Bingster

I was looking at some carb rebuild kits at Mike's online and they were pretty hefty. When you rebuild a carb, which new parts need to be replaced and which ones can be put back in?

Thanks for all the input.

Is the inside of a gas tank clean? Does rust get into it? How do you know if you need a new tank or do the rocks and solution rattling around bit?

I have a '47 DeSoto Custom and would like to drain and clean the gas tank before going too far with the fuel system. I assume you just take the plug off on the tank and drain the gas? Silly question, but where do I put all that gas?

Hey, Thanks! It always seemed like some kind of a tricky thing to do but it seems pretty doable.

But how do you use it? The flashes correspond to the white marking? When they line up it's good? How to adjust till they do?

There is a place here that rebuilds starters and I took it there for a look see. He tested it and said it was okay. I think he fixed a couple of minor things and didn't charge me. When we did attempt to start the car it worked fine.

I removed the starter on my 47' Custom and it was a bear to get the bolts out. I got it out okay but had to build a makeshift 2 X 4 cradle to prop up under the starter to hold it up while I wrenched the bolts back in.

Well, of course you're right. Then there's the color consideration. It might be better to let the new owner repaint the car.

I have a '47 DeSoto Custom in the same old black paint patina. I'm torn between repainting it in that old sheen or gloss black. They seem to look more "vintage" like they just stepped out of time with that original paint dullness.

I did make the same mistake as you did, Marc. I got the restoration fever and started taking off parts, sometimes labeling them and sometimes not. I did get a good amount of sheet metal restored, however. I'm waiting for the Spring to start the car with my rebuilt fuel pump.

If you do rebuild the pump, Then & Now has a good assortment of rebuild kits. I rebuilt my 588 for my DeSoto and with the bowl I got from you I have one complete fuel pump. Of course, I haven't tried it yet! I ran out of good weather.

That's a very pretty Bird's Eye Maple interior in that one post. The glove box door looks to be a custom job.

Gee, you're a brave soul. Mine needs to be replaced as well. It seems such a daunting chore. Please take some photos as you go along showing the specific areas that will give a person trouble. What videos are out there for this job? Best of luck.

Wow! What a time warp to see Don Coatney's name on this board, and his thread still active!

Then & Now, from whom I bought a fuel pump rebuild kit awhile back, sent me a number of the "pumping arm shaft" retainer clips because I lost one. They pop out of the pliers really easy. These are the shafts that guys have been putting epoxy on the ends to keep them from slipping out. In fact, Then & Now has a quality replacement shaft & clips that solve the problem.

I've just been through the project of rebuilding the fuel pump off my '47 DeSoto Custom. I did a lot of research on these type of pumps and in my travels I came across a series of great videos by the owner of Then & Now, who sells rebuild kits for the pumps. They are first rate. Anyway, he shows how to rebuild various models of these pumps. In fact, I believe your pump with the glass bowl on the bottom is the same type as mine. Maybe a 588? Anyway, it's a good chance you might see your pump arm in one of the videos. I'd go on the YouTube site and enter Then & Now or Rebuild Fuel Pumps or both. Good hunting.

Yeah, good idea Thanks

I bought a fuel pump rebuild kit from Then & Now awhile back and it was top notch quality. I lost one of the pumping arm shaft retainers and have called, emailed, written, and tried to send a message on their web site form but have heard nothing. Just wondering what's up.

Well, after thinking over the advice here, I decided to get an oil change this morning. I hit two places that were booked far out. But one of them offered to "suck" one quart of oil out of the oil pan. So he did. Cost me $18.00. I was very happy with that and the guy was very nice. I don't know why that other car dealer said an extra quart wouldn't hurt - another mechanic said basically the same thing - but two of them did mention the foaming inside the engine. So thanks folks for the sound advice. You probably saved my engine.

My car dealership mechanic said an extra qt. won't hurt. I'm not saying he's right or wrong. That's just what he said. Maybe if I made him sign a document saying that he'd pay for the engine if he's wrong, he might change his mind.

I accidentally misread the dipstick on my 2016 Subaru and added a quart of oil when it seemed to actually be in the safe mode. Will this damage the engine? Should I have an oil change to correct the quart capacity?

What is the best method to take off the rust inside the door on the outer steel? Maybe a sander with a flex wire brush? And paint? A spray wand of some sort?

I seem to recall some time ago that Bernbaum markets a tank that is claimed to be an exact copy of the original. I have an S-11 too, but have never needed to replace the tank as of yet. But I was shopping.

After watching numerous fuel pump rebuild videos by Then & Now, I've solved my pump identification mystery. I bought the rebuild kit and was going to rebuild the used #588 pump that I got online very cheap. I was holding the two pumps in my hands and noticed one felt heavier than the other. You'd think that I would have noticed this earlier, but the 588 pump was lighter than the pump I took off my car. In comparing the two pumps, all of the design details were there on both, but the pump I took off my car has the casting much more defined than the 588. And it was much beefier than the 588. In other words, the 588 was designed as more of an approximation than an actual direct copy. That cover with the bolt off my car threw me, though. I thought it meant that the pump was another type just with no bowl. Upon closer inspection, there were the two indentations in the pump body for the glass bowl bail, indicating that originally this pump had a glass bowl. In watching a Then and Now video, I saw that on one pump he was rebuilding, there was a metal dome where a glass one would normally be. That's when I knew that somebody had probably rebuilt my pump off the car and replaced their bowl with this metal disc. The pump from my car also has a Mopar number sequence. I couldn't find it in the parts book but it has to be an original. I think. The 588 pump has no serial number. That is my theory on the whole deal. The rebuild kit is first class. And the rebuild seems very basic and easy.