The Jelly Curse

[bc.gold 3,403]

Ethanol is a recent additive to fuel but a cure to the jelly problem could be just around the corner.

 

Moisture from the air is attracted to the ethanol, the moisture / alcohol combination reacts with the zinc die cast metals used to manufacture the carburetor. Nothing new here ya all knew that.

 

But wait there's a cure for the jelly curse, reverse engineer a die cast body to obtain a pattern, then cast the new carburetor body in brass or cast iron. Both metals of which are easily machined.

Needle valves, butterfly and throttle shafts all off the self parts, we just need a body that will not react with ethanol.

 

Lost wax casting gives an excellent finish and its very forgivable on pattern design when it comes to draft and relief.

 

With the combined talent along with the equipment owned by various members we could pull this project off.

 

I have a 15KVA induction furnace capable of doing 5 pound brass melts.

 

Thoughts.

[Stepney 2,325]

I'm not quite sure if I'm following this correctly.

But if I am, not to bust any bubbles.. but I own a number of 100+ year old engines, and those brass/iron carbs will gel up just as bad as anything else. And they definitely are attacked by the new fuel if let to sit long enough .. made that mistake already on an iron Fairmont mixer. 3 years sitting left it severely corroded. Had been spotless before

[bc.gold 3,403]

No you haven't read the post wrong. I failed to do my research.

 

PTFE aka Teflon the wonder coating impervious to chemical attack maybe applied to the surface of metals.

 

 

Edited January 31, 2020 by bcgold

[WVHillbilly520H 10,373]

10 hours ago, bcgold said:

No you haven't read the post wrong. I failed to do my research.

 

PTFE aka Teflon the wonder coating impervious to chemical attack maybe applied to the surface of metals.

 

 

At another facility I worked at many moons ago I was the lead set-up person for using DuPont Teflon coating inside asthma inhaler cans to reduce 1) size of said cans 2) to quit using propellant packs 3) and to use an inert pressurized gas that would mix with the medicine and not react to the aluminium... Yep Teflon is the wonder coating.

[c-series don 8,666]

So should we Teflon spray the inside of the fuel bowl ? Won’t gas eat away at the Teflon?

[WVHillbilly520H 10,373]

30 minutes ago, c-series don said:

So should we Teflon spray the inside of the fuel bowl ? Won’t gas eat away at the Teflon?

The Teflon I was spraying in those inhaler cans had to to be "baked" on then "acid" checked for coverage and adhesion... It was not anything like the white thread tapes (you can get yellow fuel resistant thread tape) but very much like Teflon coated cookware.

[bc.gold 3,403]

31 minutes ago, WVHillbilly520H said:

The Teflon I was spraying in those inhaler cans had to to be "baked" on then "acid" checked for coverage and adhesion... It was not anything like the white thread tapes (you can get yellow fuel resistant thread tape) but very much like Teflon coated cookware.

 

I would think that the PTFE coating is thin enough that even the screws, needle valve , throttle shaft etc. could all be covered with a protective teflon coating.

 

Edited January 31, 2020 by bcgold

[WVHillbilly520H 10,373]

21 minutes ago, bcgold said:

 

I would think that the PTFE coating is thin enough that even the screws, needle valve , throttle shaft etc. could all be covered with a protective teflon coating.

 

That's funny you should post this particular carburetor as I have that exact series on my street rod 

[bc.gold 3,403]

WWII, 1942 M5 3kw generator mfg by Hobart, Hercules four cylinder engine, updraft carburetor all brass. While at the mill getting a load of sawdust for my mushrooms, $50.00 I own it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[bc.gold 3,403]

Hobart has a few surprises, four brand new head gaskets and a mouse chewed radiator hose. Apparently the Hercules ZXB was used in a couple of tractors and found use as a marine engine.

 

The fuel cap will be retrofitted onto my Alice Chalmers 720 fuel tank.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 14, 2020 by bcgold

[tom2p 2,394]

wow is that sweet !

 

 

[bc.gold 3,403]

The Hobart engine is not seized, has some electrical issues related to the starter. I've decided to part it out, some of the instrumentation will be used on my 15KW Petter generator.

 

There's eight of these old style hood latches that will come in handy.

 

 

 

[bc.gold 3,403]

Thought this armature to engine coupling was interesting, very similar to a rag joint used on older vehicle steering columns.

 

Extended rubber plugs double duty as guide pins.

 

 

[bc.gold 3,403]

Below the goodies  that I wanted from the Hobart, the reed style hertz meter and the variable rheostat.

 

If the hertz is above or below 60 Hz this tells me the engine rpm is either to low or high, my Petter 15 kw generator is not currently equipped with a meter.

 

 

Edited April 17, 2020 by bcgold

[bc.gold 3,403]

During the war years brass would have been considered essential so it kinda surprises they used this metal for the identification tag.

 

People actually collect tags, Pat found a McLaughlin sleigh tag on a piece of rotted wood, the remnants of an old horse drawn sleigh. She had coveted that tag for several years hidden inside her jewelry box, then one evening she listed it on eBay.

 

Much to her surprise it sold for $205.00.

 

 

 

[bc.gold 3,403]

9 hours ago, bcgold said:

During the war years brass would have been considered essential so it kinda surprises they used this metal for the identification tag.

 

People actually collect tags, Pat found a McLaughlin sleigh tag on a piece of rotted wood, the remnants of an old horse drawn sleigh. She had coveted that tag for several years hidden inside her jewelry box, then one evening she listed it on eBay.

 

Much to her surprise it sold for $205.00.

 

 

 

This video will give you an idea of how they acid etched the Hobart identification tag.

 

For larger projects you can use your wife's iron

 

 

Edited April 18, 2020 by bcgold