Trouble shooting Ford 91-99 carb

J

John K. Endrizzi

Junior Member
Last year I purchased a ground up high end 1941 Super Deluxe Coupe. It operated perfectly ..... until recently. I Drove it to a shop about twenty miles away. Outside temp was about 80 degrees. After driving to operating temp the engine did not like acceleration. I had to feather the pedal in both 2nd and high gears to keep from stalling. Obvious ( to me ) that this is a carburation problem. Short of removal and thorough cleaning is there a "quick fix " ?
 
John, your problem may actually be a fuel delivery issue rather than a carburetor issue. I would start with checking all connections from tank to pump to prevent air from entering the line, particularly at fuel filter connections. Also, the fuel flex line at the firewall may be collapsed internally, preventing flow. I’d advise obtaining a new flex line from Shewman, whose advertisement may be found in the V8 Times. Another possibility is a non-vented gas cap, creating a vacuum within the tank. If the problem still persists, disconnect the fuel line from the carb and direct it into a container while cranking with ignition off. This test should show a good strong stream going into the container. If that fails, you may have air leaks from the pump itself. I would not suspect a carb issue until all those possibilities are eliminated.
 
I agree with the above. Also, if your fuel pump has a glass sediment bowl, carefully check the seal on it. I have found that this area is prone to air leaks that diminish the fuel supply. If unsure, it's probably best to replace the gasket. Surprisingly, I have had better luck with the old cork gaskets than the new neoprene ones. I once had to renew the sealing surface on the glass bowl itself using my surface plate (a large chunk of perfectly flat granite) and Wet-r-Dry sandpaper.
 
Don't rule out electrical issues. I had a condenser take a dump on the converted Chevy distributor in my flathead on the way to a swap meet. Barely made it in the front gate. Symptoms very similar to yours. Just a thought.
 
Check the fuel hose from fire wall to fuel pump. The hose will collapse at the bend and restrict fuel. Awhile back there was a guy re making these fuel hoses with quality materials.
Wish I could find out if he is still making them. He used to advertise in the V8 times
 
40coe, Robert Shewman PO Box 163, Kimberton, PA Tel. 610-933-6637 is the guy. Not sure if he's still in business.
 
40coe said:
Check the fuel hose from fire wall to fuel pump. The hose will collapse at the bend and restrict fuel. Awhile back there was a guy re making these fuel hoses with quality materials.
Wish I could find out if he is still making them. He used to advertise in the V8 times
Click to expand...

I had a fuel hose on the firewall fail on a '57 T-Bird. It was rubber hose with a braided cloth covering to make it look original. The hose looked new and was nice and flexible. I removed it and covered it with soapy water and blew into it and bubbles came out of the cloth covering from one end of it to the other.
 
1942Delux, I just called Robert, and he is still making them. You can get them with a check valve or without the check valve. $40 each (no check valve) includes shipping.
Been looking for his info for a while, Thanks!
The other ones out there are not worth anything, guaranteed to fail and leave you stranded. It happened to me.
I am ordering some for my projects.
 
40coe, thanks. I may call him and order a line with the check valve. Also thinking about the thermostats if he still has them.
 
Here are some shots of our '41 Super Deluxe Coupe
 

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John: thanks for the pictures, great looking ‘41. I sent my distributor and carb to Charlie in western NY for a rebuild you won’t be disappointed.
He runs the rebuilt carb on a test engine before he sends it back.

Charlie’s info.
716 662 9159
716 440 8952
cas5845@yahoo.com
 
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