Resources for rebuilding Stromberg 81

road_king

road_king

Member
can anyone provide links or publications on rebuilding the Stromberg 81. I have the yellow book on rebuilding the Tillotson and info on the Zeniths but need more info on downdrafts. I have a Winfield head on one of my A's and the Tillotson isn't doing the job. I've got several 81's and a single and dual intake to play with it. I've also got a couple of Stromberg rebuild kits, jets, linkage etc.. but would like a comprehensive guide on rebuild.

Thanks in advance.


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You could send it to a couple different guys here on the fordbarn: Ken Ct, Charlie NY, Uncle Max.

Red
 
Reds34 said:
You could send it to a couple different guys here on the fordbarn: Ken Ct, Charlie NY, Uncle Max.

Red
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Ive emailed Uncle Max a few times and got a quote and I know they will look great, but I think I'll do a couple myself to save on the Benjamins.
 
road_king said:
Ive emailed Uncle Max a few times and got a quote and I know they will look great, but I think I'll do a couple myself to save on the Benjamins.
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Ok, if you've determined to do them yourself, ask Max to sell you the proper tools to do the job. Max will know which tools you need. There are a couple grades of tools. Don't buy the cheap stuff as you will regret such purchase. Soak stuff prior to attempt disassembly. Work slowly/deliberately on each step. Being in a hurry to take apart a carb as old as an 81 will cause misery if you strip threads and/or chew the heads off of jets, etc.. Even after soaking, you will find that some removable parts seem impossible to remove. Once loosening starts...go back/forth on threads because to hurry will destroy threads if gulling ocurrs (from oxidation/crud). Some uncovered passages will seem to be plugged solid with crud...because they are:D ! When you have everything apart, place a piece of 400 grit or so on a flat glass..and carefully level the mateing surfaces...so the gaskets will preventing leaks. Don't get carried away..the shining pot metal surfaces will tell you when flat...when to STOP! Pot metal is fairly soft , so be slow/careful. Max can sell you good/correct pump and jets. But, if you are careful/skilled you can reuse also. If you have resource to bead blast, you are lucky. After cleaning, EASTWOOD sells a carb paint that is a good product that I use. Good luck and if you have a spare 81..not going to use let me know:) !
BTW- If Q occurrs to you...mabe I can help..PM
 
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Thanks hardtimes, I've got the stromberg wrench, slotted screwdriver and such. I guess I need specs on drilling out passage ways and correct diameter for clean out. I've worked on one this week and soaked, and re-soaked and soda blasted the outside and it looks great. Now I want to make sure I get all the internals equally clean (what matters) before proceeding with new internals. Thanks
 
road_king said:
Thanks hardtimes, I've got the stromberg wrench, slotted screwdriver and such. I guess I need specs on drilling out passage ways and correct diameter for clean out. I've worked on one this week and soaked, and re-soaked and soda blasted the outside and it looks great. Now I want to make sure I get all the internals equally clean (what matters) before proceeding with new internals. Thanks
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Hmm, well carb 'experts' will get a chuckle out of my work, most likely, but I guess that I got lucky...twice;). I did what you're doing, i.e.- self help on two 81s pictured. They ran perfect from start up to present (about 1000mi). Where I found the most crud/plugged area, was in the bottom of the pump well and below that jet. I have one 'modern' piece of equipment (air comp) that I used extensively to ensure that air was freely passing thru all passages. Ignorance is bliss, they say, and hard work pays off sometimes. Mine did:) Added a few new/different parts and all is good.
I've found that , in the past, guys like to use what was available ..mix/match. So I've found wrong base on 81. You might want to check for correct EE 7/8. I prefer D base vs crowfoot. Extra thick/improved gasket set is available and that's what I'd use. Hey, I've learned a lot by just doing and very satisfying also. I also did not stumble into this. I spoke with a number of carb guys and studied diagrams, etc... Next one I do will be better/better! Some of youse experts..look out:D
I'm showing you the look of Eastwood finish on the two that I'm currently running..fyi.
 

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From a V-8 club group:
http://www.norgv8club.org/norg/inde...rs-and-tech-tips/category/9-service-bulletins

That section has both the how-it-works and the rebuild sections from the 1938 Service bulletins.
Some of the gauging stuff has no dimensional info, but that can be found or derived.
Clean, clean, clean.
Max has tools and advice, and of course can do it all better than normal human beigs can but is tolerant and helpful!
The new Stromberg outfit has very nice and complete parts selection.
I posted simple tooling for extracting the tubes on the HAMB.
Likeliest wear point is throttle shaft...new shaft and bushings are available from Max/Stromberg.
When done, set up and tune with no aircleaner, THEN add the cleaner and see if everything still works. Many of the tiny hotrod air cleaners are very restrictive and you don't want to let that confuse your setup.
 
hardtimes said:
Hmm, well carb 'experts' will get a chuckle out of my work, most likely, but I guess that I got lucky...twice;). I did what you're doing, i.e.- self help on two 81s pictured. They ran perfect from start up to present (about 1000mi). Where I found the most crud/plugged area, was in the bottom of the pump well and below that jet. I have one 'modern' piece of equipment (air comp) that I used extensively to ensure that air was freely passing thru all passages. Ignorance is bliss, they say, and hard work pays off sometimes. Mine did:) Added a few new/different parts and all is good.
I've found that , in the past, guys like to use what was available ..mix/match. So I've found wrong base on 81. You might want to check for correct EE 7/8. I prefer D base vs crowfoot. Extra thick/improved gasket set is available and that's what I'd use. Hey, I've learned a lot by just doing and very satisfying also. I also did not stumble into this. I spoke with a number of carb guys and studied diagrams, etc... Next one I do will be better/better! Some of youse experts..look out:D
I'm showing you the look of Eastwood finish on the two that I'm currently running..fyi.
Click to expand...


Thank you, those look great! Like you, I'm hands on.. which is why I like the hobby more than anything. I love working on things and trying to improve them. The ones I have are on the EE 7/8 base and I ordered the same intake as you I believe. Got the "Equalizer" from Charlie Yapp and will be trying it out. Guess Ill keep plugging ( or unplugging:)) along on these!!
 
Bruce Lancaster said:
From a V-8 club group:
http://www.norgv8club.org/norg/inde...rs-and-tech-tips/category/9-service-bulletins

That section has both the how-it-works and the rebuild sections from the 1938 Service bulletins.
Some of the gauging stuff has no dimensional info, but that can be found or derived.
Clean, clean, clean.
Max has tools and advice, and of course can do it all better than normal human beigs can but is tolerant and helpful!
The new Stromberg outfit has very nice and complete parts selection.
I posted simple tooling for extracting the tubes on the HAMB.
Likeliest wear point is throttle shaft...new shaft and bushings are available from Max/Stromberg.
When done, set up and tune with no aircleaner, THEN add the cleaner and see if everything still works. Many of the tiny hotrod air cleaners are very restrictive and you don't want to let that confuse your setup.
Click to expand...


Thanks Bruce, I've read many of your post on the HAMB and have gathered great info from you regarding carburetors in general. I guess the only thing I don't have is a pack of new plugs because I've hesitated on drilling the old out. I've been buying new genuine Stromberg parts and have several nice carbs to finish. Thanks again.
 
What are you drilling??? There are three little plugs in the main casting for access to passages involving pump tubes and area beneath the power valve, but I don't remove those (I would if I encountered a blockage) and I think few do. Clean clean clean...carb cleaner for petrol based crud, a brief soak in vinegar for white zinc corrosion, detergent for the dusty mineral stuff sometimes left after crud and corrosion are dissolved. If a strong shot of spray carb cleaner seems to blast strongly out through pump tubes I'm happy.
Max sells a neat fitting to apply compressed air through PV hole, which helps blow out those areas. I don't have one of those Flash Gordon eeelectrical compressors, so I converted mine with a Schrader fitting and a '35 Ford OEM tire pump.
That is about the only hard spaces in a Stromberg...with main tubes out you can pretty much see everything except the feed into pump tubes. The straight, accessible passages are what allowed these things to be hogged out for alcohol and Nitromethane!
By the way, I bought a little can of .177 lead BB's and a bigger set as well from Gun place. I suspect the .177 is close to the staked plug. If not, I would simply drill a shallow hole of approx size in a piece of wood, melt an old tire weight, and pour a bit of lead into the hole to mold a custom plug. Detais of shape matter little as it is basically beaten into the available space.
 
thought you would have to remove the lead plugs to get to all the passages and replace them with new ones like on the Tillotson. Glad to know I can just continue what I'm doing and follow your guidelines. thanks again
 
The only thing that I don't like about this (riley) dual intake, is that the carbs are really CLOSE to each other. Notice that the rear air/fuel mixture screws cannot be accessed easily. I can not get my fingers in there at all to hand tune as wanted.
I seem to remember, when young man, that some tool company made a flex tool to handle that type problem with hard to access air/fuel mix screws. Can not remember if that was a pigment of my immagination..or what! I made a jimmyrigged thingy of a (surgical) rubber hose that just goes over the knurled screw head ...that gets the job done, but would rather buy proper flex tool if available. I have other 2x2 (zepher) that have wider carb locations, but like the looks of this equalizer...and its' built in 'mixing plenum' design.
 
hardtimes: Not a figment of your imagination. I remember them also. Not sure where you would get one today.
Paul in CT
 
1931 flamingo said:
hardtimes: Not a figment of your imagination. I remember them also. Not sure where you would get one today.
Paul in CT
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Paul,
Thanks, I think that I'll ask about such tool over on the early V8 side, as they use many more 2x2 and three 2 setups and may know!
 
JC Whitney! An aftermarket item that has been gone from the catalogs for a long time. It was available in models for EE Strombergs and 94 Ford carbs.
The idle mix screws had a short length of flexible cable (like speedometer cable) attached to them concentrically, running up to a simple bracket attached to carb by the air-horn to main body screws. The cables were topped with knurled knobs for easy adjusting. I suspect it would be easier to make a set than to find any...
A speedo cable and some small brass knobs from the lighting parts cabinet at the hardware perhaps...
If you just want utility while sorting the thing out, just press a short piece of small rubber hose onto each screw head.
 
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