spark control lever frozen

emf

emf

Well-known member
I just acquired a nice 1930 Vicky and the spark control lever seems to be frozen in place. Since it has been in storage for awhile, I assume it it due to the bushings having swelled. Do I have to disassemble the column or is there an easier way to remedy this?


Frank
 
if you don't mind making a mess, put a little PB Blaster or 3-1 oil down into the upper bearing and also spray a little on rods at the bottom of the steering column where the springs are. let it soak and re-apply for a while, maybe even 24hrs. see if it moves after that. also take the time to pop the ends off the spark and throttle push rods to give them some oil. a little bit will go a long way. also put a bit of oil on the upper plate around the edge. all the aforementioned places can become stiff and it adds up in a hurry.
 
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Upper plate/bearing are frequently made of zinc, which has a propensity to corrode/age/swell. Part of the rebuilding recommendation for this is to "ream out" the spark and throttle lever shaft holes and bring them back to the standard size.

The lubrication instructions above are a possibility for recovery either short term or longer.

Joe K
 
I don't know how true this is but I have heard from more than one source that WD49 causes the zinc bushing to swell. I don't use WD40 for anything so I have not experienced this firsthand.
 
I just tried PB Blaster and got it to move half way down the quadrant. I'll work on it some more. This is a nice running car, but I can tell it's far heavier than my roadster.


Frank
 
Excellent work! work it back and forth easy, don't force it. it will loosen up nicely. on the other hand don't make it so loose it wants to advance itself while driving down the road;)
 
on the other hand don't make it so loose it wants to advance itself while driving down the road;)
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That would be the function of the knurled quadrant, the knife edge of the lever, and the spring at the bottom pulling the rod down into contact with the quadrant.

Wear and time tend to "smooth over" the knurling, or the response of the handle "click."

One rebuild issue tends to reveal others.

Joe K
 
I keep a can of wd-40 in the trunk. It's great as displacing water, if you get the distributor wet it'll fix it Pronto.. otherwise I don't use it for much. Sqeaky hinges maybe
 
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