YAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!! - Bill's Car Project Thread

DollarBill · Post by **DollarBill** » October 16th, 2007, 9:10 pm

As you wish, Bob. Dig this:

Carburetor Update!
Got the carburetor apart. Now I gotta clean and reassemble. I found a speed parts shop about 2 miles north west of here, so I'm gonna get the rebuild kit tomorrow (the thing with all the new jets and gaskets and stuff).

Gas Tank Update!
After some research I found out that it's the same cost to buy a new gas tank as to get all the chemicals/gaskets/sending-unit-parts to fix the old one. While it's not as cool to just but the new part, it is safer and much more of a sure thing. I'll have plenty of old parts to refurbish. Guess I'll add the old tank to the swap meet pile.

Here's some pics.
Right after I took the carb off the car:

Current state as of 9pm 10/16/07:

apiaryist · Post by **apiaryist** » October 17th, 2007, 1:57 pm

That is one clean carb, dude.

DollarBill · Post by **DollarBill** » October 19th, 2007, 1:05 am

Well I'm pretty sure I killed the carb. I followed the instructions in my rebuild book, but I think it's out of date. I got to the step where you dip your parts in carb cleaner. I thought I was just getting rid of all the old gas sludge, but I realized too late that I was stripping the metal of it's rust protection. Holley has different materials that they plate the outside of their carburetors with now. Because the book was out of date, it couldn't warn me properly. I went ahead and used the dip cleaner, and now I'm out $20 for the cleaner and $300 that I spent 4 years ago on a carburetor that is now a pile of unusable parts. I'm gonna call Holley's tech support tomorrow and see if there's anything I can do.

Oh well. Live and learn. I'm too annoyed at myself to post pictures of my dull gray carb parts. Maybe in a couple days. Damn.

mcnichol · Post by **mcnichol** » October 19th, 2007, 9:29 am

DollarBill wrote:I thought I was just getting rid of all the old gas sludge, but I realized too late that I was stripping the metal of it's rust protection.

Sorry to hear that man -- maybe there's a way to re-treat those parts with rust protection that's cheaper than shelling out another $300+? Maybe there's a place you can take it that does this service?

Someday I'd like to sit in the passenger seat, drive around the south side and listen to a Foghat 8-track.

DollarBill · Post by **DollarBill** » October 19th, 2007, 11:10 am

mcnichol wrote: Sorry to hear that man -- maybe there's a way to re-treat those parts with rust protection that's cheaper than shelling out another $300+? Maybe there's a place you can take it that does this service?

Someday I'd like to sit in the passenger seat, drive around the south side and listen to a Foghat 8-track.

Bob, you're my new favorite person, but you'll have to BYO eight-track player. You can get stuff refinished, but it's kinda expensive. I thought I was gonna have to strip everything down even more and paint stuff with sealant, BUT....
GOOD NEWS! The guy at holley tech support told me (in the thickest southern accent I've heard in a long time) "That don't hurt the function of it. Just the looks is all." So, no worries about oxidation. Plus, I'm glad it worked out like this. The parts look way more hard core/bad ass in their bare metal state. Here's what I'm workin' with.

Here's how I got there:
Carb off the car, preliminary cleaning with spray and mineral spirits, take it all apart, dip in extreme chemicals, dip in soapy water, soak in REALLY HOT water (the metal heats up so when you take them out the parts dry faster).

DollarBill · Post by **DollarBill** » October 22nd, 2007, 11:35 pm

Ok, I went to my cousin's wedding this weekend, so I didn't have much time to work on "the project". BUT, on the morning before I left town I tracked down a shop in the city that sold the rebuild kit that I needed. I cracked it open as soon as we got home, but when I looked at my dull gray parts I decided I wanted a nicer finish on my rebuild. You can't buy spray paint in the city because of an anit-graffiti ordinance, so I went to the mom & pop hardware store and bought some wire brushes for $2. Heres why:

DollarBill · Post by **DollarBill** » October 26th, 2007, 1:03 pm

Ok, it's time to reassemble the carb. The only reason I haven't already started is my lack of inch-pounds torque wrench. Anyway, I did some detailing (painting and wire brushing) of the parts. Here're the pics:

Left: Taped off vacuum diaphragm housing. Middle: Taped off main body. Right: Bolts sticking into a box (so you don't paint the threads).

Left: Removing tape. Middle: Tape removed. Right: Main body.

Left: Main body (from above). Middle: Vacuum diaphragm housing. Right: Brushed float bowl with black bolts.

DollarBill · Post by **DollarBill** » November 3rd, 2007, 1:23 pm

FINALLY!!! The rebuild has begun! I had to borrow this scale from the people who live in the basement unit. Can you guess what they use it for? My floats are made of Nitrophyl with a protective coating. If the coating is damaged the floats can absorb gas and then they don't float anymore. To see if they're undamaged you soak them overnight in mineral spirits and then weigh them in the morning. Mine checked out fine!

Some other things which delayed the rebuild: I had to check the mating surfaces of the main body for warping (checked out). It was a pain in the ass finding a torque wrench that measures in inch-pounds. The only one in my area was a super nice one that cost $70, so I bought it and I'm gonna return it when I'm done. The biggest pain in the ass was repainting the diaphragm cover. I dropped it.

Roy Janik · Post by **Roy Janik** » November 3rd, 2007, 2:32 pm

Bill, is it just your experience that's telling you what to do and check and weigh and in what order, or do you have a list somewhere?

I wonder what a good 'starter car' would be for a rebuild/repair job. Like a car that's old enough to be somewhat simplistic, but still cool and fun enough to be worth repairing.

DollarBill · Post by **DollarBill** » November 3rd, 2007, 5:09 pm

Roy, this is my first carburetor rebuild, but when I got my Holley carb, my brother-in-law (who has restored cars before) gave me this book:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/ ... bottoofthe

The most important thing (i think) for a beginner, is that you don't wanna get something that needs a total restoration. Get something that you can tinker on and still drive. Otherwise it's not as fun. It'll just sit there. Remember, you can get a lot of satisfaction out of just doing simple stuff for the car you already have. You'll save A LOT of money doing routine maintenance on your own car, and you'll feel proud to drive it... I promise. Every time you stop fast after you change your break pads, you'll think, "I did that."

If you want a cheap easy car to learn on... get any rear-wheel-drive car without fuel injection from like... 1950 - 1985. A bigger car with a smaller engine will give you more room to work with. The less "power" options you get (power breaks, power windows, etc.), the easier it'll be.
It really is a personal thing, though. I'd have to know more details about what you wanted, in order to suggest something more specific. Personally, I would get a truck without fuel injection from the early eighties that hasn't spent much time just sitting. The newer it is, the less time it's had to deteriorate. And when cars sit, they rot.

I have some experience doing little repairs here and there... I've read a lot about it, and I watch those how-to car shows on the weekends. EXPERIENCE IS THE BEST TEACHER. You don't really know how to do something 'til you've screwed it up a couple times.

ONE MORE THING!!! If you wanna know how an internal combustion engine works without dropping the cash on a real whole car, they make some really awesome working models that are clear so you can see the moving parts:
http://www.discoverthis.com/visible-v8.html
http://scientificsonline.com/Product.as ... 1194127255
I put one of those together in middle school. It was a blast!

Roy Janik · Post by **Roy Janik** » November 5th, 2007, 11:39 am

Man, those kits look fantastic. Thanks, Bill.

hmmm, I could use a truck...

DollarBill · Post by **DollarBill** » November 5th, 2007, 3:58 pm

DollarBill wrote:You don't really know how to do something 'til you've screwed it up a couple times.

DollarBill · Post by **DollarBill** » November 5th, 2007, 4:28 pm

Carburetor Reassembly.
STEP ONE: Insert fuel inlet fitting into primary float bowl.
STEP TWO: Call Holley for a replacement "banjo fitting" because you broke yours.
STEP THREE: Wait one week for fitting to come in the mail. Repeat step one. SKIP STEP TWO!!!! DO NOT REPEAT STEP TWO!!!

OK, so I already messed up on LITERALLY step one in my book. I skipped ahead and assembled my vacuum diaphragm assembly (see below), but that's all I can do until they send me my new fitting. Luckily the Holley technician (with the second thickest southern drawl I've ever heard) told me he'd send me one for free.

Me: "Hi I have a 80457-2 and I torqued the fuel inlet fitting in half."
Holley tech: "Didja use a foot-pounds wrench instead of inch-pounds?"
Me: "No, I'm just retarded. I didn't realize my wrench had clicked and the fitting thingy..."
Holley tech: "That's what we call a banjo fitting. I'll send ya one fer free since you-all are mentally retarded."
Me: "Do I need to line up the holes when I put it in?"
Holley tech: "No, that's not important. Sorry about your retarded brain. Have a good day."

DollarBill · Post by **DollarBill** » November 27th, 2007, 2:34 am

It's been a while since I posted. Long story short: I finished the Carb, but I've been busy with work and the the holidays. Here's before and afters. I'll catch up on all the in-betweens after I get those pics sorted out.

Current To Do List:
Flush coolant system
Install gas tank and fuel lines
Replace intake manifold gaskets/bolts
Remove broken intake manifold bolt
Break diagnostics
Replace spark plugs/wires
Squirt oil in cylinders (gross)
Replace major hoses
Buy and install battery
Install rebuilt carburetor
Trans fluid flush?

DollarBill · Post by **DollarBill** » November 30th, 2007, 1:59 am

Ok, the next page starts with one of my favorite stories from the rebuild.