The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop 235 & Carter W-1

Hi Folks,

If I change my engine from the 216 to a "modern" 235, can I still use the Carter W-1 Carb?

Jeff

The internal venturi on the W-1 is too small to support the extra cubic inches well at wide-open throttle.

However, you could use two W-1's

Jon.

I hate to disagree with the carbking, but a W1 came stock on the 1941-49 truck splash 235s, and I have used them many times on the later 235s using the 216 manifold, and they worked well.

The reason I asked the question in the first place is because I thought that I read somewhere that the only change needed on the 235 from the 216 was the waterpump but I couldn't find the source again. Thanks for the help!

Jeff

The 216 carb has a smaller bolt pattern than the 235, and the ports where the manifold bolts to the head are also smaller. When I use a 216 manifold on a 235 I make adaptor ring for the head so the 216 alignment rings can be used.

My own experience agrees with Carbking.I used a 216 Carter when I put a 235 in a 45 Chevy 2 ton.Later I replaced the Carter with a crappy old 235 type Rochester B which gave a noticable improvement at full throttle.This may be less obivious on a lighter truck not used to carry loads.

The W-1 utilized a main venturi of 1 1/4 inch. The later 235 CID engines utilized a main venturi of 1 5/16 inch.

1/16 inch difference may not seem like a lot; but the total airflow difference is about 15 percent more (when you do the math, remember to subtract out the area on the boosters).

Perhaps my original post in this thread was hasty, and did not offer sufficient depth. The W-1 carb will work on the 235 (and work well at low and moderate loads). However, the engine cannot perform to its potential under full load wide-open throttle with the smaller carburetor.

And Dave, we don't disagree, we just needed to define the terms of discussion more accurately. My fault for the initial hasty post.

Jon.