Can any fool rebuild a carb?

[Anonymous]

First off, thank y'all for letting me agonize publicly about my carb and radiator woes. Since it looks like I'm going to have to bite the bullet and get a new radiator... I can't afford to do a carb swap at this time. Still, my 1940 needs a rebuild worse than Lindsey Lohan needs rehab... and honestly folks, I'm quite reluctant (almost scared) to do it... and rebuilding it myself is the only cost effective option. What do I need to do it right? Are there any good resources on the web for rebuilding a 1940. I've seen the Holley carb manuals on eBay... are these worth the $$ (or is there a .pdf on the web somewhere I could read first).

And last of all, is a 1940 worth rebuilding??

 

[66 Fastback]

Yes, I am living proof even an Aggie can master the task. The kits should have good instructions. The Shop Manual has good info. You can get a book from the library if need be.
No special tools required on most carbs. You may need a ruler to help set the float, but most kits have a cardboard guage to set the float height.
Doug

 

[Anonymous]

you might try asking around here...I got a couple of good used ones for $10-20

 

[woodbutcher]

Hey,if I can rebuild a carb,ANYBODY can.Hehehehehe.
Leo

 

[XFlow_Fairlane]

a 1v carb is pretty darn simple.

you will need a set of 1/4" drive sockets and a couple screwdrivers and maybe a pair of needle nose.

 

[MercuryMarc]

I have rebuilt several carbs with the help of the folks on this list.
I was DEFINATELY a novice when I started my first one.
Here are some suggestions- from a Newbie...

1. Get the Haynes Holley Carb Book if you can afford it- real cheap online- for as little as 8 bucks used- several available at Amazon right now

2. Take lots of pics when you take it apart

3. Label everything and put into little ziplock baggies

4. Be extremely careful when turning the carb over once the top part is unscrewed- or else you will have little check balls rolling all over your garage (or kitchen or living room..) and it is very hard to know which holes they go back into- don't ask me how I know this...

5. Make sure to blow out all the passages with compressed air- I did not have a compressor in my living room (or anywhere in my house) so I did it by blowing into a small length of vacuum tubing

6. Feel free to ask lots of questions to the helpful folks on the list

Good luck go for it!

 

[johnnyzoom]

Ditto on if I can do it, you can do it.

MercuryMarc's suggestions are what I would say. I would add that a can of carb cleaner is around a buck, and that once it's unscrewed, you may have to pry the top off. If so, try not to let it pop like a bottle cap, those ball checks will fly under the stove, into the grass, etc.

You'll be happy with the performance imporvement.

 

[The Plankster Prankster]

my preference for if you have to pry the top off is to leave a couple screws just barely screwed in so it can't move very far...saves you many hours of trying to find that lost part

 

[mugsy]

Any doofus can take a carb apart, clean it and screw it back together. A real "mechanic" will pay attention to all the clearances and settings. Carbs are pretty easy, but you have to pay attention to the details. If you do that, then carb shoudl run 10X better. I'll get off my soap box now..

I recommend that you but a gallon/paint can of the "parts cleaner" stuff at the local KragenMurrayAutoAdvanceZoo. Take the carb apart, but be very careful as mentioned in the earlier posts. Soak the metal parts in the cleaning solution and then spray them off with Carb Cleaner. The compressed air is a good idea too. Re-assemble the carb but make sure all adjustments listed in the carb kit instruction are followed to a tee. I have learned alot plus had much success by verifying and/or making the adjustments shown in the instuction sheet. Don't assume that the adjstments on the exisitng carb are fine, verify everything!

tanx,
Mugsy 8)

 

[fordconvert]

I have found something like a good old fashiond metal cookie sheet is a good thing for working on carbs. It keeps the gas and small parts from going all over the place. You can also buy those tin foil type pans in all shapes and sizes at almost any grocery store.

 

[XFlow_Fairlane]

dollar store cookie sheet (with rolled up lips) and a hand towel from the same place. get a medium color towel as check balls are hard to find on white or black towels. the towel will keep stuff from rolling everywhere.

 

[ludwig]

Cans of compressed air from an office supply house for those hard to reach places.

 

[JackFish]

Get a "parts" carb and work on that.
Many parts that break, wear out, or get lost aren't in a kit, especially screws.
My current 1946 is actually 3 different carbs, each of which had issues, but the sum of the total seems to be working quite well!

 

[Lazy JW]

Every one of us was a beginner at some point. This isn't exactly a space shuttle so you will do fine. The one thing you cannot fix is if the throttle shaft is too sloppy. This will result in poor idling no matter what else you do. Leave that repair to someone who has the proper tools/knowledge. Or find one with a reasonably tight throttle shaft.
Joe

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the info and encouragement!

So the next question is, where is the best place to procure a quality rebuild kit (preferably Holley brand)??!?

 

[MercuryMarc]

I was pleasantly surprised to learn that the local car parts chain strores usually have the rebuild kits in stock! That's were I get mine. None were official "Holley" kits but seemed to work fine and had instructions, too.