30 Zenith Carb

Quigley loaned me a transparent dist cap - I shall focus on ignition today and let you know the results. Thanks for all the guidance ---- cheers
 
William Kelchner said:
Quigley loaned me a transparent dist cap - I shall focus on ignition today and let you know the results. Thanks for all the guidance ---- cheers
Click to expand...

A clear top was the best little thing I added to my car.. being a newbie, it helps


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X18Yv6-1rso

When I had bum condenser --you can see the larger than normal arcing at the points...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DX_P-pLC04w

Once you have a clear top, take a looks and I'd frankly keep it on.. you'll learn what the proper size of the cap sparks are and those a the points... if you see things abnormal, once you get a feel, you might be able to resolve it faster...
 
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Thanks for the reply. Checked voltages and it is good everywhere. Tomorrow I am bypassing the fuel system and going directly into the carb and see what happens. Cheers

Bill K
 
I think Bunny C has good advice. Check the intake gaskets and nuts. I had a problem years ago where the engine would idle and go a short distance just fine and then would crap out. Once it cooled down I could go a bit farther again. Turned out it was a lose intake manifold nuts.
Bill
 
Does anyone have a link to how to fabricate a DIRTY LEG fuel valve with the specs? Quigley made a house call and we had the thing running on a external tank today. Thanks


Bill K
 
Thanks much I just removed the shut off valve and the
little pencil filter that rests on top and it was all clean
as a whistle :confused: Cheers

Bill K
 
Have you checked the gas I had a very similar problem ansd it turned out to be the gas. Drained it out put in new gas and it's over a year now it's been fine
 
Thanks for the suggestions, going to take it out and see what happens. It was running normal yesterday (static) but it has done this before, suck me way from the house and let me sit :confused: We checked everything up and down. Thanks
 
float valve sticking?
run some MMO in the tank 4oz per tankful
modern 'fuel' very dry, dries out rubber, neoprene, viton, etc

good for valves, too

if you get stuck take large handled plastic screwdriver with you, and rap on carb with plastic end, will sometimes (often) free up a stuck float valve
 
Who rebuilds these Zenith carbs ??

We tried everything under the sun except for the right thing obviously :confused:

I guess I will donate the car to an automotive tech school. The school can use it for the final exam. Get the thing running normal and you pass with flying colors...:) Oh, don't forget to notify the two older gentlemen what it was.......you all have a nice weekend.

Cheers
Bill K
 
Since nobody local can seem to help you out,,, Get it up to me .. I'm not that far...

I can get it with my enclosed but that's a two way trip and time
 
go get it, Mitch....

if two diff carbs do the exact same thing, ie run for 1.5 min then shut down, then can both carbs be built identically wrong?

There is a clog in the line somewhere.
Fuel line hitting the back of the carb because it is pushed too far into the ferrule?

Remove all lines and using blowgun clean'em out good.
Be certain there is not a stackup of filters....you only need ONE.
reinstall lines. Leave carb end off. Put carb end into container, open tank valve, let a full gallon flow thru and observe, with gas cap off.
If this works, do it again with gas cap on, observe.

You said you got it to run with an external tank!!!!! What does this tell you about your on board fuel system??!! There is something wrong there, so why now blame the carbs

and BTW an automotive tech school will have absolutely NO idea how to do anything on that car
 
tbirdtbird said:
go get it, Mitch....

if two diff carbs do the exact same thing, ie run for 1.5 min then shut down, then can both carbs be built identically wrong?

There is a clog in the line somewhere.
Fuel line hitting the back of the carb because it is pushed too far into the ferrule?

Remove all lines and using blowgun clean'em out good.
Be certain there is not a stackup of filters....you only need ONE.
reinstall lines. Leave carb end off. Put carb end into container, open tank valve, let a full gallon flow thru and observe, with gas cap off.
If this works, do it again with gas cap on, observe.

You said you got it to run with an external tank!!!!! What does this tell you about your on board fuel system??!! There is something wrong there, so why now blame the carbs

and BTW an automotive tech school will have absolutely NO idea how to do anything on that car
Click to expand...

You got that right ..they would ruin the car in a New York minute
 
tbirdtbird said:
go get it, Mitch....

if two diff carbs do the exact same thing, ie run for 1.5 min then shut down, then can both carbs be built identically wrong?

There is a clog in the line somewhere.
Fuel line hitting the back of the carb because it is pushed too far into the ferrule?

Remove all lines and using blowgun clean'em out good.
Be certain there is not a stackup of filters....you only need ONE.
reinstall lines. Leave carb end off. Put carb end into container, open tank valve, let a full gallon flow thru and observe, with gas cap off.
If this works, do it again with gas cap on, observe.

You said you got it to run with an external tank!!!!! What does this tell you about your on board fuel system??!! There is something wrong there, so why now blame the carbs

and BTW an automotive tech school will have absolutely NO idea how to do anything on that car
Click to expand...

The two carbs acted different. We replaced my Z with another Z, both were dripping gas. The car would only run for the 1.5 min on the replacement carb, when I put my "rebuilt Z" back on it would not shut off but carry on with the snorting through the carb. The other day Quigely had it running decent but today doing the same thing.

I/We have done the following:

swapped dist's
swapped carb's
new upper plate on my rebuilt orig dist
new condenser
checked every voltage on the car
checked plugs/coil with inline tester/dist sparking well/coil appears good
drained tank fresh straight gas in it
fuel shut off valve and pencil filter removed and were clean
good fuel flow
jiggled everything we could jiggle when it was running the other day
compression all cyls 61 to 65
Quigley threatened it with a large hammer
gas cap vented

I am still convinced the Zenith I bought from one of our vendors several years ago, advertised as rebuilt, is playing a leading role in this drama. I figured this may be the time to send it off to reputable Zenith guru.

Thanks cheers
 
Have your tried spraying starting fluid all around the intake / exhaust manifold when it is running? If the engine speed changes when you do you have an intake manifold leak.
 
Ok tomorrow I shall try the starter fluid while it is running, albeit badly. Then take the Z apart again and get some wire to run through the passages. As far as the dist lower plate we had a clear dist cap on and did not see any obvious intermittent spark. I blew the Z out but if the lower passages are dirty my compressor probably would not blow them clean. Thanks
 
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