Hi all,
I'm the proud and grateful owner of what I believe to be a 1956 Allis Chalmers fork lift that is getting tired, but still getting by. I've owned the old girl for all of fifteen years during which time it has given me very few problems. It refused to start several days ago so I pulled the carb off and found the gasket between the carb and intake manifold must have expired at some point before I acquired the machine, so someone made a gasket out of orange silicone...???? Some mother's children..
At any rate, the silicone finally started leaking. My first clue was when it became increasingly hard to start when in the past, it always flashed right up, plus after the last few startups, it would run only with the choke pretty much pulled right out.I knew already that it had a bad vacuum leak around the throttle plate shaft and upon getting the carburetor off the machine, I discovered what is causing the leak. The shaft that holds the throttle plate and runs through the carburetor top is broken and therefore, the shaft has no rigidity and flexes at the break which is right beside one of the holes that the screws that hold the plate in place goes through. The machine still runs but I'd really like to either get another throttle shaft or top for the carb with a good one in it.
I'll post pictures tomorrow when I can set the carb outside for proper lighting as the lighting in my shop is not the best for taking good, clear photos. I cannot find any identifying marks on the carb aside from three digits in the top part. I'll edit this and add those numbers ( it is 2:30 AM and I just came in from the shop ) but I forgot to write them down tonight when I found them. I'll also take some photos of the carb so maybe someone can identify it. The engine is almost certainly the original six cylinder and if there are numbers for identification on it, could someone please advise me where to look? I really need this machine around here and it has to last a few more years. I make it a practice to never start or use it unless it is absolutely essential that I do so as I figure that every time that I start it is one less start for that old starter and every hour that it runs means that we are one hour closer to a breakdown. So it doesn't get used much, but when it does get used, it's because I really need it for the task at hand.
Any suggestions as to parts sources for the old girl would be greatly appreciated or if anyone has an extra carburetor laying around that the want to sell.. kindly keep me in mind. I'll be back with more info and photos..
I'm the proud and grateful owner of what I believe to be a 1956 Allis Chalmers fork lift that is getting tired, but still getting by. I've owned the old girl for all of fifteen years during which time it has given me very few problems. It refused to start several days ago so I pulled the carb off and found the gasket between the carb and intake manifold must have expired at some point before I acquired the machine, so someone made a gasket out of orange silicone...???? Some mother's children..
At any rate, the silicone finally started leaking. My first clue was when it became increasingly hard to start when in the past, it always flashed right up, plus after the last few startups, it would run only with the choke pretty much pulled right out.I knew already that it had a bad vacuum leak around the throttle plate shaft and upon getting the carburetor off the machine, I discovered what is causing the leak. The shaft that holds the throttle plate and runs through the carburetor top is broken and therefore, the shaft has no rigidity and flexes at the break which is right beside one of the holes that the screws that hold the plate in place goes through. The machine still runs but I'd really like to either get another throttle shaft or top for the carb with a good one in it.
I'll post pictures tomorrow when I can set the carb outside for proper lighting as the lighting in my shop is not the best for taking good, clear photos. I cannot find any identifying marks on the carb aside from three digits in the top part. I'll edit this and add those numbers ( it is 2:30 AM and I just came in from the shop ) but I forgot to write them down tonight when I found them. I'll also take some photos of the carb so maybe someone can identify it. The engine is almost certainly the original six cylinder and if there are numbers for identification on it, could someone please advise me where to look? I really need this machine around here and it has to last a few more years. I make it a practice to never start or use it unless it is absolutely essential that I do so as I figure that every time that I start it is one less start for that old starter and every hour that it runs means that we are one hour closer to a breakdown. So it doesn't get used much, but when it does get used, it's because I really need it for the task at hand.
Any suggestions as to parts sources for the old girl would be greatly appreciated or if anyone has an extra carburetor laying around that the want to sell.. kindly keep me in mind. I'll be back with more info and photos..