Sequel to snake oil science.....

[Guest rockabillybassman]

I wanted to try Bon Ami in my motor because my rings did'nt seem to be seating properly, blowing a bit of smoke. Because we dont have that product here in kiwiville, I was stumped. Then someone suggested using baking soda, because it's calcium carbonate, one of the ingredients in Bon Ami. So, I mixed a tablespoon up with a bit of gas, set the idle up maybe 1500revs, and trickled it in. Took about ten minutes to trickle it in, then did an oil change.

Took the old girl out for a spin (the car, not the wife ) and I was pleasantly surprised to find .... no more smoking! It worked! Yeeeehaaaa! So I headed down to the freeway to see how she'd go. I noticed it was running smoother and had more get up and go, but was'nt prepared for the next bit. Previously on the freeway she'd seem comfortable around 55mph but not really happy at anything faster. This time she sat on 60mph (our speed limit) no problem, so I gave her a bit of stick and sat on 70mph, again seemingly without any undue strain or stress.

Am I a happy camper? Damn right! I guess the calcium carbonate is the ingredient that does the job. I have'nt done a compression check, so this is just a seat of the pants appraisal.

Thanks FMspeed for documenting your tests and giving me the impetus to try something myself.

[central52]

Sounds great. How much gasoline did you use for the 1 tablespoon of baking soda? A cup, 2 cups, or more? Ed P.

[Andydodge]

Rocka...........cause you used backing soda......if I bake a cake and stuff that down the carby throat would that work just as well?..........lo........seriously tho am really pleased to hear of your success........I might give it a whirl myself....or at least the Plymouth a go.........lol..........good one, andyd

[FMSPEED49]

Thanks FMspeed for documenting your tests and giving me the impetus to try something myself.

No problem, Glad it worked, I find it to be a bit of amazing history that is forgotten, I am now gonna figure out how the built thoose pyrimids. lmao.

[FMSPEED49]

I would recomend a oil change at 50 miles and another at 100 to 150 miles in as a precaution, oil is cheap, cranks are expensive.

[david lazarus]

Hi Marty

Good to hear that you have a fix, I know you were unhappy about the top end speed/engine revs.

Are you going to the Todd Cup weekend at Wahi Beach in early May ?

I put a rebuilt gearbox in the '38 on Friday. Ran sooooo smoooth now and its great to have syncro in 2nd/3rd. Only problem is the rebuilt box has a nasty whine in 2nd , so Iwill have to chat with the guy that did the rebuild.

Dave

[Guest rockabillybassman]

David.... you should'nt have taken the wife with you.... Sorry , I could'nt resist!

Central52.... Just a couple of cups.

[Normspeed]

Hi Dave, I remember when I rebuilt my 3 speed one book mentioned that fresh gears sometimes whine a bit until they break in with the other gears. Hope that's all it is.

[RHDSP15C]

Snake oil treatment for gearbox or differential whine is one banana, it really does work.

[david lazarus]

Banana in the gearbox ????. You must be kidding me !!!

However, Marty put Baking Soda in his engine.....so anything is possible.

I will be having a "fireside chat" with the gearbox man to see what he has to say. Even if I have to pull it again that isn't too much of a biggie.

[Guest rockabillybassman]

I remember when used car salesmen used to put bananas in diffs to stop whining. That was in the 60s and 70s.

[Niel Hoback]

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