Re: '53 Super Fastwin......it wants to run. It really does!
Re: '53 Super Fastwin......it wants to run. It really does!
Update...
(sorry for the delay.."Life" got in the way)
So....Saturday I had some free time so I mounted the motor (as above...on a 2x8 spanning the door), disconnected the fuel pump (which was plumbed correctly, BTW) and fed the carb directly from a small fuel container positioned above the engine {aka "motorcycle style"}.
I pulled the rope until it was clear that "something was wrong" because "nothing was happening". Didn't matter how the knobs were set.....this engine didn't so much as cough.
I had fuel dripping out of the front of the carb's throat (where it joins the silencer), so it's not like fuel wasn't getting into the carb...
Still, I reasoned that the carb had to have a problem, so I removed it from the manifold and took it to my bench for a complete exam.
Clogged passages? Nope
Stuck needle? Nope
Linkage issues? Nope
Needle issues? Nope....although the low-speed needle was worn (even though it sealed just fine). I decided to resurface it (maintaining the correct angle) on a ceramic stone.
In short, there's nothing wrong that I can figure.
Last night....a full 24 hours after all of Saturday's testing.....I wondered "maybe the manifold isn't 'sucking' the gas in...." Is that even possible? (these are not exactly high-tech devices)
To test that notion, I wondered what would happen if I placed a piece of tissue over the 1" manifold opening......maybe if I pulled the rope, I could see if the tissue wanted to get sucked in...as an indicator of whether or not the engine is developing vacuum. Like a wind sock, of sorts.
I didn't do it, mind you...I just thought it. Nevertheless, standing right there, with the engine on it's work rack, no carb installed, no fuel in sight...for no reason other than inexplicable instinct....I pulled the rope.
And the sonofabitch turned over! It only ran for about 1 second, obviously, .......but make no mistake: it started & ran.
Clearly there was residual fuel in the manifold (or gremlins, or poltergeists, or ????)....But it ran! I was so shocked, it took me a moment to realize what had just happened! It ran, just as sure as I'm writing this!
questions for today:
1.) does this mean I can rule out "lack of vacuum"? Or is that still a possibility? And if it's a possibility, where would I look for a failure?
2.) sounds like a carb issue, right? But if I have manifold vacuum AND gas in the carb [there's enough in the carb to actually leak out the front], I should get it to at least start, no? Maybe not run well.....but kick over, most assuredly. Right?
I'm missing something dumb. I'm open to any meaningful suggestion...
EDIT: there's something else that might be worthy of knowing: this engine came out of service in the early 70's because the boat on which it was mounted rotted away ('54 14' thompson runabout).
The engine was perfectly functional when removed from service. Yes, it found its way to the mud behind a barn where it languished for 20+ years, but it was never "blown up" never "spum a bearing", never "threw a rod", etc.
There really shouldn't be anything "wrong" with it that a simple rebuild [which I've done] shouldn't fix.
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