I’ve been chasing a terribly poor idle and focusing on my Zenith 10920 carb to be the cause. Now I just completely rebuilt the carb again with a new kit from carbking. This time I bought the 2 Zenith check valve removal and installation tools so I could replace them as well. With the carb completely disassembled including the checks and ball, I soaked the works in a gallon carb cleaner for 3 days before rinsing, running a thin wire through every passage then thoroughly blowing out everything with compressed air. Then I soaked again for 24 hours and repeated. This carb is now cleaner than a new baby bottle with new parts installed with the proper tools.
Meanwhile each time I’ve cleaned the carb I fall back 2 steps or more.
I think I’ve been chasing a red herring. I’ve gone from a terrible idle to nothing. Don’t want to run at all. It tries to start but sounds like what you might expect if the spark plug wires were out of order (they are not!)
Now to the point, with distributor cap off I can rotate the rotor a few degrees CW by hand and feel spring tension. When I let go it moves back CCW to a stop. However I can then turn it slightly more CCW and it stops there. With a slight turn back CW to the initial stop it will stay there but I can hear a click when moving it there.
Is there a bonafide expert reading this who can tell me this is abnormal, or can someone do me the immense favor of removing you distributor cap to check and see if it does this same thing?
Unfortunately I don't have a parts diagram of a 228 distributor for show-n-tell.
Buoymaker: Picture is from '53 GMC Master Parts Book. Same distributor parts from '39 thru '53.
'57 GMC 102, Original 347 V8, HydraMatic, 3.08 rear gear, added A/C, disk front brakes, HEI, AFB carb, '98 Honda Black Currant paint. T-boned and totaled 10/12 '52 GMC 152 Stake Bed, Original 228, SM420, added A/C, HEI, disk front brakes, '67 Chev 3.55 rear gear. Gets used as a real truck.
Verify your condenser is working. If you have a spare, even a used one, put it on and see if there is any change at all. Don't assume that because a part is brand new that it can't be the source of a problem.
What sort of spark are you getting? Is the center dizzy wire from the coil making a good spark? Plugs sparking?
Check the primary wire to the dizzy. I had a frayed one on another car and appeared fine. When I started poking around the wire broke off of the ring terminal at the points.
1950 Chevrolet 3100 (Ol' Roy)
1939 Packard Standard Eight Coupe (The Phantom) | 1956 Cadillac Coupe de Ville (The Bismarck) | 1964 Ford Galaxie 500 coupe |1966 Ford Mustang (Little Red) | 1969 Pontiac GTO (The Dishpit) I 1979 Ford F-100 | 1976 Ford F-150 (Big Red) | 1995 Ford F-150 (Newt)
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt! There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt! There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
1939 Packard Standard Eight Coupe (The Phantom) | 1956 Cadillac Coupe de Ville (The Bismarck) | 1964 Ford Galaxie 500 coupe |1966 Ford Mustang (Little Red) | 1969 Pontiac GTO (The Dishpit) I 1979 Ford F-100 | 1976 Ford F-150 (Big Red) | 1995 Ford F-150 (Newt)
Phil Moderator, The Engine Shop, Interiors and Project Journals
1952 Chevrolet 3100, Three on the Tree, 4:11 torque tube Updated to: ‘59 235 w/hydraulic lifters, 12v w/alternator, HEI, PCV and Power front Disc Brakes Project Journals Stovebolt Gallery Forum
