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C jB you are a gearhead!

mark
 
I AM NOT!!!!!!!!!!!

((yet))
 
mehheh...I guess you told HER!

May be some coolant gettin' into the cc's but that'd turn the plugs white... Choke malfunction by goin' fat sounds morelike what's described. Or some other carb prob, like a float needle sticking/dirty. Sooty black smoke/tailpipe is an over-rich condition. blue-white is oil, white-white is water/coolant. None of these is good, but runnin' fat is the best of the bunch IMHO. It's "just" a fuel delivery problem, not head gasket/ring job/ valve guides... compression ain't that bad, neither.
 
[ QUOTE ]
I AM NOT!!!!!!!!!!!

((yet))

[/ QUOTE ]
Methinks the woman doth protest too much! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hammer.gif
 
Some good ideas submitted, thanks.

the carb is a zenith water choke. I downloaded the carb file mark suggested and ran the tests. It passed, so I don't think that particular thing is the problem.

I also ordered two repair manuals that'll be here in years, i guess.

the more i think about this problem, i am leaning toward a carb problem as deEntropy suggests. I ran the carb site suggested earlier, but that doesn't seem to be the problem.

While i await the manuals, is there a web site that will give the proceedure to get to the float?

How about gaskets? Will I need a rebuild kit?

any special hints on the carb float unsticking?
 
While you are waiting for you books do some things to make sure that it isn't an ignition problem first. Try some new plugs or at least clean the ones you have with carb cleaner. Check the dizzy cap and look for any buildup on the contacts in the cap or in the rotor. Check the plug wires for leakage (run the car at night and mist water on the plug wires - look for a light show). Points??? - not sure on your application, but if you have them, look at them very carefully. They can pit and corrode which will give you a weak spark. A weak coil can also cause black and sooty plugs. There is a difference between black and sooty and black and oily. If all of these things are good then it won't hurt to rebuild the carb. Pay close attention to the needle as they erode and need to be replaced from time to time. They don't come in a regular rebuild kit so a little recon will make the rebuild go easier if you order everythign you need the first time. However, I think this has gotten a long ways from your original problem of white smoke. I'm willing to bet that new plugs will make a world of difference for you.
JC
 
Be very careful cleaning the plugs. But they're a cheap replacement. When's the last time you changed the plugs?

I thought white (or tannish) in color meant the plugs are operating at the right proper heat range and jetting properly? Now I'm confused. Is there any builduup on the back of the intake valves? (gawd I'm scaring myself) I still thought oily plugs were an indication of an oil leak somewhere, like valves, piston rings? I remember that from waaaaaaaaaay back with my '66 'stang.

Are you still having the white smoke issue, or was that a 'one time' thing?
 
Don't be confused JB you have it right. A properly tuned engine should reveal tannish looking plugs. I think the tan color comes from the impurities and additives in the gas. Black plugs can be read two different ways. If they have a powdery buildup on them then it is probably a rich condition, or the engine has idled for an extensive period of time while gunky buildup that looks more clumpy is usually from oil fouling. BTW, I've known all along that you truely were a motorhead in sheep's clothing...lol
JC
 
Plug colour should be "Cadbury Light Chocolate" (for Jaybird) if running normally. Wet plugs with black can be "fat" (rich mixture) if the plugs are yanked soon after running. "Oily" black is "contra-indicated" by the compression numbers... Rings are likely ruled out. Smelling the plugs will likely turn up a definite petrol odor... (tasteing them will simply turn yer stomach!) I'm still leanin' toward the carb in this instance. Too sudden an occurance to go anywhere else.

Again: Just me hapney's worth. Damned Zenith's. Whot's so WRONG with SU's?!?!?
 
this is fun even for an old guy with problems. i could take this to a shop, but what fun would that be? Besides it'd be hard to find one in my area. if i give up, i'll ask for suggestions.

i bought new plugs at autozone. got bosch. hope that won't offend the english purists out there. I gapped them at a tight .025 I used a feeler guage, so maybe the gaps are too tight. WSent for a spin, still no power, but NO SMOKE!!

I pulled the # one plug and it was black on the tip. When all is cool, I'll pull the others and check my gapping on each one. Might be ignition after all.

Keep the ideas coming, please.
 
Sorry Doc. I hate chocolate!
 
[ QUOTE ]
check your timing - a zenith with the choke on wont idle for crap.

[/ QUOTE ]

is that across the board, or is it just with your car? When I first got my 'B (1976 model year) it seemed to idle ok with full choke, but the car was set way too rich all the way around (black smoke at idle even without choke). Since I've rebuilt it, the car will start ok with full choke (manual choke conversion on my ZS) but the idle will deteriorate into very crappy idle in under a minute. From there I normally feather the choke until the car will hold a smooth 1300 RPMs. After that I fully release the choke one the temp guage registers enough to go past "C".

I've been thinking about picking up one of the (NOS) ZS carbs that I see on eBay a lot in order to restore original choke functionality, and hopefully fix a couple of minor things that have been bugging me lately. But if it's just going to idle just the same with a stock setup... i might just forget about it.
 
you say that it seems like its not hitting on all the cylanders... heres how you check that... Run the car to temperature, and then drive around the block with your spark plug wrench in the car. As soon as it seems like its not hitting, turn the key off and pull over. Now check ALL the spark plugs. Carfull, they will be a tad hot. If any of them are wet, those probably arn't firing. First thing to check would be the spark plug wires. Just replace them. If you DO want to check them, switch one of the wires from a plug that wasn't wet with one that was. Run the test again. If the wet plug switched places, it's the wire, if not then it is something else and the next thing to check would be the cap. (the plug will be wet because it is indeed not firing and the air/fuel mixture is flooding that cylander). Look for cracks, deposts, etc inside the cap. If it doesn't look very good, replace this. Honestly you could replace most of the parts that get the most wear in the ignition system for less that 100$ (plugs, cap, rotor, wires, condensor). While you have the cap off check to see if there is any play in the distributor shaft. Grab the rotor and push it back and forth. There should be NO movement in this direction. You should be able to TURN the rotor a bit, but there should be no play in the shaft. I looked at a friends spitfire this weekend that 1/4" play in the shaft!! And with an electronic ignition module the car still ran =0, Granted there was some preignition/detonation in the #1 and 2 cylander. I would also suggest at some point to convert over to the Pertronix Ignitor electronic ignition. Granted it's 110$, but it will eventually pay for itself by replacing the points that wear out about evey 6000 miles or so. This should give ya something to play with, and lets us know what you find.

-Doug
 
thought i'd post aq picture of the plug #2 with oil or whatever, but i can't figure out how.

If you'll tell me, i'll post it.
 
I didn't even know that there where plug wire testers =P. I suppose that you could also use an Ohm meter. My own policy is that if I suspect these components are not working correctly, i replace them. Not that expensive at all, and tend to wear somewhat quickly.

As for posting a picture, you can attach it to your post or to an edited post and it appears as an attachment at the top of your post. This is the easiest way, but you have use the 'Reply' and not the 'Quick Reply'. There will be a box to click or a button to send you to the attachment part.

-Doug
 
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