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I had my WCFB rebuilt by Chuck Smith 6-7 years ago.
It's been running perfectly for that time.. so I've never had to "dig in" to it.
But recently (just AFTER my 6000 mile cross-country trip), the car would not start.
It had never done this before.
After checking for spark, it became clear it was a fuel problem.
The throat of the carb looked bone dry.
When I actuated the throttle, I did not get a blast of fuel from the accelerator pump.
I dripped a few drops of gas into it, and it started right up... and seemed to run fine.
I started digging into old threads about this. Found a good one by Frankie about how the screw holding the pump to the shaft can come loose.
So I removed the little cover to inspect... The screw was tight, but the entire shaft was not moving when I opened the throttle.
So besides no accelerator pump, the metering rods weren't moving either!
As I was messing with it to see how it all worked... bang! It just started working.
Now when I open the throttle, that shaft turns... fuel sprays from the jets... and the rods go up and down.
I'm not sure what I did (if anything) that caused this to happen.
So... what is the linkage between the throttle and that shaft? Is something bent or loose?
Thanks much for any ideas.
I had my WCFB rebuilt by Chuck Smith 6-7 years ago.
It's been running perfectly for that time.. so I've never had to "dig in" to it.
But recently (just AFTER my 6000 mile cross-country trip), the car would not start.
It had never done this before.
After checking for spark, it became clear it was a fuel problem.
The throat of the carb looked bone dry.
When I actuated the throttle, I did not get a blast of fuel from the accelerator pump.
I dripped a few drops of gas into it, and it started right up... and seemed to run fine.
I started digging into old threads about this. Found a good one by Frankie about how the screw holding the pump to the shaft can come loose.
So I removed the little cover to inspect... The screw was tight, but the entire shaft was not moving when I opened the throttle.
So besides no accelerator pump, the metering rods weren't moving either!
As I was messing with it to see how it all worked... bang! It just started working.
Now when I open the throttle, that shaft turns... fuel sprays from the jets... and the rods go up and down.
I'm not sure what I did (if anything) that caused this to happen.
So... what is the linkage between the throttle and that shaft? Is something bent or loose?
Thanks much for any ideas.
It could be a few things. The gas today dries up and gets sticky pretty fast and the small moving parts get tough to move like they should. Sometimes you just need to use a spray carb cleaner. It shouldn’t hurt the finishes. Chuck did the carb, don’t hesitate to call him he can still help if it needs a fresh rebuild. If you can’t get in touch with him I’m happy to help. These cars sit a lot and need a stabilizer in the fuel.
It could be a few things. The gas today dries up and gets sticky pretty fast and the small moving parts get tough to move like they should. Sometimes you just need to use a spray carb cleaner. It shouldn’t hurt the finishes. Chuck did the carb, don’t hesitate to call him he can still help if it needs a fresh rebuild. If you can’t get in touch with him I’m happy to help. These cars sit a lot and need a stabilizer in the fuel.
All true re the stabilizer, but in this case, Fred's car hasn't been sitting. His 61 just finished a 6000+ mile trip to Carlisle from San Diego that included a spirited run of the Tail of the Dragon. His final leg of the trip was 1100+ miles in one day from Amarillo, Tx to San Diego. I call him Iron Bottom Fred.
Still trying to sort this out.. The problem seems to "come and go".
When I mess around with the linkage, it starts to operate correctly.
But when it's stuck, it's really stuck..
I shot this video to show the action I'm describing.. this is working normally:
When it's stuck, the throttles open, but the rod does not turn.. so the metering rods don't move, and the accelerator pump does nothing.
I read through the WCFB service guide that Bob kindly posted above. I performed the pump adjustment and metering rod adjustment described on pages 57-59.
The metering rods were slightly out of adjustment.. but I find it hard to believe that was creating the hard stop.
I found this description on "Mike's Carb Parts" website:
Squirters are not working.
They work fine when I push hard down on the piston. Piston force is too much for linkage.
There may be a blockage in the accelerator pump circuit which would also make it hard to pump.
What is the carburetor number so we can make sure you have the correct pump?
Polish the pump well with crocus cloth. Ethanol gas does not have much if any lubrication. Run a blunt object around the inside of the leather cup to make sure any coating is broken. Some have a coating to give it a better shelf life.
But I don't see how this would be intermittent.. or how it would be so stuck that I can't even turn it with plyers one minute, and it's fine the next.
So unless any of you guys havy any bright ideas, I guess I'll wait and see if the minor adjustment may have cured the problem.
the choke system (e.g. the piston) will not affect the accel pump arm moving. Assuming you don't have a bent metering rod
or bunged up floor jet then the throttle plates hanging up on a gasket or manifold are the most likely culprits.
(note): I hope the tiny screws that hold that guy’s throttle plate on haven’t come loose. If they fall down the intake its bad news. I Lok-Tite them and peen the ends over on a rebuild.
Wow - Frankie speaking from beyond the forum... Thanks Ratdog! And thanks Frankie, wherever you are.
I guess I'll have to bite the bullet and remove the carb from the motor to inspect more carefully.
They definitely ARE decoupled when the pump/rods get stuck... then they work together when they are free.
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WCFB help needed
