[AT] Zenith Stuck Jet Removal

[Ben Wagner]

Will, I am in the same boat you were with the chance of heating or the 
chance of chucking the carb.  I can get a new Zenith for about $300 some 
including the markup for the customer, while even including my labor it 
will probably save the customer a hundred or so to rebuild it.  
Thankfully I have the backup plan if something goes wrong.

Ben Wagner


On 7/27/2012 6:27 AM, Will Powell wrote:
> I use a little heat and then get a sharp screwdriver and either tap a new slot with a hammer on the screw driver or use the edge and tap it on the edges to loosen it.
>
> I've removed jets from old Honda and Yamaha Motorcycle carbs. Some carbs were so bad there was no way I would ever get them out without heat. I would torch them up until the varnish started oozing out of the jet holes. It was either take a chance heating them up or just throw them out.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "charlie hill" <charliehill at embarqmail.com>
> To: "Antique tractor email discussion group" <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
> Sent: Friday, July 27, 2012 6:00:30 AM
> Subject: Re: [AT] Zenith Stuck Jet Removal
>
> Dean I tried to heat a pot metal housing from a fan clutch with a propane
> torch once and determined that it can't be done! LOL.
> I was warned not to try it but didn't have anything to loose except the gas
> in the torch.
>
> Ben if you want to try heating it you might want to try putting it in the
> oven and heating it to 400 or 500 degs. Then stick it in the freezer or
> in a bucket of ice water or something. I'm just guessing about that. I've
> never tried it but I agree with Deans warnings.
>
> You could try left handed drill bits if you can find some. They might turn
> the jets out as you drill them. Of course if that doesn't work
> you are in a mess.
>
> Charlie
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Dean VP
> Sent: Thursday, July 26, 2012 10:17 PM
> To: 'Antique tractor email discussion group'
> Subject: Re: [AT] Zenith Stuck Jet Removal
>
> Ben,
>
> Are you sure it is aluminum rather than pot metal? The way we remove Brass
> plugs in cast
> iron carburetors is we heat the brass until it just starts to discolor. Then
> let it cool
> off. The brass will then come out very easily. Unfortunately aluminum has a
> lower melting
> point than brass so this method may not work. I don't know what the melting
> point is on
> Pot Metal either. But some method of heat application should solve your
> problem.
>
> Dean VP
> Snohomish, WA
>
> "Do not go where the path may lead; go instead where there is no path and
> leave a trail."
> - Ralph Waldo Emerson
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com
> [mailto:at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com]
> On Behalf Of Ben Wagner
> Sent: Thursday, July 26, 2012 6:45 PM
> To: Farmall/IHC mailing list; Antique tractor email discussion group
> Subject: [AT] Zenith Stuck Jet Removal
>
> Hello,
>
> I am in the process of rebuilding a Zenith carburetor on a Gravely L; I know
> this is a
> tractor group, but we do have Zeniths on tractors! This Zenith is nearly
> identical to the
> ones on my Farmall A's. Someone along the way attempted (vainly) to remove
> the brass
>
> ~main jet
> ~main jet passage plug
> ~well vent jet
> ~idle jet
>
> and did a terrible job of using a screwdriver. The notches are stripped!
> Furthermore,
> whoever installed them either torqued the jets or applied a sealant. I had
> enough left to
> get my screwdriver in place, but even after days of soaking in penetrating
> fluid, the
> parts will still not budge. My screwdriver doesn't have enough power, even
> clamped in a
> vise with all my weight on the turn. I don't want to damage the aluminum
> bowl, or the
> threads, so I need a way to extract these stubborn parts.
>
> I was able to remove the needle seat with my screw extractors since the
> notches were
> stripped on it also. However, the little jets are either too shallow for my
> extractors to
> get enough grip into the brass, or they are too small for any jet.
>
> Has anyone encountered a similar issue? How did you get these stubborn
> characters out?
>
> Thanks for your help,
> Ben Wagner
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