Recent content by BlueSpark

a DODGE???? Well just park around the corner!

Forgive me if this has already been posted... The All Ford Parts Swap Meet is Sunday from 6am to 11am at All Ford Parts, 1600 Dell Avenue, Campbell (San Jose) CA. Sunday, April 27 2025, Spaces are 90% early ford parts through 1953. The website is allfordparts.com but my firewall sees something...

I agree with everything here except the notion that an analog voltmeter is somehow better than a DVM. Sounds like a wives tale (yeah, what do wives know about voltmeters anyway?) Even a cheap DVM, as much as I hate them, is accurate. Anyhow whatever you have is your best friend when you...

Yeah like Bob said you want a breaker. These were thermal, slow-blow types so a quick transient overload will not blow it and if it still does it will automatically reset when it cools off. This doesnt mean you will get the lights back necessarily but at least you have a chance before running...

Good info on the check valve idea, maybe I wont go there after all!

I dont start mine very often and when it has sat for a while I need to crank it a bit to get the gas going again. A friend suggested I get a one way valve to keep the fuel bowl full but I havent tried it yet. I dont know about a '53 but a '38 needs a very low pressure pump or a regulator. I...

Theres no such thing as a "12V to 6V resistor unit" unless you are talking about a step-down voltage regulator. Just a resistor is fine, reading will change a little with battery voltage but thats how they were. I need to fix mine too.

Now that mine is finally an easy starter, I have to leave my foot off the gas when starting and no choke. It seems these flood easily. My old carb would drown the engine with the accelerator pump which probably just needed to be adjusted way down. If it hasnt been run in a while maybe a...

This is just a "for what its worth" because there is a lot of great discussion here on this topic but I will tell you my experience with my '38 flathead. I have had is since about 1972. Engine was just worn out when Grandpa gave it to me. Dad bought a running engine for $50 and put it in. I...

Yes to the copper/nickel alloy. I had no luck at auto parts stores but found it at a Parker store that makes hydraulic hoses, fire hoses, etc. Its called Royal Brass here. And yes to a decent flaring tool. Mines not harbor freight but its not very good.

Oh OK. So how did it work with 12V positive ground?

I was thinking about this a bit more and wonder about the generator cutout. Mine was replaced by the generator rebuilder and looks to be potted in so not something that can be opened up. Are these specific to a particular polarity? Are they still a relay or are newer ones solid state? If the...

Years ago I took my shoes and the woven linings I bought to a shop called something Friction for riveting. They are an industrial shop specializing in brakes, clutches, etc. They asked if it would be OK if they used their own lining material instead and I said OK. They also asked me to bring...

Interesting about starters and generators, glad to learn something new!

A couple of thoughts- I didnt know you could easily change the polarization of a generator, thats interesting. Can you do the same with a starter? Seems like it would try to go the wrong way if the current were reversed. And to use original gauges if you just used a voltage regulator you...