Can I soak a Stromberg 97 in vinegar?...

Hey guys. I just bought a 1935 1 1/2 ton truck saturday(only took the cab, hood and grille) and it had a nice original Stromberg on it(77,000 miles) that is rusted shut. I've read the threads about how well vinegar cleans rust...my concern is will it hurt the aluminum or pot metal if I just put the whole complete carb in the soup?

 

I'd dip it in one of those buckets of carb cleaner they sell. That should free it up enough to take it apart and rebuild it.

 

I've got one of those 5 gallon buckets of Chemtool carb cleaner, and I will soak the carb in it, but I would like to get rid of the rust first.

 

I always get it apart first, then deal with cleaning the rust off of each part individually, before rebuilding it.

. . . but I'm sure there are other ways to go about it.

 

I'd be afraid that Vinegar would eat at some of the parts like brass or the body. The body has some aluminum properties doesn't it? Soak it in the carb cleaner first then disassemble and take care of rust afterwards. I am dealing with these issues right now. I have 15 Strombergs sitting in the garage right now that I am taking apart and trying to set 4 aside to be rebuilt for my '35. Seems like only a a few carbs worth of cleaning and that one gallon pal of carb cleaner is shot and is making them even more filthy when I put them in. I'm using my 25 gallon parts washer now.

 

Damn JJ!!!! You do know that 15 Strombergs would sell for enough to buy 4 NEW Strombergs don't you? .....& you do know that it is probably going to take 8 originals to make 4 good rebuilt carbs right?

We all pick our battles don't we? Good luck man.

Good luck to you too Larry. Let us know how it goes. I have a bucket full or rusty column drops that may need a vinegar bath.

JH

 

I guess I should just go ahead and soak the whole carb in chemtool first to try to loosen the screws so I can take it apart...they're kinda frozen right now and I didn't want to f*ck anything up.

 

Haha yeah I do, however I need 4 of those 97's right now and 2 for my '33 and the rest for my 32 eventually.....but I should state that only half of them are 97's and half are 48's. I have a bunch of basket case carbs that were shipped disassembled so there definitely a lot to be gotten to make them work.

 

good timing on this post as I just got a shit ton of 97's.....

 

Somewhere there was a post about using Pinesol. I bought a gallon jub of it at Homer Depot, but I've yet to try it.

I've had good luck also using Purple Power cleaner from Wally World (Walmart) and just soaking to dickens out if it with a 50/50 mix of Acetone/ATF.

Whatever you do, go gentle. Those parts don't like to be forced one way ot another. When freed up, no issue. Just go gently until then.

 

3wLarry,

Look up information on using cream of tartar to remove the rust, it is a mild acidic that can be used safely to remove dark stains on aluminum safely and it will also remove rust from ferrous materials. I used to visit a guy who restored/repaired very valuable antique firearms and he showed me how he used it on irreplaceable pieces to remove rust without removing delicate engraving. Cream of Tartar is recommended for removing dark stains on aluminum cookware.

Larry
CB_chief

 

I haven't seen rust on the bodies or air horns. The bases, choke lever linkage the bell cock of the throttle shafts, falcrums, steel screws, rust..Strip it soak the bodies and air horns in carb cleaner and use a rust remover for all the other parts..I like a fine wire wheel to remove the rust..
Thats 7 1/2 cents worth..
Duane..

 

lacquer thinner always worked best for me for carbs. I have heard several mention that vinegar will ruin a carb. It makes the pot metal crumble. Leave vinegar for ferrous metals only. Be a shame to ruin all those.

 

I don't know the rules of the DMV in Ok. But in Calif. you need the frame rail with the Vin Number stamp to register as a 35. Maybe you are using parts only, but make sure you don't need the frame to make registration easy and straight forward.

 

Any one ever try Evapo-Rust. Its supposed to work great as a 'rust-converter' and isn't harmful to metal. Harbor Freight, Tractor Supply and O'Reilly sell it. TS is the cheapest...
Dad goes on and on about it, haven't tried it myself yet.

 

The answer is yes, by all means, soak the carbs in vinegar... if your goal is to melt them, and cause an explosion:

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_happens_when_zinc_reacts_with_acetic_acid

~Jason

 

Holy Shit, I guess I won't be soaking the carb in vinegar!! Thank you very much for this info.

 

Larry
I just had to get a rusted lifter out of an old motor that I'm trying to reclaim. I needed to get the lifter free enough to get it out without trashing the cam or the lifter bore. I used Liquid Wrench because that is what I would have used when I was a kid. Soaked it a couple of times over a period of about 24 hours.

I worried around on it a little bit and finally pulled it out with my fingers.

I wouldn't be afraid to try the vinegar if the carb was mine but if you are worried about it try the Liquid Wrench. It won't hurt the carb a bit and it does loosen rust up real well.

 

Thanks Bean

 

I like Liquid wrench and PB blaster. Some of those damn internals on these carbs really get stuck. I am working on one or two right now that are being complete whores about it.

 

I wouldn't put the carb body in vinegar, but I used it to clean all the brass parts of about half a dozen strombergs (butter flys and such) and it made them like new--just have to scrub them with an old tooth brush to polish 'em up. Cleaned all the linkage and screws to "like new" appearance. Worked for me.

 

LOL! No problem, man!

Penetrating oil or PB Blaster or something will get 'er free... at least enough to get the stuff that melts in vinegar off.

Then you can vinegar your iron parts to kingdom come.

~Jason

 

If rusted shut means throttles...remove throttle body and vinegar the hell out of it, then start tapping shaft endways till it moves and you can yank it and remove bushings.
If you mean choke, I am pretty sure a long soak will leave you with a handful of brass and the choke itself only. Remove the end cap on left end, soak in oil, tap endways, remove choke plate screws...you will have to work it out.
I use vinegar and a toothbrush for surface finish on Strombergs, but I never soak for long.
Don't think vinegar will even attack the rust in a space as tight as the shaft/bushing area.

 

vinegar and cream of tartar sounds like a recipe for salad dressing.

 

Thanks Bruce.

 

Handy info!

 

HUH ? what thread are you reading ? LOL

 

3wlarry I have a half gallon of evapo rust if you want to try it out Its been sitting in my garage I bought it to use about a cup full

 

Thank you...do you think will it hurt the pot metal, or not?

Anyone?

 

I read the back and it said safe for all metals and they show a carb on the back being dipped a 4brl but still......