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29 La Salle...Changed manifold and Carb..now..starts first time...everytime.

Started by vhprs, September 16, 2016, 05:44:12 PM

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vhprs

Purests should NOT read this...only guys who want their classic cars to start easily.   Fed-up trying to re-build..re-adjust...fiddle with the Johnson carb on my 29 La Salle...I went radical and built a new manifold for a downdraft Rochester carb.  Cost about 1200 for all the manifold parts including the two exhaust blocks......but now...I start the engine in 3 seconds...every time.  LOVE IT.  I also put a low flow electric Model T fuel pump and filter, in the line.  LIVING LARGE and kept the original stuff for the future owner.  My hat is off to those clever folks who can fight and adjust the original.  Me...I want reliability and an easy "Classic" life.  I can live with the purest barbs..and easy starting too.  Cheap at the price.  Ken

Carl Fielding

YES !!!! , Ken , good job , fellow old Cad cruiser. Looks like a very good amount of custom fab. for 1200 bucks. The most clever of all folks re: Cad-Johnson carbs is the pride of CLC , our own beloved Tom Young. But you never will get these Rube Goldberg contraptions running right on modern high volatility gasoline without removing all exhaust heat you can from the intake manifold and carb. This includes eliminating and capping all direct exhaust , and breaking thermal bridging wherever practical. Use the lowest octane gasoline available. One possible caveat re: your blocking plates. I could be wrong , but I believe E.G.T. inside the ex. manifold may exceede the melting point of some aluminum. This is particularly the case with our low compression engines using higher octane fuel than originally designed for. Afterburning past the ex. valves because of the lower flamefront propagation rate is a factor. You have two choices : remove and examine for erosion after a few good runs (you could reveal the truth inadvertently) , or now that I have scared you , replace with steel preemptively. You would have to pull 'me to examine anyway , and those aluminum plates are a poor heat sink. They will get VERY hot and stay that way. Man , you don't want an open exhaust port in your eng. compartment. Unless I am wrong. Have been , will be.

Please post a number of pics of your great LaSalle. Interior too. Carb in place on eng. Are you a CLC member ? Any other Cads ? I am the old loon who drove his original unrestored 1927 Cad sedan to the CLC Grand National in 'Vegas. 2700 cruising miles to and around 'Vegas. Great chapter , wonderful times with wonderful members. A true highlight of my entire life ! Yeah . I admit to being at least a little bit nuts , but my old Cad is running better for the mileage than it did on departure. Waiting for cool weather in 'Vegas , my tough old Cadillac hopes for my return. Do you drive any distance with yours ?  -  Carl

59-in-pieces

Ken,
I am one of those purists, but I would be a fool not to recognize ingenuity or appreciate the implementation of the idea.
Gr8 job.
Steve B.
S. Butcher

vhprs

Carl....what a nice response.  Thank you for the GREAT information about heat-transfer and cautions.  We will definitely watch out for that possibility.
I have posted some picture of the LaSalle both outside and a couple of inside shots.  Luckily...mohair in near mint condition.
To me...there is just something about a Cad whether it be a La Salle or other.  They just have a "feeling" that no other car gives me.
However...also have a 13 Metz,  16 Reo and 23 "T" Huckster.   Guess I am hooked on old cars.   Thanks for the info.  Ken

31caddy

I guess I'm just lucky, but I owned a 31 Cadillac 355A sedan, and currently own a 355A convertible coupe. I put a gear vendors overdrive in the sedan and drove it extensively with the stock Johnson carb. I am just completing the convertible coupe, and have only driven it around the neighborhood from time to time, but start it often. It too has the stock Johnson carb. Both cars use the stock vacuum tank and vacuum pump with no electric fuel pump installed. Both have the exhaust crossovers blocked off with steel plates. (Stock flanges with the centers plugged/welded up) This mod is not visible with the stamped V8 cover installed. I've heard all of the horror stories about how the Johnsons can't be made to run well and reliably and how an electric pump is required. I'm sorry, but that has not been my experience. Both cars start instantly hot or cold and run well. The worst that happens is a rare instance of a few drops of fuel out the drain tube when the fuel is first turned on, or on shutdown. That's why they put the tube on it, LOL. I put carburetor kits in both carbs purchased from Classic and Exotic. I found the float hinge/needle linkage in these carbs to be very sensitive and hard to get right and stop the carb from flooding, but once set up correctly they do fine. I am using the stock needle retaining clip which some have advocated throwing away. I disagree. On the convertible coupe, I never could get the Classic and Exotic rubber tipped needle to seal properly, but had excellent results with a machined needle removed from a Johnson parts carburetor that did not employ any sort of rubber tip. I'm pleased that you found a solution that works well for you, and wish you many miles of happy motoring, but my experience has been that the stock fuel system components can be made to run fine. Enjoy your 29! Great car.
R. Rowland CLC #28971

1931 Model 355A Sedan (Recently sold)
1931 Model 355A Fleetwood 4535 Convertible Coupe
2005 Cadillac XLR

Rohan Millar

Ken,

Very nice solution to a problem which plagues many people, but not all. We were having carburetor issues on one of our 29 LaSalles and despite putting a carby kit through it, we could not get the idle right and had flow issues. I contacted a company who restore and sell vintage carburetors and they told me they would not restore or sell a Johnson carby. They recommended a few alternatives, which would need an adaptor plate to be built and that's the way we went. Since installing the new carby, we have had no problems, except dirty fuel which somehow made it through the in-line filter.

I love the pictures of your LaSalle - it looks beautiful and it's great to see some more 29s out there. I love the 1929 LaSalles and right now, my brother and I own five - two 4-passenger Phaetons, two Landaus and a 5-passenger Coupe. One Phaeton and one Landau are fully restored and form the basis of our wedding car business, along with a fully restored 1928 LaSalle 5-passenger Coupe. We are slowly restoring the other vehicles to expand our business.

Rohan
1928 La Salle 5-passenger Coupe, 8050
1929 La Salle 4-passenger Phaeton, 1185
1929 La Salle Landau Cabriolet, 8600