Category: Safety

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Ford 600 Carburetor

Ford 600 Carburetor Repair

My old Ford tractor runs pretty well now after I installed an electronic ignition. But it still occasionally stalls. Often it stalls in awkward places. My property is pretty hilly and sometimes it stalls on a hill where backing back down is scary. I don’t always use it like I would like to because of the stalling problem.

I had originally thought its was not having enough fuel in the tank. I had a leak at the fitting under the tank so I never liked to put in more fuel than I was going to use because it would leak out before I used the tractor again. I finally fixed that leak, but I was still having trouble with it stalling.

I have carried a long heavy screwdriver with me for a while when I use the tractor. I found years ago that I could tap on the side of the carburetor in just the right spot and it would start running again. Sometimes I had to remove the fuel bowl, but often I could just tap the side. It seemed to me that the float was sticking not letting in fuel.

Today I remembered some advice I received form a mechanic years back. He told me when I have this trouble with the tractor to remove the carburetor, take it apart and then put it back together. He said I would see nothing wrong but it would work.

I realized today after the sixth or seventh time that it stalled and I had to whack the carburetor that it had been a long time since I had taken it off the tractor.

I got it to run enough to get back to the barn and rounded up the two wrenches and screwdriver needed for the job.

First I shut off the fuel supply at the tank. Next using a 9/16 wrench, I removed the fuel bowl from the carburetor leaving it attached to the fuel line. I then loosened the two ½ inch nuts that hold the carburetor to the manifold. The manifold was hot so I had to work quickly so as not to burn my fingers.

Next I held the carburetor in one hand and removed the last nut with the other. I then slipped the two control linkages of the ball pivots. Just pull back on the connector to make them release.

With the carburetor off, I removed the four screws that hold the two halves together. One is longer than the others. I carefully separated the two halves being careful not to change the mixture adjustment.

I then poured out he gas that was in the bowl. I removed the pin that holds the float assembly and then pulled out he float valve from the top of the carburetor.

Just as I had been told I saw nothing wrong. I used some cleaner to spray in the passages where the fuel comes in and cleaned a small amount of rust out of the bottom of the bowl.

I carefully put it all back together. All the gaskets had separated cleanly so I just reused them.

I put the linkage back on the carburetor and then put it back on the manifold. Starting the two nuts was tricky because the manifold was still hot. After the carburetor was secure, I reconnected the fuel bowl making sure the copper washers were in the right places.

I then open the fuel valve and started it up. It ran rough for a minute or two. I guess it had to clear out the cleaner that was still in the passages. But after it smoothed out, the old Ford 600 ran great again.

I used the tractor for another hour and it never stalled again. I am sure glad I remembered the advice to take it apart and put it back together again. It took less than twenty minutes to do and sure made the rest of the time with the tractor more productive.

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Replace windshield wiper bushings on a Jeep Cherokee

How to replace windshield wiper bushings on a Jeep Cherokee

After a while, the windshield wipers on a Jeep Cherokee will develop slack and begin to hit the windshield trim. The Jeep dealer will tell you that you have to replace the entire wiper mechanism. However, the wear is just in the little plastic bushings. With a little know how and some simple hand tools, you can have your wipers working properly again for just a few dollars in bushings.

The bushings you need are available from most auto parts stores who carry the HELP brand. You have to buy a whole pack of wiper bushings to get the three you need.

Begin by removing the wiper arms. There is a small tab near the base of the arm. Pull out on the tab and you can then remove the wiper arm from the splined drive.

Next, remove the several Phillips head screws that hold the cowl cover to the Jeep. Carefully lift the cover up until you can reach the windshield washer hoses. Pull both of these off and then set the cowl cover aside.

Remove the four torx head bolts that hold the wiper mechanism to the Jeep. These are T30 torx. Then, remove the bolt that holds the drive motor to the Jeep. It has a 13mm head. Disconnect the wiring harness from the drive motor.

Drop the splined parts through the cowl and then work the whole assembly away from the center of the Jeep into the cavity in the fender. Rotate the mechanism so that you can lift it up and out of the access hole.

Locate the three plastic bushings in the linkage. Check them for slop. On mine, only the one at the drive motor was worn excessively. Mark the linkage so that you can put it back the way it was. Use a pry bar to separate the bushing from the pivot ball. Place the bushing over a receiving cup. I used a large socket. Tap it with a hammer to remove it from the linkage. Flip the link over and drive in the new bushing in a similar manner. Make sure the tabs are aligned with the slots in the link.

If the pivot balls are rusty, clean them before reassembly. I also added a dab of grease, but that is not required. Press the ball into the bushing. Repeat the process for the other two bushings as needed.

Slip the mechanism into the cavity in the fender and rotate it back into position. Start the drive motor bolt, but do not tighten it. Make sure that the wires and washer hoses are not trapped below the linkage. Install the four torx bolts that hold the mechanism to the cowl. Once all four are started, tighten them all down. Then, complete tightening down the drive motor bolt.

Reconnect the wiring harness. Connect the two washer hoses to the cowl cover. Replace the cowl cover and screws. Slip the wiper arms back onto the splined drives and set the clips.

Spray some water on the windshield and test the wiper operation. Make sure the travel is correct and that there is no binding. If the wipers do not park in the proper position, remove them from the spines and reset them to the correct position.

Dorman - Help Windshield Wiper Linkage Bushing - 49447HELP Wiper bushing kit

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Welding Safety – Fire from the gas tank

Welding Safety – Fire from the gas tank

My dad told me about a time when he was repairing a shock mount on his Chrysler. He used the company boom truck to lift the rear of the car to a comfortable working height.

After the completed the welding job he flipped the stinger back and accidentally contacted the gas tank on the car. He was quickly surrounded by flames dripping from the tank. The little hole in the tank continued to fuel the fire.

He simply reached his gloved hand up and stopped the flow of fuel with his finger. The flame went out but he was then stuck like the proverbial little Dutch boy with his finger blocking the flow.

Soon my Grandfather walked by and asked “What are you gong to do now boy?” Dad suggested that he would continue to hold his finger in place while someone got him a roofing screw with a rubber washer.

My grandfather soon returned with a screw, washer and a wrench. Dad plugged the hole with a screw and the rubber washer made a liquid tight seal. He says that plug was still in place when he sold the cars years later.

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Cairo, Il Flood and the Birds Point Levee blast

Cairo, Il Flood and the Birds Point Levee blast

One my way to and from Missouri this winter I passed through Cairo, IL. I found it an interesting little town. Actually, it seemed more of a ghost town.

There are huge ornate buildings that look as if the city was once prosperous and thriving. The fact that is sits at the intersection of two major US rivers, the Ohio and the Mississippi.

I did a bit of research and found that the town was expected to surpass Chicago in size and importance. It once had as many as 30,000 citizens and now has less than 2,000.

Normally on my route to Missouri, I only pass near Cairo and not through it. However on my most recent trip the bridge across the Mississippi River was closed. I found it interesting that there were no early warning signs, Just barricades at the entrance to the bridge. The UPS truck in front of me was caught off guard as well. We both used the abandoned state park to turn around and search our maps for alternate routes.

The flood wall in Cairo has a huge gate over highway 3. I found it a bit creepy to drive through with the kudzu vines hanging down over the road and the huge gate looming overhead.

I had not thought much about Cairo until I saw on the news that thousands of acres of Missouri farmland were to be flooded to save Cairo. At first, I was like many who wondered if Cairo was worth saving. However there are some very interesting looking historic buildings there. But as I thought more and looked at the map, the levee at Cairo not only protects the little ghost town but many small towns and communities in the area.

Also, I learned that the Birds Point Levee was designed as a fuse in the flood protections system. There is a second levee one mile behind it that protects the actually populated area. The area between the levees is the New Madrid flood way. It is designed to carry excess water during times of epic floods like his one. The Birds Point levee was built with holes in it so that it could be easily blown up to open the flood gate.

The fact that farmers have been allowed to use the area during times of no flood has made it seem inconvenient to blow the levee. However, that was the design all along. The farmers knew the risk and most have put only portable and easily movable supplies there. However since it has been a very long time since the floodway was used, some have become complacent.

The Corps of Engineers has decided that blowing the Birds Point Levee was the best way to protect not just Cairo, but the entire levee flood control system. Nature is a powerful force when it goes to reclaim its own from our developments. I think we tend to forget that between the so called natural disasters.

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Tornado Safety

Finding the safest place during a Tornado

As the storm moved into our area of Cleveland Tn and Bradley county, there was a lot of talk about tornado safety and the safest places to hide during a tornado. The weather men warned to stay away from windows and exterior walls. They warned to stay out of cars and to seek shelter in underground areas and interior rooms like the bath room.

As I drove through the devastated areas to reach the house where I was helping clean up, I was amazed at the destructive power of the tornado. I have come to the conclusion that short of an underground storm shelter, there is no safe place to be when a tornado strikes.

I have often disagreed with the advice of not sheltering in a car. After all, cars are designed for high speed impacts. However, after seeing Bill Maxwell’s Lincoln, I have changed my mind. He told me that just a few minutes before the storm hit he had been sitting in his car listening to the weather reports. He lost reception so he had just made it to his bedroom when the tornado stuck his house.

His Lincoln Town Car, is now a ball of metal sitting in his pasture about a quarter of a mile from his house. The roof is crushed down to the level of the seat. I don’t think even a belted in occupant would have survived the tumbling and crushing of the car.

I still think my race car with a full cage might have fared better, but a normal car is definitely not a safe place. The repeated pounding of the tumbling action completely crushed the passenger compartment of the car.

Another part of a house that seems safe is the fireplace. After all the brick structure is often seen standing long after the rest of a house has rotted away. However, at Bill’s house, the fireplace was cleaned to the concrete base by the winds and parts of the brick chimney were strewn all through the pasture.

Yet another place that people often find shelter in a storm in inside a bathtub. While there have been numerous reports of people riding out the storm in their bathtubs, Bill’s bath tub was found a couple of hundred yards away from his house. I don’t think that would have been a safe ride either.

Bill was in his bedroom when the storm ripped his house apart around him. The four walls of the bedroom were the only thing left standing at his house. He told me he climbed out form where the exterior wall had separated form the foundation. He was greeted there by his dog.

He said he did not know where the dog was during the storm, but he had somehow found a safe place. Based on what I saw while cleaning up the damage at Bill’s house, the only safe place to be is where you are. Apparently if you are protected from damage, you will be safe where ever you are. I think it was Bill’s attitude that protected him more than any of the building parts.