Please read- Before commenting on the cost, I know this carburetor isn't cheap. However, not everyone has the ability to rebuild an original Zenith carburetor like some of us, so this is great for someone who needs a good carb, and doesn't have the parts or skills yet. The fact that someone is making brand new castings and internals, and assembling these is not cheap to do. This "new economy" has jacked up the price of everything!! So please be kind. Oh, and yes, I know the "R" stands for "Registered Trademark". I was just goofing around. The joke didn't land gracefully, but it cracked me up!
Addendum: I share your colleagues' antipathy for adjustable wrenches. I was a machinist for 35 years and those things were a no-no in the shops where I worked (all two of them). Later on, when I was mentoring apprentices, I had one ask to borrow an adjustable. "Which kind?" I replied, "english or metric?" "I dunno" was their answer. It took her a good five minutes to figure out the joke. I weep for the future.😢
@@richardkryston2990 Point taken. With respect, however, there are certain trades where adjustable wrenches are the norm and anything else is frowned upon - commercial refrigeration being one. As an apprentice I brought my lovely Snap-On combination wrenches to work, and by the end of the week was carrying two adjustables for nearly everything.
@@glenholman3612 nothing wrong with them in most applications, but shop owners don't like replacing the draw rods on milling machines every couple of months after the hex heads become rounded off by the clumsy use of adjustable wrenches. Basically, I was just teasing Mr. Shinn.
The price maybe high but you are lucky to get a new one for something this old and when production is low you always pay more. If you want new and it works that's all that matters. You need to check gas mileage and see how that goes. Good luck.
Great video. I don't think there's any other car but the model A Ford and the T's also that you can get so many aftermarket parts for so easily. The vendors catalogues are a one stop shopping trip for parts. I can't think of one other brand that has that kind of variety in one place. Other makes you have to go to different companies for different parts. No one stop shopping. That's what makes the As a great car to own.
Hi Paul - Re: Floats. I didn't do the put-them-in-water test, i used a small scale when I was having a huge problem with a new float. Turns out, the float was 20% too light! My car would start fine but the nanosecond I took my foot off the accelerator to stop or tried to stop, it would die - no sputtering, just died. Glued metal washers to the float to bring it up to spec and voila! No more problem. I wrote this all up for our newsletter (Newsletter of the Orange Blossom Model A Club of Riverside, CA) because, at least in our group, I was the first to encounter this. Watch those new floats!!!
Zenith people were very helpful to me in getting me a replacement carburetor for my 1930 Desoto CK coupe barn find. The car had an incorrect and incomplete Carter brass bowl carb. Although not original Zenith went to pains to get me a carburetor with the correct capacity to mach my car's engine's displacement and power output. The only thing that I had to change were the Zenith carbs flange hole distance to match the car's manifold flange bolt holes since this carb was meant to fit multiple applications. Once mounted it worked great and the car performed as it should.
Thanks for the carburetor video. Also Thanks so much for the carburetor that you sent to me. It turned out to be a mid 1928 carb. I will continue to search for a Dec 1927 Zenith. Best to you and Tina
Dangit!! Well, dad and I have piles (literally) of Zenith carb parts. Please send me a detailed explanation of what you're looking for and I'll grab what you want.
Looks like a quality product from your tear down. We were really on the same wavelength for this one, I thought perhaps float adjustment. Then was talking to the screen saying, "Float the floats". Glad you got it dialed in. Thank you as always, have a blessed week ~ Chuck
Nice to have the option, as I don't have the skills. RE: Air cleaner... I purchased a Zenith card that was 'balanced' (an internal passage between the air intake and bowl, to keep air pressure equalized) that avoids the running rich issue. BTW - was nice to meet and speak with you for a few minutes at "The Gilmore". Thanks for taking the time, you were a busy man!
Balanced or not, I've never had any trouble. Nice to meet YOU!! Yea, sorry I was pretty swamped at the Gilmore. They have Tina and I scheduled minute by minute there, don't they??
Saturday morning with a Paul Shinn video and my special oatmeal, life is good. (This post doesn't really accomplish anything other than playing with Al Gore's funky rhythm section.)
Thanks for the video Paul! Web forums and in-person clubs both have people that don't agree. It would be boring if everyone had the same opinions on all things. I find peace in telling myself that reasonable minds may differ! Don't worry if people disagree with how you care for your A. Just keep on keepin on! The truck build is going to be really fascinating.
Good review Paul. A while back a club member bought a new Zenith carburetor and I couldn't get it to idle properly. After all the checks that you went thru I finally found it had excessive clearance (slop) in the throttle shaft and was sucking air in. After installing an oversized throttle shaft it ran OK. I told him next time buy an rebuilt original Zenith. Way too much money to spend on something that does not work correctly and "does NOT come with any kind of guarantee. They are non returnable and non refundable". The quote is direct from Mike's catalog, something you didn't mention in your review.
I ordered by email, so was not aware of that until weeks later when I went online to get the screen shot of their online catalog. But I am still thrilled that parts like this are still being made for our nearly 100 year old cars.
Paul, that is one very nice Blue Model A. Gorgeous. New carb gonna have to be rejetted (?). It probably great with a high lift cam. But you dialed it in. Great. And it's not an aluminum recycled beer can product. A great video-thanks for posting.
Awesome video, a real joy to watch a pro in action. Great to hear that everything spec's out to size on the jets. Thanks for sharing, I hope you have a wonderful weekend!
Thank you, Paul! I'm just glad they are making model A anything! After trying to buy several parts, fan, dashlight, front leaf spring to find out, they are back ordered at present, and hearing that some items are no longer being made at all! I am working on three A's, one of them my 1930 Truck and the dissapointmens keep hitting me! I would like to know more about the new carburetor, as one I have is a gas dumper, no matter what I do! I even watched your video on the subject, but can not figure out why this is happening! Thanks again for all you do!!
Dumping gas is almost always from a float valve that won't seal closed or from a missing or damaged gasket. Remember- All the jets that point up need a gasket. The idle jet is the only one that doesn't.
Want to take a moment and thank you for all of your informative videos. I've been watching them for a long time and recently purchased a 1929 Tudor as my first Model A. It came with a Tillotson. I would be interested in hearing your thoughts on the Tillotson carb. Thank you!
This video kinda hints why I don't use Tillotson carbs ua-cam.com/video/cR1ksgFaH90/v-deo.html I haven't had satisfactory results from them, but excellent results from Zenith, so I stick with what works for me. YMMV.
I like supporting the venders. Placed an order with Mikes 3 weeks ago, still waiting for it to arrive. They contacted my 10 days ago saying the light switch spider was going to be in in a week. That’s been 2 weeks ago! Come on Mike!
Do you ever do a static float level check using a visual fluid gage? I find that to be a good accuracy check on the inverted mechanical height check. My MS carb was running a bit rich, particularly on hot restarts. My mentor advised to readjust my float to lower the float level by 1/16" from the 3/4" spec for MS. Problem solved! Not bad for 2 dollar swap meet carb! Have a great day!
I think it's super amazing that a new Zenith is being made. Seeing stuff like this makes the hobby a lot of fun. The price is a serious barrier, however. Especially when you can get a very high-quality rebuilt unit for less than that. I understand the reasons why it costs what it does, but you gotta admit that a great many of us in the community are cheapskates, lol.
This will appeal to those who don't want to fiddle with old carbs. Anyway, how many times have you heard some old geyser begin by saying "When I was a kid....." So my first Model A was a running coupe that my Dad bought for me. After a little haggling, he got the price down to $100. Granted it was not in pristine shape, but it sure taught me a lot, and back then almost all adult males of advanced years could offer advice on fixing Model A issues.
Yes the price is a tad rich but compared to replacement of a modern car’s fuel system it’s acceptable and the price may come down if demand goes up. Thanks for posting 👍
Thx Mr S. Same here my backup carb was rebuild by me and it's decent but not perfect. The carb i use presently was rebuilt by a friend who's been doing Model A carburetors amongst all the other aspects of A's. So now I'll have to tune the spare to see how well I did. Be safe, thanks to you and Mrs S.
I don't hate ALL adjustable wrenches, just the cheap, junk ones people pick up at the "dollar" store or the ones that aren't taken care of or have the adjustment mechanism worn out and are too sloppy to fit the head of the bolt, nut, or screw properly. I have several quality Crescent brand adjustables that still work just fine after 50+ years of use. I never lend them to others who don't know how to use them properly, and don't use them in high torque situations.
Great video Paul, just like always. Some years ago I purchased a new carburetor available, not sure from which vendor and what I noticed was that the car had less power.Any idea why? Thanks for all you do for the hobby.
I bought a new Zenith carburetor about 15 years ago. I got it to compare to the ones I rebuild. The new one was machined wrong in the idle circuit. The idle air adjusting screw hits the idle jet and scored the jet. I took the top off and you can see it. I was not impressed with it at all. Mine was marked Zenith 1.
You just tested all 4 carb jets in 1:15 on the video. From a guy who built his own flow test stand and has checked dozens of jets, your technique is an amazing time saver, with probably comparable results. Can you share the jet sizes you are considering "perfect"? What is the pin gauge set you used called? I can't find one, and I need one!
I used to flow test, but my dad gave me that metric jet gauge set and showed me there's no difference. I never turned back!! Those old guys really know their stuff.
Should I include any of that in a video? Harvested until dark last night. Up early again today. Started pressing yesterday too, so lots going on. Do you think a Shinn brand of olive oil would sell? Nah.
@@ModelA If you include your suggested jet size table in the video, guys like me that want to know can pause long enough to jot down the info. That would be very helpful. As to the pin gauge; I found something called "Pin Gage Set" with storage case for hole size checking, or some version of that. 50 Pins, 0.011”- 0.060" for ~$30. Looks like the modern version of the tool your dad used. I'll compare results, but I'm hoping to never flow test again. Olive oil business? I'd stick with 10w40.
$725 for such a simple carburetor. Can’t image he is selling many at that price. My 2021 Snyders catalog was selling them for $495 and I thought that was too high. Fortunately for most of us there are many good original Zenith’s that are restorable. Thanks for the review.
@@hunniebe6 prices go down with mass production in huge quantities. Im sure the productions numbers are low, so to recoup the investment in design, tooling, and manufacturing, the price will be high.
@@hunniebe6 You haven't priced a high pressure pump and set of injectors for a modern car recently have you? Never mind an ECU, that carb is only a bit more expensive than a tail light with CANBUS for a modern Ford pickup.
When I was an apprentice machinist, I bought a crescent wrench and my boss threw it over the back fence and was told never use those on anything, use the correct spanner and not the nut fcuker.
Awesome video Paul. The (R) stands for registered trademark. It means that the builder had to get permission from whoever owns the trademark of Zenith carburators.
Sir Another awesome video, Question does the ford family still get royaties from all these aftermarket parts that are still being produced in 2024 and did you weight the original float bowl vs repro, thks again,
I don't even own an A (yet?) but it pleases me to see anything that makes the hobby even more accessible. How many other cars from the 1920s have such a ready support network, besides As and Ts?
Hi paul thank you for all your videos they have been most helpful. I'm having an issue with headlights. I replaced the whole wiring on my 29 model A. The headlights doesn't seem to stay connected to the wiring. Any suggestions are help would be most appreciated. Thanks Larry from Bedford Indiana
Hi Larry! Guessing the headlight sockets aren't keeping good electrical contact, no? A lot of people just bypass the sockets for this reason and run the headlight wires directly into the buckets and use butt connectors to connect the harness wires directly to the socket wires.
Paul great job on what you're doing for Model A Community, The average Model A owner is over 60yrs old, and they will not be driving their Cars and trucks like there daily drivers, And won't be buying parts for driving their cars around 150 miles a year, Is Model A value falling in 2024 vs 2015, I expect (Yessssss) and if no Youth get involved in this Hobbie the Model A will be worthless bye 2035, You are correct daily Drives are where it's at in 2025 again, My opinion and my opinion only , thks
The good news is, we're turning it around, man!! The average age is skewing younger every day. Even MAFCA membership is up!! We are making a difference, brother!
Well..... Right? The web forums have given up being helpful in favor of egotistically always having to be right or smarter than the next guy. I decided to quit going to the forums for the sake of my attitude and ambition to grow the Model A hobby. My videos serve Model A owners and not myself. The forums forgot who they were for, and it's all about ego now. They have lost their way. Please feel free to tell them I said so.
The price is not outrageous considering the small market & its made in the USA. A common 4 barrel carb is $450-$650+ & those are made to fit millions of vehicles. Not saying it's pocket change but it's 2024 fellas
@@ModelA Thanks for the air filter info! I just ordered the Air-Maze filter from Bert's but they are out of stock on the K&N filter. It also appears that K&N may have discontinued the E-3050 filter that Bert was selling. I can't find it anywhere..... ha, just my luck. Guess I'll have to make do with the Air-Maze.
Hi Paul, you mentioned a K&N air filter. 2:20 Where did you get that? I was looking for a link in the description but there is none. :) Did a search and found one but it looks different than yours.
HI Paul, is it made in chinaville? I have allways wonderd why people dont run air cleaners. a lot of Hot Roders dont run them on there Flatheads. I have a orignal 36 Ford pickup ans i run a K and N air cleaner. when i changed it from the stock filter, i could tell the diffrence as i was cranking it over. i have a Kand N filters in all my cars Brendan
@ModelA certainly has, it seems expensive but when a new part is made right and you can depend on it to do a good job price is forgotten when having fun driving
My heart goes out to UA-camrs for all the negative ninnies they have to put up with in the comments. If all the stuff happening in the world, folks have to argue about air filters and adjustable wrenches as mentioned in the video. Everybody always needs to be right.
You mentioned the (What I think you said) K and N Air filters? First did i get the name correct? Second where does a person purchase these air filters?
When it is 100+ degrees in the shop, and I want to avoid heat stroke, yes. My shop floor is spotlessly clean, so contact with the cool epoxy over concrete floor helps keep my body temp down. What danger is there in this? Maybe I'm overlooking something? But summer is over, so no overheating danger in the shop now anyway.
@@ModelA Sorry just concerned that you may drop something/injury your foot, Sorry you took it the wrong way. The heat must be getting to you. I solved that problem by install an air conditioner in my shop.
@@CharlesGrima I did not take your message negatively. My reply was meant in fun as well. I have a mini-split AC, just need some expert to install it for cheap.
Ive noticed that when you run that engine it has a click/tick noise at idle...what is that noise from? I have a 1930 town sedan with a b engine that ticks just like that at idle...valves have been adjusted already...no change. Noise goes away once above idle..
Please, fer gawd's sake, do not complain about the price! Everything costs too much today & you damn well know it. A guy trying to support the hobby, it must be terribly expensive to be in manufacturing....
When I get air conditioning in the shop, I can have shoes on and not be dripping in sweat bad look on camera!!). Hey, at least I had a shirt on. My usual summer mode is none.
There is no excuse for a brand new $750 carb that won't idle smooth out of the box! (Plus still won't idle after a lot of fiddling!) That's a lot of money to just "keep under the seat"!
New Zenith carbs have been made in Mexico longer than you and your DADDY have been around! Zenith's are fussy, they LEAK, and more. If you don't mind your Model "A" not being concours correct, the later Tillotson carb gives MORE HP, nearly 50% better fuel economy (20-22 MPG vs: 15-16 MPG for the stock Zenith , at 40 MPH) CANNOT FLASH-BACK from back-fires and is stupid easy to adjust. The Mexican's have also sold a NON-LEAKING WATER PUMP with rubber/copper seals to replace the stock leather seal leaker since about 1950. You can also now buy a "secret" 6 volt OR 12 volt ALTERNATOR (a Nippon-Denson) that looks like the stock generator, but makes triple the amperage, and has a SUPER good voltage regulator built-in! Thanks for the AD!!!
@ I, during an unrelated CT Scan, was found to have a 2.4 cm cancer on my left kidney. Was treated with cryotherapy (freezing). And follow up. So far so good.
Please read- Before commenting on the cost, I know this carburetor isn't cheap. However, not everyone has the ability to rebuild an original Zenith carburetor like some of us, so this is great for someone who needs a good carb, and doesn't have the parts or skills yet. The fact that someone is making brand new castings and internals, and assembling these is not cheap to do. This "new economy" has jacked up the price of everything!! So please be kind. Oh, and yes, I know the "R" stands for "Registered Trademark". I was just goofing around. The joke didn't land gracefully, but it cracked me up!
Anyone who complains about $750 for a new carb obviously hasn't been hit with the bill for 6 or 8 injectors & coils for a modern engine with EFI.
Addendum: I share your colleagues' antipathy for adjustable wrenches. I was a machinist for 35 years and those things were a no-no in the shops where I worked (all two of them).
Later on, when I was mentoring apprentices, I had one ask to borrow an adjustable.
"Which kind?" I replied, "english or metric?"
"I dunno" was their answer.
It took her a good five minutes to figure out the joke.
I weep for the future.😢
@@richardkryston2990 Point taken. With respect, however, there are certain trades where adjustable wrenches are the norm and anything else is frowned upon - commercial refrigeration being one. As an apprentice I brought my lovely Snap-On combination wrenches to work, and by the end of the week was carrying two adjustables for nearly everything.
@@glenholman3612 nothing wrong with them in most applications, but shop owners don't like replacing the draw rods on milling machines every couple of months after the hex heads become rounded off by the clumsy use of adjustable wrenches.
Basically, I was just teasing Mr. Shinn.
Tease accepted! (and appreciated)
The price maybe high but you are lucky to get a new one for something this old and when production is low you always pay more. If you want new and it works that's all that matters. You need to check gas mileage and see how that goes. Good luck.
That's my plan for an upcoming video.
That's absolutely amazing that a business is willing to take a big risk & make this carburetor. Bravo ❤🎉
I know, right?
Great video. I don't think there's any other car but the model A Ford and the T's also that you can get so many aftermarket parts for so easily. The vendors catalogues are a one stop shopping trip for parts. I can't think of one other brand that has that kind of variety in one place. Other makes you have to go to different companies for different parts. No one stop shopping. That's what makes the As a great car to own.
@@russelmaclean4416 Split and bay window air cooled VW kombis 😂
You can still buy brand new engines (sold for assembly into aircraft of course)
Hi Paul - Re: Floats. I didn't do the put-them-in-water test, i used a small scale when I was having a huge problem with a new float. Turns out, the float was 20% too light! My car would start fine but the nanosecond I took my foot off the accelerator to stop or tried to stop, it would die - no sputtering, just died. Glued metal washers to the float to bring it up to spec and voila! No more problem. I wrote this all up for our newsletter (Newsletter of the Orange Blossom Model A Club of Riverside, CA) because, at least in our group, I was the first to encounter this. Watch those new floats!!!
Steve!!!!! That's brilliant!!
Great video. Joy seeing someone the really knows their stuff. Crescent wrench, love it.
No special or expensive tools required to keep a Model A on the road!
Been buying part from them for years. Just got a new carb myself. My old one was beyond repair.
Hi Paul! Good to know that many parts for A's are still being made! Makes the Model A Ford the easiest old car to repair and restore.
Spot on, brother. If we keep getting parts support, we can leep driving Model As fr cheap
This is really good news! I'm going to tell everyone I know in the Model A world about these new carburetors.
Indeed, brother!! Would you be interested in doing a test of it on your car next year for a few months and reporting on it?
@@ModelA That would be awesome! We'll talk later. Thanks Paul.
Zenith people were very helpful to me in getting me a replacement carburetor for my 1930 Desoto CK coupe barn find. The car had an incorrect and incomplete Carter brass bowl carb. Although not original Zenith went to pains to get me a carburetor with the correct capacity to mach my car's engine's displacement and power output. The only thing that I had to change were the Zenith carbs flange hole distance to match the car's manifold flange bolt holes since this carb was meant to fit multiple applications. Once mounted it worked great and the car performed as it should.
Very cool. There are certainly people who will want a new one. It was neat to see that the jet sizes were correct also.
Yes!
Nice looking new carb, but 725 is a little much for my wallet. Thanks for the review! (I totally am on your page as far as K&N air filters go!)
The thing is, not everyone has the ability to get parts and rebuild an original carb. So for them, there is a plan B.
Thanks for the carburetor video. Also Thanks so much for the carburetor that you sent to me. It turned out to be a mid 1928 carb. I will continue to search for a Dec 1927 Zenith. Best to you and Tina
Dangit!! Well, dad and I have piles (literally) of Zenith carb parts. Please send me a detailed explanation of what you're looking for and I'll grab what you want.
Looks like a quality product from your tear down. We were really on the same wavelength for this one, I thought perhaps float adjustment. Then was talking to the screen saying, "Float the floats". Glad you got it dialed in. Thank you as always, have a blessed week ~ Chuck
You were ahead of me, Chuck!! Hahaa! I'm kinda slow sometimes
@@ModelA Sir in the spectrum of all things that could happen, me being ahead of you, is an impossibility.
Nice to have the option, as I don't have the skills.
RE: Air cleaner... I purchased a Zenith card that was 'balanced' (an internal passage between the air intake and bowl, to keep air pressure equalized) that avoids the running rich issue.
BTW - was nice to meet and speak with you for a few minutes at "The Gilmore". Thanks for taking the time, you were a busy man!
Balanced or not, I've never had any trouble. Nice to meet YOU!! Yea, sorry I was pretty swamped at the Gilmore. They have Tina and I scheduled minute by minute there, don't they??
Saturday morning with a Paul Shinn video and my special oatmeal, life is good. (This post doesn't really accomplish anything other than playing with Al Gore's funky rhythm section.)
And I appreciate it!
Thanks for the video Paul! Web forums and in-person clubs both have people that don't agree. It would be boring if everyone had the same opinions on all things. I find peace in telling myself that reasonable minds may differ! Don't worry if people disagree with how you care for your A. Just keep on keepin on! The truck build is going to be really fascinating.
True. The web forums just seem to be nastier about it. The truck is going to be fun!
Good review Paul. A while back a club member bought a new Zenith carburetor and I couldn't get it to idle properly. After all the checks that you went thru I finally found it had excessive clearance (slop) in the throttle shaft and was sucking air in. After installing an oversized throttle shaft it ran OK. I told him next time buy an rebuilt original Zenith. Way too much money to spend on something that does not work correctly and "does NOT come with any kind of guarantee. They are non returnable and non refundable". The quote is direct from Mike's catalog, something you didn't mention in your review.
I ordered by email, so was not aware of that until weeks later when I went online to get the screen shot of their online catalog. But I am still thrilled that parts like this are still being made for our nearly 100 year old cars.
Paul, that is one very nice Blue Model A. Gorgeous. New carb gonna have to be rejetted (?). It probably great with a high lift cam. But you dialed it in. Great. And it's not an aluminum recycled beer can product. A great video-thanks for posting.
Spot on, Craig!
Cool deal! I wouldn’t believe it if I hadn’t “zenith “ with my own eyes!
I had a '30 coupe in high school (mid 60s) I learned a lot from that car.
Awesome video, a real joy to watch a pro in action. Great to hear that everything spec's out to size on the jets. Thanks for sharing, I hope you have a wonderful weekend!
Thanks Dan!
Thank you, Paul! I'm just glad they are making model A anything! After trying to buy several parts, fan, dashlight, front leaf spring to find out, they are back ordered at present, and hearing that some items are no longer being made at all! I am working on three A's, one of them my 1930 Truck and the dissapointmens keep hitting me! I would like to know more about the new carburetor, as one I have is a gas dumper, no matter what I do! I even watched your video on the subject, but can not figure out why this is happening! Thanks again for all you do!!
Dumping gas is almost always from a float valve that won't seal closed or from a missing or damaged gasket. Remember- All the jets that point up need a gasket. The idle jet is the only one that doesn't.
Perfect timing. Messes with the Wretched Roadster’s carb today. Still not idling well.
What's the story?
Want to take a moment and thank you for all of your informative videos. I've been watching them for a long time and recently purchased a 1929 Tudor as my first Model A. It came with a Tillotson. I would be interested in hearing your thoughts on the Tillotson carb. Thank you!
This video kinda hints why I don't use Tillotson carbs ua-cam.com/video/cR1ksgFaH90/v-deo.html
I haven't had satisfactory results from them, but excellent results from Zenith, so I stick with what works for me. YMMV.
Good news, Paul! New Zenith carbs are available! Bad news, Paul! I'm on the Atkins diet; No Carbs!!
Thanks for the heads up and test video!
But they have enough dietary fiber to cancel out the carbs!
Since I ended up with late '31 Model A's, still have to play with the side-bowl versions to be "right."
Know what you mean. In a pinch....
I like supporting the venders. Placed an order with Mikes 3 weeks ago, still waiting for it to arrive. They contacted my 10 days ago saying the light switch spider was going to be in in a week. That’s been 2 weeks ago! Come on Mike!
That is frustrating! Call up and ask for Erich. He will straighten it out. They are good people.
Do you ever do a static float level check using a visual fluid gage? I find that to be a good accuracy check on the inverted mechanical height check. My MS carb was running a bit rich, particularly on hot restarts. My mentor advised to readjust my float to lower the float level by 1/16" from the 3/4" spec for MS. Problem solved! Not bad for 2 dollar swap meet carb! Have a great day!
Yes. I showed that in a previous video.
Paul I do agree with you about The air filter !
So that makes 2 of us.... The web forums can hate us both now.
@@ModelA yes they will!
but are engines will love us ,with moor engine life!
I think it's super amazing that a new Zenith is being made. Seeing stuff like this makes the hobby a lot of fun. The price is a serious barrier, however. Especially when you can get a very high-quality rebuilt unit for less than that. I understand the reasons why it costs what it does, but you gotta admit that a great many of us in the community are cheapskates, lol.
True- A rebuild is about half the cost PLUS a core. But what if you don't have a core? This serves a purpose too.
This will appeal to those who don't want to fiddle with old carbs. Anyway, how many times have you heard some old geyser begin by saying "When I was a kid....." So my first Model A was a running coupe that my Dad bought for me. After a little haggling, he got the price down to $100. Granted it was not in pristine shape, but it sure taught me a lot, and back then almost all adult males of advanced years could offer advice on fixing Model A issues.
You scored!! Props to your dad, man!
Hey Paul the R inside the circle means it’s a registered trademark.
I know, I was just messing around. Thanks!
Yes the price is a tad rich but compared to replacement of a modern car’s fuel system it’s acceptable and the price may come down if demand goes up.
Thanks for posting 👍
It's definitely a big jump in price over the rebuild parts.
Thx Mr S. Same here my backup carb was rebuild by me and it's decent but not perfect. The carb i use presently was rebuilt by a friend who's been doing Model A carburetors amongst all the other aspects of A's. So now I'll have to tune the spare to see how well I did. Be safe, thanks to you and Mrs S.
Thank you, Dean!!! By the way, your carvings still decorate our home!
@@ModelA Thank you. Santa's very busy this year.
4:09 the safety shoes!! Just teasing - we do that in Kansas too.
I'm mostly American Indian, so when I'm too hot, shoes off is how I keep from pouring sweat down my face when camera is rolling.
I don't hate ALL adjustable wrenches, just the cheap, junk ones people pick up at the "dollar" store or the ones that aren't taken care of or have the adjustment mechanism worn out and are too sloppy to fit the head of the bolt, nut, or screw properly. I have several quality Crescent brand adjustables that still work just fine after 50+ years of use. I never lend them to others who don't know how to use them properly, and don't use them in high torque situations.
Same here, brother!
Great evaluation and test Model A Guy. We all know you had to take Model T to dinner after she found out you had used her favorite blue bowl.
She never found out about the bowl
Great video Paul, just like always. Some years ago I purchased a new carburetor available, not sure from which vendor and what I noticed was that the car had less power.Any idea why? Thanks for all you do for the hobby.
Could be anything from leaner jetting to a clog somewhere to ignition timing.
I bought a new Zenith carburetor about 15 years ago. I got it to compare to the ones I rebuild. The new one was machined wrong in the idle circuit. The idle air adjusting screw hits the idle jet and scored the jet. I took the top off and you can see it. I was not impressed with it at all. Mine was marked Zenith 1.
Weird. Maybe I got lucky? Or maybe these are from a different outfit? Wonder why yours was off so much.
You just tested all 4 carb jets in 1:15 on the video. From a guy who built his own flow test stand and has checked dozens of jets, your technique is an amazing time saver, with probably comparable results.
Can you share the jet sizes you are considering "perfect"?
What is the pin gauge set you used called? I can't find one, and I need one!
I used to flow test, but my dad gave me that metric jet gauge set and showed me there's no difference. I never turned back!! Those old guys really know their stuff.
We're harvesting olives this weekend. When we're done harvesting, I will look at the gauges and tell you the sizes.
@@ModelA Harvesting olives. Now there's something I don't hear every day in Central Iowa. Great video, thanks for the reply.
Should I include any of that in a video? Harvested until dark last night. Up early again today. Started pressing yesterday too, so lots going on. Do you think a Shinn brand of olive oil would sell? Nah.
@@ModelA If you include your suggested jet size table in the video, guys like me that want to know can pause long enough to jot down the info. That would be very helpful.
As to the pin gauge; I found something called "Pin Gage Set" with storage case for hole size checking, or some version of that. 50 Pins, 0.011”- 0.060" for ~$30. Looks like the modern version of the tool your dad used. I'll compare results, but I'm hoping to never flow test again.
Olive oil business? I'd stick with 10w40.
$725 for such a simple carburetor. Can’t image he is selling many at that price.
My 2021 Snyders catalog was selling them for $495 and I thought that was too high.
Fortunately for most of us there are many good original Zenith’s that are restorable.
Thanks for the review.
I restore my own carbs too. But not everyone ha our skills, so they have an option.
Agreed. The price is ridiculous.
@@hunniebe6 prices go down with mass production in huge quantities. Im sure the productions numbers are low, so to recoup the investment in design, tooling, and manufacturing, the price will be high.
@@tonyp7779 Not much tooling to be done for this simple carb. No need for design it already exists. No warranty and untested.
@@hunniebe6 You haven't priced a high pressure pump and set of injectors for a modern car recently have you? Never mind an ECU, that carb is only a bit more expensive than a tail light with CANBUS for a modern Ford pickup.
Love your channel, Paul. Just curious, where are these manufactured?
Pretty sure USA, but I will ask to be sure
I am so excited to see that truck! 🛻
How do you think I feel?
When I was an apprentice machinist, I bought a crescent wrench and my boss threw it over the back fence and was told never use those on anything, use the correct spanner and not the nut fcuker.
Your boss obviously never saw the tools that came with a Model A then.
@@ModelA I take your point, but a nice ring spanner reduces damage to the component.
1:42 same question I always run into!!!!
Awesome video Paul. The (R) stands for registered trademark. It means that the builder had to get permission from whoever owns the trademark of Zenith carburators.
Thanks, I know. I was just being a goofball.
Sir Another awesome video, Question does the ford family still get royaties from all these aftermarket parts that are still being produced in 2024 and did you weight the original float bowl vs repro, thks again,
No idea. That's above my pay grade
Got my original motor mounts in with only slightly bending my oil pan lol but it still seems to run fine it's now a blemish
Good work!
Hi Paul, do you happen to know the part number of your K&N filter. Enjoy your channel!
I don't even own an A (yet?) but it pleases me to see anything that makes the hobby even more accessible. How many other cars from the 1920s have such a ready support network, besides As and Ts?
Honestly, none!!!
As Henry intended. When he introduced the Model A the tool kit included an adjustable wrench. Yours is merely a more modern improved version.
It's true! I do love my adjustable wrenches.
Hi paul thank you for all your videos they have been most helpful. I'm having an issue with headlights. I replaced the whole wiring on my 29 model A. The headlights doesn't seem to stay connected to the wiring. Any suggestions are help would be most appreciated. Thanks Larry from Bedford Indiana
Hi Larry! Guessing the headlight sockets aren't keeping good electrical contact, no? A lot of people just bypass the sockets for this reason and run the headlight wires directly into the buckets and use butt connectors to connect the harness wires directly to the socket wires.
@@ModelA thank you very much
Two carb floats meet in a bowl.
One float says to the other, "Hey! I didn't want water!"
Second float, "Well, at least its not a toilet bowl!"
Paul great job on what you're doing for Model A Community, The average Model A owner is over 60yrs old, and they will not be driving their Cars and trucks like there daily drivers, And won't be buying parts for driving their cars around 150 miles a year, Is Model A value falling in 2024 vs 2015, I expect (Yessssss) and if no Youth get involved in this Hobbie the Model A will be worthless bye 2035, You are correct daily Drives are where it's at in 2025 again, My opinion and my opinion only , thks
The good news is, we're turning it around, man!! The average age is skewing younger every day. Even MAFCA membership is up!! We are making a difference, brother!
I use my adjustable wrench…… Which all the web forums hate. lol gold! 😂
Well..... Right? The web forums have given up being helpful in favor of egotistically always having to be right or smarter than the next guy. I decided to quit going to the forums for the sake of my attitude and ambition to grow the Model A hobby. My videos serve Model A owners and not myself. The forums forgot who they were for, and it's all about ego now. They have lost their way. Please feel free to tell them I said so.
@@ModelA because of you I know it’s all right to use adjustable. Wrenches I use them all the time in my 39 deluxe.
The price is not outrageous considering the small market & its made in the USA.
A common 4 barrel carb is $450-$650+ & those are made to fit millions of vehicles.
Not saying it's pocket change but it's 2024 fellas
I agree. These were $450 just a few years ago. The "new economy" has driven up the price of everything.
I think an air filter is a must. Ford not putting them on in the beginning, 😢
Great video
Thanks for watching!
Paul... Can you tell me where I might find a K&D filter for my Air Maze
Tou mean a K&N, right?? Bert's Model A center has them in their catalog. You just have to drill the hole in the end for the air maze.
@@ModelA Thank you
@@ModelA Thanks for the air filter info! I just ordered the Air-Maze filter from Bert's but they are out of stock on the K&N filter. It also appears that K&N may have discontinued the E-3050 filter that Bert was selling. I can't find it anywhere..... ha, just my luck. Guess I'll have to make do with the Air-Maze.
Hi Paul, you mentioned a K&N air filter. 2:20 Where did you get that? I was looking for a link in the description but there is none. :) Did a search and found one but it looks different than yours.
Bert's. But I am told K&N doesn't make them anymore.
Do you use a lead additive in your gas?
Nope. Not needed with a Model A
I think I'll wait until the p.g. zenneth carberator comes out.
HI Paul, is it made in chinaville? I have allways wonderd why people dont run air cleaners. a lot of Hot Roders dont run them on there Flatheads. I have a orignal 36 Ford pickup ans i run a K and N air cleaner. when i changed it from the stock filter, i could tell the diffrence as i was cranking it over. i have a Kand N filters in all my cars
Brendan
Made in USA I was told. I sure hope so.
@@ModelA yup , thanks for the Video
Erich tells me they are assembled in New Jersey. Parts source??
Wow could almost buy a pair of 45 dcoe webers for that money. Tooling must be expensive
The "new economy" has jacked up the price of everything!!!
@ModelA certainly has, it seems expensive but when a new part is made right and you can depend on it to do a good job price is forgotten when having fun driving
My heart goes out to UA-camrs for all the negative ninnies they have to put up with in the comments. If all the stuff happening in the world, folks have to argue about air filters and adjustable wrenches as mentioned in the video. Everybody always needs to be right.
It's true, they come out of the woodwork sometimes. But a few of those guys really know their stuff!!
Mr. Shinn,
That is not a adjustable wrench.
That is a left handed, metricated hammer spanner.
Coincidentally, some of them are chrominated as well. 😂😂
Hhhaaaa!! Chrome make it faster, as they say about cars
You mentioned the (What I think you said) K and N Air filters? First did i get the name correct? Second where does a person purchase these air filters?
Are there any resources online for adjusting/servicing a carburetor? My '30 A runs a bit rough. Granted, it sat in a barn for 20 years.
I did a video on that
When your adjusting the jet on the carburator. Whats the choke knob set to inside the cab?
About 1/4 turn backed off from closed on this one. But it runs good fully closed too, when it's warm. Bit more power when just cracked open
Diesel or gasoline is the best way to remove another woman's perfume. i.e. Grandpa's aftershave
Learned this from an ENRON executive
Bahahahahaaaa!!!!! Sounds like something Red Green would say.
I'am a great fan of yours. But working in your shop with no shoes! Safety is your top priority??
When it is 100+ degrees in the shop, and I want to avoid heat stroke, yes. My shop floor is spotlessly clean, so contact with the cool epoxy over concrete floor helps keep my body temp down. What danger is there in this? Maybe I'm overlooking something? But summer is over, so no overheating danger in the shop now anyway.
@@ModelA Sorry just concerned that you may drop something/injury your foot, Sorry you took it the wrong way. The heat must be getting to you. I solved that problem by install an air conditioner in my shop.
@@CharlesGrima I did not take your message negatively. My reply was meant in fun as well. I have a mini-split AC, just need some expert to install it for cheap.
I’m wondering what your final sweet spot isle mixture adjustment was. You didn’t mention it in the video?
I don't know. I think it was about 2 turns CCW
Got a 25 Buick a used marvel is 3-5 hundred
Yikes!!!
Is it just me og did your engine have a "sound" like a ticking valve or? 🙂
It does. I need to adjust the valves this winter
Do you ever weigh the floats to see if they're within original specs - 31-32 grams? I always do. Many repros are way out of spec.
I have. didn't this time.
A bit off topic but wanted to know what replacement product you’re using to clean your cars. Looks like Dri wash and guard is no longer available.
I bought a ton of it before it went away. So still using DriWash
Where can I find what size acetylene tip cleaners to use for checking each jet? Thanks. Jim from Central Illinois A's
Amazon
Paul, do you have any recommendations as to where I can get a pin gauge set like you have?
Amazon sells them in a kit. Here it is- amzn.to/3NMP1YY
@ Thanks, Paul. Love your Channel!
Hey Paul 👋 By chance would you have the part number for the K n N filter you use? Thanks my friend 👍
I have been informed that they are no longer being made. Bert's Model A center used to sell them.
Thanks for the info Paul!! @ModelA
where can yoy get that gauge for checking the jets?
Welding supply. It's a torch tip cleaner set
A new Zenith from Mike's
A Fordable installed with
A justable wrench on
A model A.
What's that you say, Eh?
But.....They are NOT refundable? So if there is a defect in it or visible damage your stuck?
What year p.u. I have a late 31 with a indented fire wall 1/2 ton bed!!!!!
Late 31 with metal roof
Ive noticed that when you run that engine it has a click/tick noise at idle...what is that noise from? I have a 1930 town sedan with a b engine that ticks just like that at idle...valves have been adjusted already...no change. Noise goes away once above idle..
My valves need to be adjusted. Haven't touched them in 50K miles.
What about the GAV control? Maybe to rich.
GAV should not have any effect on idle mixture. If it does, your idle is set too high.
Please, fer gawd's sake, do not complain about the price! Everything costs too much today & you damn well know it. A guy trying to support the hobby, it must be terribly expensive to be in manufacturing....
All of the @AvE fans are thinking "Of COURSE you should take it apart first!"
Hahahhahahahaaaa!!!
Paul Perhaps you are having problems tuning the new aftermarket carburetor because you weren't using one of your dad's American-made screwdrivers.
Close gav valve a bit.
Hahahaa!! Dangit!! Had not considered that.
The "R" indicates that "Zenith" is a registered trademark.
I know safety is priority...........so please don't stub your toes. (Bare feet)
When I get air conditioning in the shop, I can have shoes on and not be dripping in sweat bad look on camera!!). Hey, at least I had a shirt on. My usual summer mode is none.
®️ means registered trademark.
I know. Was just playing around. Thanks!
What i do not like is what I saw on Mike's website "It does NOT come with any kind of guarantee. They are non returnable and non refundable. "
There is no excuse for a brand new $750 carb that won't idle smooth out of the box! (Plus still won't idle after a lot of fiddling!) That's a lot of money to just "keep under the seat"!
I got it dialed in later
No it was not you it was the asilicone you do not use silicone on carburetors
I'm kinda thinking the same thing now.
If this is the same one I have, they are junk. They are Very Poorly machined. The GAV port drilling was off center; the jets were bad... etc.
Must be totally different. This one was excellent.
@ModelA I'll send you a photo to compare. I believe it's the same.
Maybe they were like the "new engine" blocks. First ones had issues but they seem to have made corrections and new ones are better?
@ModelA Could be??? But our engine builder stopped using them because of repeated issues... and I'm not certain there wasn't a customer service issue.
@@ericluedtke3507 Curious- What issues?
New Zenith carbs have been made in Mexico longer than you and your DADDY have been around! Zenith's are fussy, they LEAK, and more. If you don't mind your Model "A" not being concours correct, the later Tillotson carb gives MORE HP, nearly 50% better fuel economy (20-22 MPG vs: 15-16 MPG for the stock Zenith , at 40 MPH) CANNOT FLASH-BACK from back-fires and is stupid easy to adjust. The Mexican's have also sold a NON-LEAKING WATER PUMP with rubber/copper seals to replace the stock leather seal leaker since about 1950. You can also now buy a "secret" 6 volt OR 12 volt ALTERNATOR (a Nippon-Denson) that looks like the stock generator, but makes triple the amperage, and has a SUPER good voltage regulator built-in! Thanks for the AD!!!
Paul appears to have shed some pounds.
I had a tumor removed from my left ureter that was blocking left kidney. Now I have 2 working kidneys and so far, cancer-free.
@ I, during an unrelated CT Scan, was found to have a 2.4 cm cancer on my left kidney. Was treated with cryotherapy (freezing). And follow up. So far so good.
@@steveengelbrecht7271 Awesome!! So happy for you!! My next scan is this coming month. Hope it hasn't tried to come back.
Love your videos how can I send you an email?
Why not? Everyone else does!