resurecting Lazarus

[trackfodder]

I finally got the 3hp. Clinton/Rollfast out where I could work on it after sitting
~5 years. First was a straightforeward job of replacing the stripped #12 screws holding the recoil starter with 1/4-20's. Next, knowing the stinky gas had done it's magic on the carb and tanks, I pulled the carb and disassembled into carb cleaner. BIG MISTAKE--Left the bowl rubber ring in. Anyhow, the lawnmower shop came up with one that was a perfect fit. A miracle,for it being a 1968 3hp Clinton carb. The fuel tanks were full of rust as well as raunchy gas. One of the cap springs was rusted away. After overnite in the soak, started assembling the carb and found the needlevalve that holds the bowl on had stripped the potmetal threads. Oh, well. I hate to buy the 5/16 NF Helicoil kit, and wonder if JB Weld holds up to fuel. I could fill the needle seat region with parrifin and fill the upper zone, then drill and tap and melt out the wax. So- off to the shed and dig through all manner of wierd and great carbs. Found a Tillitson AJ34A that resembles Whizzer before they went to Carter. Alas, the main needle is missing. Shame as the venturi is a bit larger. Maybe the mower shop again. The tanks are spending the night with carb cleaner. Tomarrow is soapy water and phosphoric acid day. So goes the war.

 

[deacon]

Now you have my attention. Jb weld and gas. Some guys swear by it, I have not had such good luck myself, but I probably didn't have the cheap plastic clean enough. Then again it was cheap plastic.

 

[trackfodder]

Re: resurrecting Lazarus

An update to the resurrection--Tonight I inserted a drill that fit the stripped hole for the high speed needle that screws into pot metal to hold the float bowl on. I chucked it in the mill and clamped the carb inverted in the mill vice so that the carb was lined up properly. Next I tamped paraffin wax into the needle seat region and immediately above it. A Moto Tool 1/8" spherical burr undercut the hole in the thread region much as a dentist prepares a tooth for filling. and was blown out. JB Weld was potted in.
Tomorrow a letter I drill will be run into the thread zone and a 5/16 NF tap placed loosely in the chuck and the flutes turned with a wrench as there is no feel to the downfeed and too much resistance to turn by hand. If the repair stands up to alky bearing gasoline, I'm home free I think I will tether the needle just in case the float bowl falls off. Hopefully if that happens I didn't undercut too big for the O.D. of a Helicoil. I will post an update if this works
Keith (trackfodder) Williams

 

[deacon]

Re: resurrecting Lazarus

this is way past anything I understand but please don't stop with the update. I find this fascinating. Keep at it and keep writing about it.

they do say you can do anything with jbweld so good luck.

 

[trackfodder]

Apparently I pulled it off ok. The carb threads held and it is nicely centered over the needlevalve seat. I have slaved over the tanks all day with soapy water and nuts followed by phosphoric acid. They looked pretty good inside and next thing i knew I was stripping the paint off on the wire wheel to repaint them. when I do that I will have to do the fenders and motor shroud. I really didn't to get into it that deep. I looked all thru the shop for the Rollfast fork so I could liberate the Schwinn springer on it for the 3-speed.
I know it's in there somewhere. Obviously it will be the last place I look.
Keith Williams

 

[Egor]

Interesting thread, keep us posted. I love JB they say you can repair anything. I have personally seen the engine block on a Cat Dozer repaired, it through a rod and the crank pushed it out the side of the engine. They glued the piece back in with the JB. Have fun, Dave

 

[deacon]

Everything I ever used it for that didn't twist stayed right where it was. If the part had torque on it, the weld would not hold. But like you I love the stuff.

 

[trackfodder]

Re: resurrecting Lazarus

I gotta share this no matter how stupid it makes me look. I have been doing more than I originally intended getting the green monster going again. Mostly it involved refitting the Rollfast spring fork. I completely disassembled it and stripped the paint on the bench grinder wire brush. I primed it and sprayed it Hunter green like my 51 Mustang was,(Rustoleum) Then I reassembled it and had H--- trying to get the fender struts to fit anywhere. I even joined an antique bike club to find out where the braces went. I figured I changed them when I went with a Schwinn springer. I finally managed to get it mounted and when I backed up and looked it over, I couldn't believe I found a new way to assemble the fork ! Yep, I had a kicked out front end with a leading link suspension rather than trailing link. The spring action works ok. I might even try it out when nobody is lookin' Trackfoddder

 

[deacon]

ah the joys of do it once, then do it right... sometimes it works better the first time.

 

[trackfodder]

Re: resurrecting Lazarus

Well, the Green Monster got polyurethane clear-coated and a new pair of power steering lids for the tanks. I have a 6-V emergency exit light that MIGHT work with the bike generator that runs on the crankshaft. I am proud of the nice condition of the tanks after treating. Looks like new metal inside. I replaced a lot of vinyl electrical tape on control cables with plastic wire ties.
I gassed it up and jerked on the recoil starter with no success. The spark is beautiful and blue. Finally I took a little maybe 1/2 hp electric motor with a little pulley to it and finally it started climbing out of a flood and would run by itself, but slobbering rich. The needle valve was very tight although the packing nut was backed off. I tried to lean it out and the carb bowl came off in my hand. The JB Weld didn't cut it. The fix is a trip to Tulsa to get a Helicoil clone kit for $20 with 12 coils. One heck of a lot cheaper than the genuine Helicoil and identical. Wholesale Tool sells them. I noticed the peddle sprocket on the rear wheel isn't totally concentric, and the outer rubber on the rear tire is separated from the carcase and the weld or whatever on the drive sprocket on the jackshaft seems to have sorta come loose from it's hub, so tomorrow is rear end night. At least it keeps me from grieving over the election.
Keith (trackfodder ) Williams
Williams

 

[deacon]

If my welding helmet comes today, I am going to work on bikes until I get past my fears for the future. My family is all of the republican persuasion so when my brother called last night to advise me that he needed my ss number since he is redoing his will, I had to have a long talk with him to be sure he wasn't too upset by the election. Turns out he was just cleaning up things.

I'm just half kidding there. Which half I'll let you figure out.

 

[trackfodder]

Deacon- I note your interest in friction drive bikes. Did you catch the outboard driven one I stuck in elsewhere in this catagory? Click on my username and go to all my posts to find it. Keith (trackfodder) Williams

 

[Nitrohorse]

If my welding helmet comes today, I am going to work on bikes until I get past my fears for the future. My family is all of the republican persuasion so when my brother called last night to advise me that he needed my ss number since he is redoing his will, I had to have a long talk with him to be sure he wasn't too upset by the election. Turns out he was just cleaning up things.

I'm just half kidding there. Which half I'll let you figure out.

Deacon,
I was sick to my stomach when I watched the election results. Friday I went to Walmart with a bunch of guys from our rod and gun club and we stocked up on ammunition. No way are we going to give up our guns. Anyhow, the bike you are currently working on may wind up in someone's less fortunate hands if our new Prez has his way.

 

[deacon]

I heard gun sales are skyrocketing. Good to know the election helped some parts of the economy.

 

[deacon]

I"ve seen about everything posted about friction drive bikes. do you mean that antique beauty front wheel drive. Or is it something else.

 

[trackfodder]

I'ii Give Up My Cannon When I Run Out Of Balls

 

[deacon]

Lol I have a rusty ole shotgun I keep in the house in case of uninvited guests. I'm too darn old for anything I would need an ak47 for.

 

[vernon/retiredtinkerer]

when our president????? elect was campaining here in ohio he said in one of his speeches that he wasn't giong to take our rifles, shotguns, and handguns away from us. I'll say in my speech that goddamn right he's not!!!!!!!

 

[trackfodder]

Re: resurecting Lazarus+ Pure stubbornness

I wanted some stainless 5/16" J-bolts (8) to hold (2)30-cal. ammo boxes on the sides of a carrier on the green monster. Not to be--The best nut and bolt place in Tulsa said there isn't such thing. I found a piece of 3/16" stainless rod left from my model boat racing/building days. WOW- There are my J-bolts. Then I uprooted my milling vice and installed a 4-jaw lathe chuck sans the backplate on a rotary indexing table with vertical/horizontal base on the mill. . Then came a short 1" square key stock into which I ran a 3/16" mill the 5/16 minus 3/32" for half the diameter and then rotated 180 deg. leaving me a bending form. Didn't work worth a (darn). Hammered a 5/16" bolt into a partially bent rod and completed with the vice. OK ! Chopped to length and tried to thread. GEEEZ ! OK then I figured "Hey- I am creative-resourceful-inventive, 'cause it says so on my resume. Spotted a pile of 1/4" U-bolts and grabbed one. put nuts on it and forced her little legs apart with a cold chisel and stuck in a 5/16" stud and beat it to shape and squeezed. VICTORY ! Chopped off one side and now all I gotta do is 7 more.

 

[trackfodder]

Deacon-i you will send your email address to [email protected] I will share some photos with you. I can't cope with the crap of getting them into code to penetrate this web. Trackfodder