The Official 356Talk Forum

Mouse house (horsehair covering floor) removed - gross!
Putting Zeniths back in service too!

Nice the zeniths look like they clean up nicely

Got my oil cooler back from Pacific Oil Cooler in So CA - they’re an FAA certified shop - $145 to ultra sonically clean & test & paint & documented - it looks brand new!

Waiting for some parts to build a bench testing unit to set floats on Zeniths.

Project going slow but we should be on the road in the Spring.

New Rubber on Engine Duct Shrouds today
A little challenging but mission accomplished!

My son showed me how to fix the stripped thread in my Zenith
Carb top with a Time-Sert kit - pretty impressive - he used red
Loctite and a special tap type tool to insert the thread. Looks like new & threads now perfect!
Next task is to bench set floats & accelerator pump - wish me luck!

Doug McDonnell wrote: ↑Mon Mar 18, 2019 9:46 am You can get Michelin xzx from Coker tire if you want period correct. 165SR15 https://www.cokertire.com/tires/brands/ ... n-xzx.html The sprint classics in 165hr15 have the same diameter 25.40 : https://www.cokertire.com/tires/brands/ ... -tire.html

It has been brought to my attention that Michelin XZX are NOT period correct for 356 as they came out after 356 production.

So much for the nice thread repair job my son did - after the fact, I find the carb top is warped and the accelerator pump male thread is stripped - ugh . . . have a good used one coming soon.

Finally got around to bench setting floats & A/P yesterday - enlisted the help of a friend, a retired mechanical engineer and glad I did! Took awhile to figure out the action of the A/P and realized whoever had this car left the turnbuckle rods way too long - in order to actuate, the A/P lever needed to return to "home" position and adjusting the length regulates the amount of fluid squiring into the carb - we figured that out.

The Precision Matters tool gave us a nice visual of where level is supposed to be - first carb was spot on and second needed a couple extra washers - my friend has a dial indicator and did the math to get this right.

Also, thanks to Al Zim for suggesting we use an empty .22 case to measure "squirt" from A/P - we backed that up by extracting fluid from shell with a syringe and got it adjusted within specs.

We did run into a problem with a leaky square jet cover - I read in the Charlie White book that like the carb tops, a lot of these were overtightened and the pre-1963 Zeniths were more susceptible to warping due to lacking a "boss" on bottom of square opening - we are going to attempt to repair and if not will search for a new square cover.

Amazing engineering these Zenith carbs are!

Ken

The engine overhaul for my ‘61 356B is progressing nicely - all new major components- Shasta Pistons & Cylinders, 01 rods, Neutek Cam, new valves, springs, guides, valve tappers redressed as well as oil pump. Fuel pump & Zenith overhauled.
Oil cooler checked & pressure tested. Generator overhauled. It’s been an interesting & somewhat challenging project but ultimately a labor of love.

Ken; and EVERYBODY else; When assembling an engine, or anytime the intake ports are "naked", keep shop rags or paper towels stuffed in the ports. You never know when a stray SOMETHING might find its way into the port. I have an interesting story about that from 40+ years ago. Too long to post here.

Vic Skirmants wrote: ↑Tue Oct 29, 2019 7:36 am Ken; and EVERYBODY else; When assembling an engine, or anytime the intake ports are "naked", keep shop rags or paper towels stuffed in the ports. You never know when a stray SOMETHING might find its way into the port. I have an interesting story about that from 40+ years ago. Too long to post here.

+1
Similarly, I have a set of clean-room rags I use when I work on my carbs. They shred nothing, no fibers or threads or bits of cloth to separate and find their way into the engine. I also position a rag or towel below the carbs or behind the fan shroud when I am working in the engine bay. I am sure Murphy is looking over my shoulder just waiting to pounce and fling that washer or nut or screw to the most inaccessible corner in there. Quicker than you can say 'where's my magnet?'

Thanks for your comments Vic and Mark - engine is covered when we've completed our "sessions." Also, the heat deflector plates on each side of cylinders held on with spring against pushrods were installed but not shown in picture. We're working in 3-4 hour intervals several days a week. Will make it a point to put paper towels in the port holes.

Today’s work - distributor, pulley seal, pulley shroud & pulley, oil fill, oil cooler, fuel pump, valves adjusted, valve covers & manifolds, generator stand

Engine looks great. Wondering why you didn't use factory style solid push rod tubes?