Nathan Plemons

Alright guys, I had the day off so I figured I'd see if I could get my dad's truck running. It's a 1946 Chevrolet with a 1961 235 I-6 with a 1bbl carb. Unfortunately my dad doesn't have time to drive it so it tends to sit for extended periods of time. I knew the battery was dead and would not charge up so I started there.

I got a new battery (6-volt) and charged it for a few hours to make sure it was fully topped off before I even started. Typically what happens with the truck is that if it sits for a long time the fuel evaporates out of the carb and the 6-volt battery can't spin the engine fast enough to pump any up top. This can result in sucking the battery down before it fires. A little bit of starting fluid is usually all it takes. It runs for just a few seconds on the fluid but it's long enough to fill up the carb and she's off and running.

Not so much this time. The new battery spins it just fine and it'll fire either via starting fluid or gas right down the carb. Trouble is as soon as that is burned, it's done. I can look down the carb and I do not see any fuel squirt down the throat when I actuate the throttle.

This makes me think I've got a few possibilities

1. No gas, maybe it's so low that it can't pump any up to the carb.
2. Bad fuel pump
3. Problem with the carb itself

I guess one other option is that maybe the carb is working and I'm just not seeing it. This leaves me with the possibility that the gas in it is so old that maybe it just won't burn. I'd bet it's every bit of 4 years old.

I didn't completely drain the battery but I figured I'd give it and the starter a rest. I'm going to go fill up a 5 gallon can with some fresh gas and pour that in the tank. I don't suppose anybody knows of a way to check for fuel in the carb without taking it apart? Any other ideas?

I know I've got spark, air, and compression. This only leaves fuel. Any other ideas?

Nathan Plemons

I dumped about 4 gallons of fresh fuel in the tank, no change. I took the fuel line off the carb and turned it up into a jug and cranked on it, so far so good with the fuel.

I really didn't want to take the carb apart without a gasket kit but I figured I might as well, lest I need a full rebuild kit. I pulled the top off and sure enough the bowl was damn near bone dry. I looked at the float and found that the needle was stuck closed. I took the float off and cleaned out the needle and got it working freely again. I dumped some gas into the bowl and verified that I actually had gas with the throttle.

The gasket actually didn't rip so I figured what the hell. I put it all back together and wouldn't you know it fired the first time!

The inside of the carb was actually very clean. It has been a lot of years but really not that many miles since it was taken apart and gone through. Tomorrow it's supposed to be sunny so I'm gonna try and get it out and fix the leaking wheel cylinder and change the oil while I'm at it. Then I'm gonna drive the stupid thing to burn out some of this old crappy gas and put some fuel stabilizer in it this go round.

Then I'm gonna make it a point to get over here and drive it at least once a month, once a week would be better.

If I liked beer, it would be that time. Guess I'll just settle for a coke.

Dave68

Good troubleshooting job! You should always throw a bottle of fuel stabilizer in the tank if the engine won't be run for more than a few months. Of course, I'm sure you know that, now.

Nathan Plemons

Yeah I knew that before, it just kinda got forgotten about. Was never intendex to sit that long, life just got in the way.

This morning I need oil, brake fluid, really needs tires but who knows if I can convince dad to stroke the check for that.

Nathan Plemons

So this weekend I headed over there with new wheel cylinders and everything I would need to do an oil change and a big bottle of fuel stabilizer.

We got the rear wheel cylinders replaced with no major problems at all. Both were leaking to some extent, the left side way more than the right. We moved up front and that's when the problems started.

Replacing the wheel cylinder on the passenger side was no problem, but we noticed that the brake hose wasn't in real good shape. The driver's side brake hose was OK but we couldn't get the drum off and couldn't get the adjusters to back off either! While fighting the drum we remembered that the last time he drove it over a year ago he heard that return spring break and the wheel started dragging really bad.

We finally beat the drum off and sure enough the spring fell out on the floor. This hose is in OK shape but if we're gonna replace one, might as well replace both. With less than high hopes we went to the parts store.

To our surprise we were actually able to find brake hoses. They looked right, come to find out they were ever so slightly too small on the hard line end and won't work . Nobody has or can get springs. Best we can hope for is to match up something that will work.

I have what is hopefully the proper hose ordered from NAPA. It should arrive tomorrow and we're going to try and match up some springs. If we can't find something that will work then we'll just order them online as we have found them.

The absolute joys of working on old stuff!

Dave68

Those with little to no patience need not apply!
It looks like you and your dad have plenty.

Nathan Plemons

It's been sitting for a year, what's a few more days?

The really annoying part is that it's in the weather now. Normally it's in the garage. We didn't really feel like slapping it all back together just to move it back inside. It's been wet before, but it's the principle. On the plus side it gives my dad a great opportunity to clean out the garage.

68ragtop69

This website may help you in your endeavors!! http://www.chevsofthe40s.com/detail/...RINGS_AND.html

Post some pics of the truck when you get a chance!!

Nathan Plemons

Yeah, found that site. There are a few really good places to get stuff online, just kinda frustrating when you're trying to get something done on your day off ya know?

Dad completely overhauled the brakes ~20 years ago. In that time it probably doesn't have 10k miles on it so the drums and shoes are in great shape.

Hopefully NAPA can find me a spring that works tomorrow. If not I'll have to order them. Our next biggest hurdle is tires. Years ago for whatever reason the thing to do was to go from the 600-16's to a set of 15's. It currently has bias ply 215/75/15's on it. Nobody has these either. They can be had online from Coker tire but getting my dad to spend $1000 for a set of tires for something that is rarely driven is gonna be a tough sell.

It really needs to have the 600-16's back on it, and those too can be had from Coker tire, but dad doesn't have the 16" wheels anymore. Looks like the wheels would be as much or more than the tires, an ever tougher sell.

So it's probably gonna end up with a set of radials on it. Anything is better than the dry rotted tires on it currently. The front pair are ~25 years old and the rears are probably 30+.

The truck is far from original, I just wanna be able to drive it!

I'll dig up some pictures when I get home. I've got some but not on my work computer.

Nathan Plemons

The pics you requested





Ok, NAPA was able to get me the brake hoses I needed. They were able to order some return springs that should work, will be here tomorrow.

I've got all the new wheel cylinders and hoses installed. Tomorrow I should be able to install the return spring, adjust the shoes, pack the wheel bearing and button it back up. Then all I should have to do is get my dad to help me bleed the brakes tomorrow evening and they'll be done.

I got the oil changed. According to our records the oil that was in it only had 900 miles on it, in 5 years

I need to hit all the grease fittings while it's up in the air, it's MUCH easier to do when there is no weight on the suspension. Then a few drops of oil for the starter and generator and it will be ready to drive... right up until the tires explode.

There's nothing wrong with running on 25-35 year old dry rotted tires is there? Once it's mobile I'm gonna push hard for him to get some new tires on it.

Dave68

So that's why I occasionally read about 60 something year-old drivers getting killed in a rollover after a tire blew - super old tires!

Seriously, don't let him drive over 40 MPH on those things!

The truck looks great, otherwise.

68ragtop69

The truck looks great!! If it was me, I would go with radials anyway...the drive is so much better!!! That is the way I want to go with my 68 as well!!

Cool looking truck!! My dad has a 36' Ford powered by a 383 Chevy stroker!! I really like those old trucks!!!

Nathan Plemons

I got some springs on Friday that worked. I put it all back together and then all I had to do was bleed the brakes, no problem, just easily bleed the brakes.......

The master cylinder is conveniently located under the floorboard with little access hole. It's a cast iron piece with a cast iron cap. 13/16" socket won't fit it so I go for 7/8" Appears to fit but when I actually try to loosen the cap it just slips and rounds the edges of the nut

Since I don't have a 27/32" socket and didn't think my odds of actually finding one would be good, I tried several other things without any luck. Eventually I ended up removing the master cylinder completely. With it mounted solidly in a vice it should come right off right? Wrong. No wrench fits it tight enough and channel locks just want to strip the metal way, adjustable wrench won't get tight enough.

I figured what the hell, if I have to get a new master cylinder it'll come with a new cap, so I grabbed a file. I filed down the straight sides of the nut slowly until I could get a 13/16" to start to go on it. I took a 13/16" impact socket, placed it over the nut, and smacked it with a hammer. Now it's on there secure I grabbed an impact gun and wouldn't you know it backed the cap right off.

Of course my socket was now stuck on the cap. I used a punch and hammer to remove this. Once this was done I carefully filed it down a little bit more until a 13/16" actually fits it quite well. I made sure not to put the cap on extremely tight this time. I flushed some garbage out of the master cylinder while I had it on the bench and then re-installed it. I bled the brakes and tried it.........

IT WORKS! The truck will move, and STOP, under it's own power! Now that the brakes have been cycled a few times and everything is centered up I need to re-visit the adjustment for each wheel. The parking brake has never been great but it's doing nothing right now so I know there is a little more tweaking needed, but that's minor at this point!

Weather is supposed to be clear tomorrow so I'm gonna drive it to work (slowly). Now that it's mobile I'm gonna push for tires. With any luck I'll get them in the works this week.

Nathan Plemons

Alright, tires are ordered, should be here tomorrow or Thursday!

I drove it to work this morning, albeit SLOWLY. I'm just waiting for the office chatter to start trying to figure out who has the old truck.

Nathan Plemons

Today was new tire day!




That truck has never driven so good, at least not as long as I've been driving it. In all fairness though since I've never driven on NEW bias plies it's hard to say if it's the radials the make the difference or just the fact that they're new.

I think I need to tweak the brake adjustment slightly now that everything has been run and centered up to see if I can coax a little higher pedal out of it. Otherwise now I just need to pick up some new cosmetic items.