The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Carb overhaul interval

I have a question; how often do you overhaul your carburetors? Or what criteria do you use to determine that a repair is required? I have a Carter that I installed 3 years and about 2500 miles ago and am contemplating overhauling it. I have no issues with the carb and my milage is close to 20 mpg, so I have no complaints with how it is running today. I do run regular gas in it, so there is some ethanol involved, but with the new kits these days I presume there are no issues with incompatible parts. I put between 800 and 1000 miles per year on the truck, just drive it when the car is unavailable or I have something to haul. Curious what everyone does and why.

Thanks,
Lee.

As long as things are working correctly there's no need to touch them.

I rebuilt the Carter 4bbl in my Cadillac over 15 years ago and it runs like a Swiss watch.

Just don't let the ethanol gas sit in the fuel system for a long time.

I drive it fairly regularly; the winters here are mild and dry, so I can drive all year long. The summers are tough, but with 240 air conditioning, I stay comfortable.

Regular driving is the best preventive maintenance you can give any vehicle.

A friend of mine oversees a large local car collection. The vehicles range from the 1910s to the 1970s with heavy emphasis on the 1930s Classics, including a couple Duesenbergs.

Every single vehicle in the collection is subject to a 3 hour drive on local roads at least once a month. This keeps everything lubricated, the fuel system fresh, etc. It's quite amazing to see a 1934 Duesenberg or 1918 Cadillac driving through town in regular traffic.

Anyway, at a natrional show (either Hilton Head or Pebble Beach, I can't remember) the Duesenberg Town Car was competing against other Duesnebergs (they're in a class by themselves, of course). The presumptive winner was a roadster. After all, who doesn't like a two-seater over a stodgy , formal limousine?

The other owner didn't subject his vehicles to regular use and the roadster failed to start and run on the show field. The top prize went to the town car as a direct result of the opposition's lack of regular use.

I suspect that a lot of carbs are needlessly rebuilt. I rebuilt a carb and as I was looking at it, I thought that it seemed pretty clean. Turned out that the carb was not the issue.

OTOH, I had a Q-jrt that needed rebuilding every couple of tears. This was a daily driver. I wouldn't idle properly and the turning mixture needles in and out had no effect. Finally got tired of it and got an AFB and had no trouble after that.

I make it a habit to look inside mine every year or two. Usually I'll find it is ok, but I like to be certain things are clean and the diaphragm is still good. You may need to remind people about the 240 A/C. About this time of year it doesn't always work as well but then in October it gets good again.

Don't fix what's not broke! Drive it regularly and carbs should last for a couple of decades at least.
Jerry

You’ll have more trouble in Dallas than I do here in Angelo; between the higher humidities and the traffic᠁
I guess I actually have 640 A/C; 2 windows, 2 vent windows, and the 2 floor vents.

I really think they should be rebuilt daily!!!!!!!!!! And I know where you can get repair kits

Seriously, the genuine Carter AFB's on my shop truck have been trouble-free for 22 years.

Unless you really enjoy doing your carburetor, leave it alone until it gives trouble.

Jerry beat me to the old cliche: if it ain't broke, don't fix it!

Jon

Gord n Fran on your Q-jet they really like a new float every so often.

Growing up, we had an early 1960's Farmall 140 tractor that saw endless hours of grass cutting about 15 acres in the summer with a 5' belly mower, pulling firewood on a trailer in the winter, and anything else we needed it for. We ran it for 16 years and never touched the points ignition system or the Zenith carburetor, and it ran smooth as silk when we sold it.