Simply turn your steering box left or right until it stops. Mark the position, and then turn it the opposite direction and mark the position. Then turn it halfway, and install the pitman arm at that point with your wheels perfectly straight. This will ensure your steering box is in the neutral centered position. If you are not centered in the steering box you'll cause the box to wear out prematurely, plus have the issue you have now where it turns farther one direction than the other.
dsb's chevy gasser build
Well, time for me to join the party. My first stint on here I was building a 1949 chevy styleline 2 door gasser. Ran into money problems and went back to HD choppers. Well, sold my bike and decided I was going to go another direction. I started with my running gear first since that is where most of the money is. So, without further ado, here we go!
For the motor- it is a mid 70's 350 bored .040. Camel hump heads with screw in studs, comp cams muthr thumpr, Edelbrock air gap intake, edelbrock carb, new pistons, polished crank etc...
![Wheel Tire Motor vehicle Automotive tire Hood]()
Transmission is early 80's TH350 with 56000 miles on it. I put a B&M shift kit in and a new pan. Should be in good shape there.....
![Automotive lighting Motor vehicle Automotive exterior Hood Gas]()
![Motor vehicle Wood Gas Engineering Machine]()
Rear end is out of a 1997 Trans Am WS6 with 15x10 wheels on it.
![Tire Wheel Motor vehicle Automotive tire Automotive design]()
Front tires are morose drag skinnys
![Wheel Tire Automotive tire Motor vehicle Vehicle]()
continued next post....
For the motor- it is a mid 70's 350 bored .040. Camel hump heads with screw in studs, comp cams muthr thumpr, Edelbrock air gap intake, edelbrock carb, new pistons, polished crank etc...
Transmission is early 80's TH350 with 56000 miles on it. I put a B&M shift kit in and a new pan. Should be in good shape there.....
Rear end is out of a 1997 Trans Am WS6 with 15x10 wheels on it.
Front tires are morose drag skinnys
continued next post....
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I am so sorry for being dense Vall, but where just do I mark it?
I've found that turning the wheel all the way either left or right, with the drag link disconnected, til it stops then turning it the opposite direction to stop, counting the number of turns and then turning it back half way is a good rule. After that you can pull the pitman arm and reposition it where it needs to be if needed. I have the pitman arms on both my cars pointing pretty much straight down. I'm sure Vall will comment too. One other suggestion on your front end. You wrote that you have the wheels pointing straight ahead; you actually want between 1/8"/1/4" toe in; Vall's probably going to comment on that too. You making great progress!! Don't forget to have someone video your first drive.
I pick a spot on the closest solid object, and either mark to that, or measure to it. Often the motor mount on the driver's side is a good reference, so by putting a felt mark on a spot you can loosely put the pitman arm on your box, and swing it one way or the other from a fixed point you start with.I am so sorry for being dense Vall, but where just do I mark it?
It's tougher to do without the pitman arm on, but I've taken a piece of wood and drilled a proper sized hole in it, so it can be tapped onto the steering shaft to make a faux pitman arm also. Just try the turning back and forth and lift the arm off the steering shaft until it's centered side to side. Then once it's perfect you can tighten it down for real, and connect up the drag link.
I hope your drag link is the correct length though! If you measured it all up and built it without the pitman arm centered, you may need to redo it once you've got the corrected center on the pitman arm.
Great info Steve! Hopefully Dave has set the toe in on the front tires already, so he can be sure they're 1/8"-1/4" toe in? You can measure from the forward inside edge of the front wheel to the edge of the leaf springs on each wheel to ensure the wheels are truly the same distance, and make them perfectly straight.I've found that turning the wheel all the way either left or right, with the drag link disconnected, til it stops then turning it the opposite direction to stop, counting the number of turns and then turning it back half way is a good rule. After that you can pull the pitman arm and reposition it where it needs to be if needed. I have the pitman arms on both my cars pointing pretty much straight down. I'm sure Vall will comment too. One other suggestion on your front end. You wrote that you have the wheels pointing straight ahead; you actually want between 1/8"/1/4" toe in; Vall's probably going to comment on that too. You making great progress!! Don't forget to have someone video your first drive.
I turned the steering wheel left to right and cut the turns in half for center. With the wheels straight then measure the distance for the drag link. I gotta comment on the severe angle from the pitman to the steering arm. Not sure that is ok like that. Wait for other feedback before you go further with it. i would think you need to be parallel to the axle as much as possible.
I will check now! I think I am pretty damn close. I have not ordered my drag link yet! HA! Maybe I am learning something after all. The Dave from 3 years ago would have had it ordered already. I am going to tinker with it tonight.
Great info Steve! Hopefully Dave has set the toe in on the front tires already, so he can be sure they're 1/8"-1/4" toe in? You can measure from the forward inside edge of the front wheel to the edge of the leaf springs on each wheel to ensure the wheels are truly the same distance, and make them perfectly straight.
Gotcha covered on the angle. of the drag link. I got a spacer and a bolt to lower the link on the pitman arm.I turned the steering wheel left to right and cut the turns in half for center. With the wheels straight then measure the distance for the drag link. I gotta comment on the severe angle from the pitman to the steering arm. Not sure that is ok like that. Wait for other feedback before you go further with it. i would think you need to be parallel to the axle as much as possible.
You can do some things to get the drag link flat. First being to make sure you mount the wheel end on top of the steering arm, and mount the opposite end on the bottom of the pitman arm. But if it still isn't close to flat you may need a 2nd steering arm mounted on the top two bolts of the spindle. I almost always do the 2nd arm myself, just because it's easier to get it flat.Gotcha covered on the angle. of the drag link. I got a spacer and a bolt to lower the link on the pitman arm.
so spacers are a big no-no?You can do some things to get the drag link flat. First being to make sure you mount the wheel end on top of the steering arm, and mount the opposite end on the bottom of the pitman arm. But if it still isn't close to flat you may need a 2nd steering arm mounted on the top two bolts of the spindle. I almost always do the 2nd arm myself, just because it's easier to get it flat.
OK. I ran the car out of gas and took some pics. The more I look at it the more I think it was the base gaskets? I used Cometic which I thought were good but maybe no? I do not even know what model these carbs are.
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Dave try a thicker base gasket and be very careful on how you tighten the base down. Those base plates crack easily. With the thick base gasket it helps cushion and get a good seal all around. On my double pumpers I have a wood base to dissipate heat with gaskets both sides. On my MG I used gaskets alone like yourself.
does it run fat and load up at idle ? has it backfired ? looks like blown power valve flooding the engine at idle .
that's a lot of fuel . it's leaking at the throttle shafts .
that's a lot of fuel . it's leaking at the throttle shafts .
On my '39 I have a 2" phenolic spacer to isolate it from engine heat, and give a little more top end power to the Edelbrock Performer RPM intake. Gasket on each side, but nothing special about the gaskets. Never had a base gasket leak, so if you pull the carbs to change them put a straight edge across the intake and the carb base to ensure they're not warped.
And like crazyhorse mentioned check it when it's running to see if the shafts are leaking. Especially after you shut it down. Watch it to see if gas is dribbling into the carbs after shut down, which is a sign of the floats being too high or needle seats bad.
And like crazyhorse mentioned check it when it's running to see if the shafts are leaking. Especially after you shut it down. Watch it to see if gas is dribbling into the carbs after shut down, which is a sign of the floats being too high or needle seats bad.
I think I mentioned above about the possibility of the throttle shafts leaking. After you replace the base gaskets, while it's running take some brake cleaner, starter fluid or WD-40 and spray it around the throttle shafts and carb bases. If the idle picks up you have a vacuum leak that could also be the source of the fuel stains.
OK guys. Sorry for the long rambling speech, but I had a few beers. See what you think of this-
Hi Dave, your video was great! I am not a Holley Carb guru, mostly Edelbrock. However, from the looks of your secondaries, I would say they are vacuum operated. I noted the vacuum port on the left siode of the base with the passage to the secondary plates. So I would make sure I have the proper vacuum hoses connected, and yes a 4 hole carb gasket couldn't hurt. I will let one of the Holley guys chime in. I may be in the bleacher seats on this one.
Not necessarily Dave. It depends on the height of the spacer. The taller they are the more leverage they put on the steering arms at the spindle or pitman arm. So I wouldn't ever use more than maybe 3/4" spacer myself. If more is needed you can space each end down 3/4" vs. spacing one end down 1.5" to get it flatter. And a little downhill wont be an issue. It's when guys get them say more than 20 degrees that they get bump steer.so spacers are a big no-no?
Dave you have vacuum secondary carbs, so the secondaries wont open with the carbs off the engine. Needs to be on a running engine so when the vacuum booster senses enough engine vacuum at full throttle it will open the secondaries.
No gas should ever flow to flood the engine if the floats and needles are in good shape. The float rises with fuel level so that once it's full it shuts off the needle and wont allow anymore gas into the carb. But that's if your float level is set properly. If the float levels are too high the needle wont close soon enough and your carb will be flooded from excess fuel.
If you have the float bowls off and turn the bowls upside down, the floats should be slightly lower towards the bowl opening than they are at the hinge point. If your bowls have fuel level plugs you can remove one while the engine is running and the fuel should be low enough to just trickle out the hole. Keep a rag handy to catch gas, as if the floats are too high it will gush out when you remove that screw.
No gas should ever flow to flood the engine if the floats and needles are in good shape. The float rises with fuel level so that once it's full it shuts off the needle and wont allow anymore gas into the carb. But that's if your float level is set properly. If the float levels are too high the needle wont close soon enough and your carb will be flooded from excess fuel.
If you have the float bowls off and turn the bowls upside down, the floats should be slightly lower towards the bowl opening than they are at the hinge point. If your bowls have fuel level plugs you can remove one while the engine is running and the fuel should be low enough to just trickle out the hole. Keep a rag handy to catch gas, as if the floats are too high it will gush out when you remove that screw.
setting float level on Holley 1850 - Google Search
www.google.com
so, do I have to split the PCV valve hose into 2 lines for both carbs??
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