carburetor choice

[davidmij]

Oh, Ok. I find TDC by turning the crank with a wrench and holding a piece of rigid wire in the plug hole. You can feel a point where it just sits as it goes from up to down. At that point I need to check where my timing degree indicators are, 0, 10, 20, and 30 degrees.

I installed a tachometer today - when I fire up the motor the tac reads the RPM's and moves nice and smooth for about 5-10 seconds, then all of a sudden it starts jumping and twitching. If I rev it the needle doesn't go above 1000. All I can figure is that it's defective.

Dave

[KULTULZ]

Let me see if I can explain this simply and easily. I GOOGLED TDC and got about fifty different methods to go about this.

You want to find true TDC to determine if the timing graduations on the balancer ring are indexed correctly (possible slipped outer ring). I prefer to use a store bought piston stop as these will have a hole to allow compression to escape while you are turning the engine by hand. It is also a good idea to remove all of the spark plugs to make turning easier. Insert the stop tool (#1 cylinder coming to TDC on compression stroke). Gently turn the crank balancer bolt CW (this is all done with BAT connections removed). When it stops (do not force) mark the balancer at the timing pointer with a daub of white paint. Now turn the balancer bolt in opposite direction until piston stops again. Mark the balancer (at timing pointer).

Go into your old lady's sewing box and get her measuring tape... . Measure the distance between the two marked points and the center of this measurement should be TDC on the balancer index. If you actually land on factory OEM TDC, you are home free. If not, suspect a slipped balancer outer ring. Put a daub of white paint at this point and this will become your corrected TDC. If the mark is off, consider having the balancer rebuilt as it will keep moving/slipping.

It is also a good idea if the marks are not at TDC to daub the outer ring and balancer body to see if the outer rings moves in the future. You can also watch these two marks with the timing light and if they seem to move independently of one another, the ring is loose.

Be careful when turning crank CCW so as not to loosen the balancer bolt. If it does loosen, it needs to be re-torqued to spec.

Now this is just a simple in the field method of determining TDC. There are more complicated methods but this method is fine for an OEM street engine (IMO).

Hope that makes sense.

[davidmij]

That's a set of instructions Gary, thanks for posting them!
I'll try to get it done this coming weekend.

Dave J

[KULTULZ]

Parts Source Info

From Another Forum-

57 Ford Kustom

Guys,

I was looking for a kick down arm for my 4100 carb, and was hitting dead ends. I contacted the guy's at www.championmustang.com, and they were the best! They informed me that they have carbs available to "part out" and provided me with the part i needed at a great price! The guy's there exhausted all there resources to make sure that the part would fit my application. There supply of parts is limited to what's on hand at the time, so it may not be listed on their web site, so contact them, and they will help!

Tim

- http://www.championmustang.com/carburetors-c-72.html

[davidmij]

Thx Gary, I found a 4100 in Albuquerque that is in really good shape. The guy who had it said it came with a Mustang he bought years ago but he never put it on. It had a tag from Pony Carbs in Las Cruces NM. I'm gonna buy a kit and rebuild it then keep my old one for parts.
I'm putting in a 3.89 3rd member right now. It's from a 68 pickup. It's exactly like my 59 T-bird one. Only one thing missing - I had to drill a fill hole in it and tap it - there was just a flat spot where the hole should have been.
Time to crawl under and lift that pig into place. It's gonna be an SOB by myself. Not sure what this thing weighs but it ain't light!

Dave J

[KULTULZ]

Do you have a floor jack? Fashion a cradle to hold the asm.

[davidmij]

How funny, that's exactly what I did. I removed the cup and bolted a 2x6 and and screwed small blocks on both sides to steady it. Went pretty smooth.
Here's a picture of where I had to drill and tap a hole for the fill plug.

thx Gary!

[KULTULZ]

Hey!

No THANX needed. You are ahead of the game...