain to break the top off the idle jet trying to get the bottom out and around the steering box.

[JDupuis]

Thanks for sharing!
Jeff

[30ccpickup]

You become the expert by learning what not to do... In fact that is why I have been married for so long.

[Licensed to kill]

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Originally Posted by Synchro909

I've learned the hard way that if you intend separating the top from the bottom, remove the carby from the car first. You are almost certain to break the top off the idle jet trying to get the bottom out and around the steering box.

Perhaps "down under" but here, in the "up-over" the carb has LOTS of clearance from the steering box.

[vern hodgson]

Originally Posted by Synchro909

I've learned the hard way that if you intend separating the top from the bottom, remove the carby from the car first. You are almost certain to break the top off the idle jet trying to get the bottom out and around the steering box.

Steering box?? Made me think for a minute, then I saw where you are from!

[Mike Peters]

A couple weeks ago in a local parade, my friend's car quit running half way through the parade. Dirty Zenith, so I put my spare Zenith in his car and in my haste, didn't line up BOTH mounting bolts. Result was the gasket was blocking about half the intake. It ran home, but he had to run REALLY rich. When we got back home, we found out the problem and had a good laugh.

[Fred K-OR]

Originally Posted by Mike Peters

A couple weeks ago in a local parade, my friend's car quit running half way through the parade. Dirty Zenith, so I put my spare Zenith in his car and in my haste, didn't line up BOTH mounting bolts. Result was the gasket was blocking about half the intake. It ran home, but he had to run REALLY rich. When we got back home, we found out the problem and had a good laugh.

Another thing I forgot to mentioned above, kind of like you I messed up the gasket between the carb and manifold. I put in one bolt, through manifold, through gasket and into the carb. Tightened it up and then put in the second bolt. BUT did not notice that the gasket was turned toward the engine and only one bolt went through it. Thus had a bit of a vacuum leak!

[jim1932]

I somehow manage to get the lock washer between the carb and the manifold. Took a while to figure it out. Have also managed to put the Venturi in upside down and couldn't understand why it wouldn't go back together.

[wingski]

My carb is not anywhere near the steering box. It's on the other side of the engine.

[wingski]

Now that I’m awake, I realize that you have right-hand drive. That has to be a real hassle to have the carb and steering on the same side. Where is the choke and rich/lean knob? Right beside the steering column, I would think?

Thanks for sharing. I don’t learn by doing things right. I just wish that I would remember what and how I did something wrong so I wouldn’t repeat it.

I would love to drive an A that was right-hand drive. I’m right-handed so that’s the hand that should be doing the steering, not the shifting. Besides that, I think it would be great to park and get out on the side away from traffic. I’ve only had two right-hand drive cars, and I loved both of them, but driving on the left would certainly take some getting used to.

And road trains, those long things with all those trailers would scare the daylights out of me.

You know I just realized something. You hear people talking all the time about what they did right, but a truly considerate person shares in detail what they did wrong. Thanks again, Fred.

Mike

[wingski]

Sorry about the Fred, Synchro. Old brains need kick-starting in the early morning.
Mike

[Fred K-OR]

Have added another highlight to this list of stupid mistakes to do with carbs.

I had just adjusted my valves. Checked the carb out by taking it apart to see if everything was is good shape before I put it back on. Put all the parts back on my rig(manifold, valve plate, and carb). Got it started, headed down the road, ran great-for awhile! The rig started coughing, tried to choke it, pulled the gas lever all the way down, but the rig quit on me! Got out, opened the right hood and gas was poring out of the carb-not dripping but poring. Got the gas turned off, got the rig off the road and tried to figure out what to do next.

A fellow stopped and offered to pull me home. Got it home and took off the carb. Well never expected this--the float was laying in the bottom of the bowel of the carb. Pin (that suppose to hold the float) laying in there with the float. The pin must have fallen out and dropped the float in the bowel. Another sloppy mechanic's work on the carb!

How fun it is????

[john charlton]

RHD does have its advantages as the choke rod knob is on the drivers side and is situated conveniently (did I spell that right ???) just above the steering column . This means you dont have the inconvenience of reaching across the front of your comely lady passenger when starting the car !!!.

John in I should have gone to Hershey Suffolk County England .

[Synchro909]

Originally Posted by john charlton

RHD does have its advantages as the choke rod knob is on the drivers side and is situated conveniently (did I spell that right ???) just above the steering column . This means you dont have the inconvenience of reaching across the front of your comely lady passenger when starting the car !!!.

John in I should have gone to Hershey Suffolk County England .

All quite true but American cars of this era had a bad reputation for catching fire. Why would you put the light switch (which often causes a spark) directly under a leaky carburetor???
There are other very poor design features too, like trying to get the clutch pedal to go through that tiny gap between the exhaust clamp and the block. The clamp must be fitted just so and if the manifolds have been surfaced, it it even more difficult.The clutch and brake pedals go one each side of the exhaust pipe which get VERY hot. The heat that comes in around the pedals and steering column makes driving on a warm day uncomfortable.
There are many features of a Model A that are very poorly thought out but I like 'em just the same.