The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Rochester B Carburetor Rebuild Kit

Hey all,

My internet foo is not the strongest (ironic coming from a young guy) and I have been trying to find a rebuild kit for my Rochester. I have found all manner of conversations on the site involving everything from how to do open heart surgery on the acceleration pump (looking at you Jon G :P) to how to fiddle with a sputtering 235 but no one listing a actual model number or rebuild kit number. Below are some pictures of it, it came out of a 235 CI Straight 6 1953 6400 truck. I believe I have found the correct kit but was wondering if some of you folks could confirm or deny before I purchased it.
https://www.carburetor-parts.com/Ro...t--32-62-Chevy-55-56-Pontiac_p_2553.html

I don't know given what I can see from your images, but I can tell you the base gasket for it is wrong. It doesn't have the right vacuum port opening and this means your power system will be disabled from the word go. You ought to call Jon (CarbKing) tomorrow and ask him...

That is correct, I got one from him for my Carter YF and it was the best one I ever acquired. But I will always say that the best way to fix a rochester B is to replace it with a carter YF

Such a simple question, with such a difficult answer!

If you have the original tag, then the answer would be quite easy.

If the tag is missing, then:

Rochester type B carburetor - 164 different carbs, we make 36 different rebuilding kits
Rochester type BC carburetor - 56 different carbs, we make 25 different rebuilding kits.
Rochester type BV carburetor - 64 different carbs, we make 26 different rebuilding kits.

So, in summary, Rochester produced 284 DIFFERENT carburetors which are often referred to as Rochester B; for which we make 87 DIFFERENT rebuilding kits.

And with no offense meant to anyone, personal (and professional) opinion is that if the tag is missing, just replace the carb with either (A) a tagged original Rochester if you are a glutton for punishment, (B) a Carter, Stromberg, or Zenith replacement carburetor, or (C) a 15-year-old standing on the running board and pouring gasoline into the engine out of a leaky boot

Jon.

If your Rochester happens to have a correct ID tag still with it, do yourself and every future mechanic who works on it a favor- - - -use an electric pencil to engrave the numbers on the tag onto the float chamber!
Jerry

It does not have a tag I was hoping the markings on the outside would be enough info is there anywhere on the carb number might be stamped?

Here are some more pictures.

I think that's the kit I ordered, it worked fine. Yes, most base gaskets are missing the hole, but all you have to do is put one in. Not an issue. Make sure your air horn is not warped or look into fixing it or replacing it.

Jon provides facts and figures to back up his claims while virtually everybody else is offering a SWAG at best. I know whom I choose to rely on for accurate information. A Rochester without an ID tag is probably a stinky paperweight at best.
Jerry

I got a rebuild kit from Orielys, (very surprised they had one in stock). While not ideal it did have the parts I needed. However I have run into one problem and any help would be highly appreciated. I got the entire carb put together and had one metal ball and spring left over, I can't figure out where it went I have gone through all the pictures I took to prevent just such a occurrence and still no luck. I put one ball in the arm support of the power jet and another in the carb bowl that is held down by a metal T. Any ideas where the third and spring are supposed to go?

Coming from a practical world. Being an Electro-Mechanical Engineer. Able to fix almost anything around the garage or home. I find it impossible to believe that the best advice is to throw away a carburetor just because it has no tag. I would find a kit using my brain, pictures and examining/emailing carb sites.

I too, do not want to offend. Personally or professionally. I understand so many models made. I just hope someone can hear how it sounds to say replace a good rebuildable carb because it has no tag.

I try to understand everyone's advice, especially a professional. I assume that they have a whole lot of work to do. Lots of customers with tags. It may be economically unfeasible to screw around trying to figure out what carb model it is. However this advice to one guy with one carb, telling them to "replace" it, is economically unfeasible advise to a tinker'er, home mechanic, truck nut with plenty of time. If it ain't broke, put a carb kit in it. Many kits come with several different/extra parts and gaskets to cover several models. A "B" is a good carb and easy to rebuild with videos available online. B, BC, BV are identifiable, so it's not 284 carbs.
"Some Rochester B carburetors also had the last 4 digits of the carburetor number stamped on the bottom of the mounting flange. Just add "700" in front of the number and you have your carburetor number." (Mike's Carb Shop)

This is just a different perspective from a professional DIY person. You don't get a carb with a tag very many times.

IF you have a B:

B - Manual choke
BC - Choke thermostat mounted on carburetor.
BV - Divorced choke thermostat mounted on intake manifold.

Your flat stem accelerator pump indicates B or BC. The kit you linked from Mike's looks good. You probably have compared all the parts shown in his pics to the ones you have. I have used that vendor many times. He answers my emails and is very helpful. He has several videos on the B rebuild. If the gasket is not correct looking, he has all the parts available separately with pictures.
There are a few mistake you can make so be sure you watch and read about B rebuild/general carb rebuild.

To answer your latest question: WATCH the videos from Mike's Carb Shop and you will see where the balls go, which ball and etc. Seems like I remember there is a stainless steel ball and an aluminum ball? There could be extra parts in the kit. That is normal. Carbs are easy to install and try. Bolt it down, hook up the gas and run it. One of the caveats in the videos is about balls getting stuck down in the hole and you don't notice it did not come out and sometimes throwing another ball on top of it or just having a stuck ball.
Your Mike's carb link shows 3 balls in the kit with at least two sizes. Two look like SS and one looks like aluminum. If there are only two balls used in the instructions then obviously there will be one left over. Mike explains the SS vs AL ball in one of the videos. Use your old guts to verify the new guts. Simple.

Pro's Like Jon and Mike, make sure you get the right parts. They make sure the pump seal is E10 friendly and the rest of the parts are proper. The O'Reilly's kit may not.

Thank you for the response and that is kinda my thought, The kit didn't have a extra part the carb itself did, when I took it apart I got three balls out of it. The kit only came with two, I have a idea on where it goes but am unsure.

Extra ball? Have you seen this video?


At about 25:45 the presenter talks about an extra ball in some carbs.

Didn't know I was so slow. I just added some to my loooooooong post and I see you and Gord have already posted. Please re read my post. Gord is right on the "ball".

You must have stopped for lunch halfway through your post!

I did. My mother said I was vaccinated with a Victrola needle. Never knew what that meant until I was older. 72 and vaccine holding up.

Is that 72 rpm?

I'm going to tell on you guys for being off topic......... After dinner.

Bart - the problem with the untagged B (BC, BV) from my point is trying to assure that the customer gets the correct parts (did you know there as least THREE different tensioned springs for the power valve)? Probably trying to be TOO correct for what I consider to be one of worst downdraft carburetors ever made in the USA (there are quite a few imports that are worse;) ), but we have spent decades perfecting our rebuilding kits, and I truly dislike selling a customer something that I am not sure is correct.

By the way, a few years ago, I finally found a legitimate use for a Rochester B (actually 2 of them)

Jon.

And if you guys REALLY want to go off topic, do you know why the Victrola had a variable speed for playing 78 RPM records?

The answer is quite obvious: many of the "78 RPM" records were recorded at other than 78 RPM. There is a range of about 60 RPM to 85 RPM. Google will prove my point to those who might be interested.

Jon.

I am now at about 33 1/3, unfortunately.

Mike's carbs. Or Amazon.