Niel Hoback

I asked the Amish guy where I bought the Bon-ami if he had ever heard of pouring it down your carburetor. He said, "Whats a carburetor?"

The figures are as confusing to me as to you. Also, I just did it and have only driven, at the most, two miles. If anything good or bad happens, I'll post it here, where it counts. The motor is a total unknown to me. It's a P-23 that I took from a 48 bizzy coupe that was being rodded. It has .040 over pistons, excellent oil pressure, and what I think are very loose wrist pins. I'm sure it has plenty of miles on it, but there's no way to tell how many. Also, the plugs are burning very clean, so oil consumption wasn't real bad. When I got the motor, it smoked rather badly on decel, but I found a can of Marvel Mystery oil at a rummage sale and dumped it in. That surprised me how well it slowed the smoke. Don, if you've ever visited the Amish, you'll know they only have three or four names in the whole community. Yoder must be their Smith. BTW, Yoders hardware also carries cow magnets.

One hundred miles East of here is an Amish community that has a hardware store called "Yoders". Bon-ami is $1.29. Back home today, I did the deed. I put a known abrasive down the intake of a running engine. Results as follows: Compression, Before After 1 117 110 2 95 112 3 85 95 4 105 112 5 107 100 6 97 115 Note that two cylinders actually lost compression. I mixed a good-sized tablespoon of Bon-ami with about 8 ounces of gasoline. With the rpms about 1800-2000, I dribbled in the solution with a turkey baster. Have to go slowly, don't want to kill it. Almost immediately, it began burning oil at a very high rate, much worse than it was before. I finished the mixture, put the air cleaner on and decided to take a trip around the block. I could see blue clouds following me, but it wasn't as bad as I expected when I first started. Back in the garage, at idle, there was very little smoke. I put my hand at the tailpipe and could feel a sticking valve momentarily sucking my hand. Then I realized,,,,,,,,no smoke, and the sucking stopped. It must have warmed up? or,,,, It fixed itself in 5 minutes? I have no intentions of changing the oil, since I never really have. I use the oil I drain from my Buick every 3000 miles. Hey, its got filter on it. I'll just keep going and post anything unusual that I see, but I don't expect any problems or miracles.

Tractor Supply Company has 6 volt batteries and 0 guage cable in stock. I have seen tune-up parts also in blister packs. Look for Minneapolis-Moline parts.

Bananas and sawdust, that'll quiet down any gearset.

Thanks fellows, I have this odd itch and my wife thinks the little Rover is "cute". It appears to be all there except the horn button, which may be in there somewhere.

Anybody know how old this is? Is the body aluminum?

What did he expect would happen? He was driving a Fiat fer cryin' out loud.

RobertKB, your every word is gospel to me. Thank you. It needed to be said.

I have suspected that for about 7 years now.

Thats a great picture Don, I can hear their little voices chattering and squeaking. The greatest high in the world. Two of my grandkids, 3 and 5, live in Fredericksburg Virginia. We get to see them a few times a year. In July they are moving to Budapest Hungary for at least 3 years. Grab those kids and hold them tight, they are the reason you exist. For the next 30 or 40 years they will not know much you love them, but someday they will. My other granddaughter lives in Boise Idaho, so we see her even less. I AM GREEN WITH ENVY

Does this have anything to do with today's date?

He was fumbling with his f-stop.

If you ground the OD of the pistons, would you not also have to deepen the ring grooves?

Thats pretty scary, Now you have to drop the pan every time you change the oil just to look for foreign stuff? Yikes, you sure it didn't come outta that Bon ami can???

That would only mean 1/8" widening of each hole in the carb base. Being a cheapskate, thats the first thing I would do. Just ream the holes sideways until it fits. I'm not cheap, just really, really frugal.

I don't know what good these are, but here ya go.

I'll get some tomorrow, the engine is on a stand. I'm still chasing Bon ami. Wal-mart, K-mart, drugstore, nothing yet.

I cannot imagine anyone getting that hungry.

Bon Ami it is then.

I am considering sprinkling the powder in dry. Seems to me that mixing it with gas would dissolve much of the abrasives if they are soluable. My oil is very well used anyway. How does Comet cleanser compare to Bon Ami on the grit scale?

Well, I guess I know what I'll be doing tomorrow!

I am axiously awaiting your results as I have an engine doing the same thing. I have seen this done, but I was a little kid then and didn't really get what was going on. At that time it was remedy used when you couldn't afford a ring job. My engine also was rebuilt some time ago, I have no idea when, bored .040 over and the walls are clean and shiny. If it works for you, I will try it. If it doesn't work for me, I will put in the spare 230 thats been sitting here in reserve for some time now. I want this to work so bad I'm already looking for Bon Ami.

I have an eight hole crank in a 230. Flange diameter - 4 13/16". thickness - 0.36" distance from front of flange to back of block - 0.75" I will send pictures if you want them.

I've had this old Plymouth since 1994. Every once in a while when I come home from somewhere, I open the garage door as I come up the drive, and there it is, a big old blue 48 Plymouth looking back at me. Sometimes I have to sit there and look at it for a minute. Pure enjoyment.