I just rebuilt a 4100 carb to put on my 63 352 Galaxie. The primary bowl level looks fine, but the secondary bowl only has about a quarter inch of gas in it. The needle and seat doesn't appear to be stuck... it just seems that no gas is going to that bowl. My guess is that the only gas in there probably came from the channel that keeps the levels even possibly. Anyone have any idea why there is hardly any gas in the secondary bowl?

Thanks,
Dave Coleman

Because I have a bunch of questions from your post......

First you just rebuild a carb for your 63 352, correct?, What carb, what is the part number of the carb?

Second, I am questioning how you know the fuel level is down? It sounds like you rebuilt it and then had it apart afterwards? Why, was there a problem? And what was it?

I seriously doubt that the fuel in the secondary bowl came from the equalizer channel, if it did you probably have even bigger problems. Since the entrance of the equalizer channel would be above the float level in most cases for a 4100.

So then the third thing would be what spec setting did you use to set the float levels for the primary and secondary float levels.

So got all that, :o)
Get me the carburetor part number and I can give you the correct float levels and we can talk about how you came to have the carb apart and maybe other problems. It is highly possible to have the secondary float fill blocked or clogged, it is very hard to clean and get clean but might not even be your problem.

Get back to me,

Bill White
White Automotive

Thanks for your response. I will get the number off the carb tomorrow after work. I recently replaced my 2bbl intake with a 4bbl intake and carb. At the same time I replaced the heads with some that I had that had very low miles after being rebuilt, and I replaced the timing chain and gears just because I had it tore down anyway. I also installed a pertronix ignition in the distributor.

After doing the work, the engine was very hard to start.

You are right in that I took the carb partway apart after I had the engine running. When I was cleaning off my work bench, I found a short rod that I forgot to put into the carb. The rod isn't the float rod... it is the rod that sits vertically into a hole on the primary side. I thought that it might be the problem so I took off the top of the carb to put the rod in. That is when I noticed that the gas was very low in the secondary bowl.

Another problem is that when I adjust the idle screw on the passenger side, there is very little effect on how the engine runs. If I adjust it all the way in, it doesn't change. When I adjust it out past about 1.5 turns, it starts to run slightly rougher. When I adjust the driver's side screw, it kills the engine when it gets about 3/4 turn from closed.

I guess this is what happens when an rookie rebuilds a carb.

Thanks,


Dave Coleman
Greenfield, IN
1962 Galaxie 500XL
1963 Galaxie 500XL
http://www.62Ford.com/GalaxieLinks
http://jamesthornton.com/wp/display/378

Here is what I found. Please let me know if I need to look somewhere else for the number.

C2AF AL

Thanks,


Dave Coleman
Greenfield, IN
1962 Galaxie 500XL
1963 Galaxie 500XL
http://www.62Ford.com/GalaxieLinks
http://jamesthornton.com/wp/display/378

So what you really have is a 1962 galaxie carburetor off of a 352 so thats great, this carb should work perfect with your 1963 352 car.

So lets figure whats up. So you were saying it was hard to start and you found some missing part(s), also when it was running the idle mixture screws had only slight to moderate effect.

SO (other than the missing parts) sounds to me like you didn't get some parts and passages clean enough, that could be part of the hard to start and definetley the cause of moderate idle mixture screw effect.

My recomendation is to take the carburetor off, spend lots of time getting all those passages clean especially the venturi clusters, use a good carburetor cleaner to soak them for more than overnight and then use some wleding tip cleaners to make sure all the passages within them are clear and clean, same with that carburetor body. Use compressed air to clear them out.

When you have it apart, take time to make sure you are not missing anything, and you have it all back together the way it is suppose to be. If challenged go borrow a 62 shop manula from the library or copy the carburetor section.

Those float levels should be set at 21/32 for both primary and secondary. That measurement should be best taken with the carburetor UPSIDE DOWN (to avoid putting pressure on the sensitive needle valve) and measured from the flat of the top of the main body to a point on the float 1/8 from the end AND NOT ON THE SEAM but on either side of it. Best way to do this for begginners is to measure 1/8 from the end of the float and put a pencil line there, then when install you have an exact parallel to place the enclosed tools that came with your kit.

Remember since you have a 1962 galaxie carburetor to use THOSE bench specs when bench setting the carb. (all 62 4 barrells where the same whether for fullsize, merc and/or t-bird.

Hope that helps,

Bill White
White Automotive

Thanks for the info. That sounds like a good plan. What do you recommend as a good carb cleaner?

I have a one gallon can of carb cleaner that I bought at Auto Zone, but I can only fit the small parts in it. That is what I used.

For the body, I sprayed it real good with a can of carb and choke cleaner and used compressed air in every tiny hole I could find. Then I ran a small wire through those same holes. The gallon can wasn't near big enough to fit the body of the carb in.

Is there some place I can take it to have it soaked?

Thanks,

Dave Coleman
Greenfield, IN
1962 Galaxie 500XL
1963 Galaxie 500XL
http://www.62Ford.com/GalaxieLinks
http://jamesthornton.com/wp/display/378

So I recommend getting some cleaning solvent, thinner, or something of that nature, that you can get a couple of gallons of pretty cheaply.
Kerosene and gasoline work and have been used but............

Then place body of carb in large pan or bucket and cover with the above and allow to soak.

Hope that helps,

Bill White
White Automotive