Things are getting better

I was able to re-assemble the truck, and drove to work on Monday. I smelled gasoline when I got home. Opening the hood, I discovered the Edlebrock 1603 carburator had a plug fall out. This opened a 1/2 inch hole next to the fuel filter. Basically gasoline was flowing down the front of the engine as fast as the fuel pump could pump it out. Fortunately I have the original Rochester carb, which I rebuilt when I switched to the Edlebrock. Unfortunately, I mis-adjusted the float, and the darn thing pumped fuel out the top vent. I re-adjusted the float to 3/8" as specified. But I did not install it, as the insulator to the intake manifold was trashed.

That of course required another wife chauffered trip to work. Which may sound easy, but she leaves at 5:30 AM, and I usually wander out sometime after 7 AM. While at work, I called Daddy, and borrowed his pickup. This is because I want a more reliable truck to take my Boy Scouts to Camp Lassen this weekend. Camp Lassen is about three hours away, in of course Lassen County. Dad came to get me, and took me to dinner at one of my favorite restaurants Al Forno Classico, in Gold River. Dad ordered a cup of soup, that was larger than a bowl of soup in most restaurants. That was his appetizer. He ordered eggplant parmisan, of which I tried a bite, and loved it. I had portabello mushroom ravioli, which was OK, but not as great as dad's eggplant.

On the way home from work, I stopped at my favorite car parts store, "Cameron Park Auto Parts". I bought a new insulator, air cleaner gasket, and fuel filter while I was there. Back at the ranch, I installed the now properly adjusted Rochester, and it fired right up. The idle was even pretty close. So now, I at least have one vehicle running.

I pulled the engine from "Clayton", my 1970 beetle. I found the clutch forks broken. This car has been trashing clutch components on a regular basis, two clutch forks, and three pressure plates in two years. Call me dense, but I've finally come to the realization, that there is some other problem.