The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Tillotson Carb - Anyone familiar with these

I was having a ton of problems with my old Rochester carb so I replaced it with one from an ebay seller named modeski65. It is a rebuilt Tillotson carb.

The carb is very nice and works great right out of the box. The throttle response is very different than the old carb but it runs so smooth and I can set the idle down to a very comfortable level,

The engine responds very nicely but it does not seem to have the top end power that I had before.

This carb has an adjustable main jet and another adjustment. I was hoping to find some info here, but nothing can up when I searched for Tillotson.

Thanks,

You need to adjust that main jet, sounds like a good carb. I do know those were common carbs back in the day and you may have difficult time finding a kit.

Another option is to pick up a modern carb from Langdon's Stovebolt parts. I'm running his Holley-Weber two stage which he sells with an adaptor to fit your manifold.

Tillotson was primarily a small engine supplier. However, they did make some aftermarket automotive replacement carbs during the depression and during the war. Their only claim to fame was being a cheap alternative. If it has an adjustable main jet, you can try to adjust it out about 1/8 turn at a time and see if it helps top end power. I don't think you can really expect the top end performance. They had a good idle circuit and industrial engines could be idled down to where you could count the fan blades. If it were mine and it runs smooth, I wouldn't mess with it.

I have a side/up draft Tillotson soaking in my Berrymans carb cleaner right now. In researching them I have found them on all kinds of engines, mostly tractors and the occasional early Ford. Info and parts are a bit of a bear tho. Seem to be real solid units, simple & functional.
The one I have is still really tight and everything in good order, just sat in a barn for half a century and needed to be cleaned out. I'd bet good money it'll work fine when the next owner hooks it up.

The tillotson carbs are great, I currently running on on my winch truck and my 46 chevy with fantastic results. On the 46 I opened the main jet till the spark plugs would turn a cardboard brown. I don't think the tillotson is quiet the preformance carb the carter yf is but the tillotson is almost trouble free and dosen't seem to be affected by corn gas.

Tillotson was a very old carburetor manufacturer dating from the 19 teens. They made original equipment carburetors for Overland, among other automobiles. They were purchased, along with many others of the smaller manufacturers, about 1930.

After 1930, they made a very few O.E. automobile carbs (a couple of models of Willys, and also I.H.C.). From memory, their last O.E. automobile carb was 1935.

They continued to make small engine carburetors into the 1990's, when they moved to Ireland, where I believe they are still in business.

They offered several different models of A/M (aftermarket replacement) automobile carburetors through mail order places such as J.C. Whitney and Warshawski.

The very best I can say for their replacement carburetors is that they were sold at a price less than a rebuilding kit for the O.E. carburetor!

Opinion: even a very worn, warped Rochester B is MUCH better! And you know how much I love the Rochester B's! :grin

Jon.

Wow! Since I know how much respect everyone here has for carbking's expertice, I guess I should have asked first.

Any advice on how to make good adjustments to make the best of what I have.

Thanks

Bill, good luck on finding much information however:

Since you do have an adjustable main metering jet, you can play with adjusting it.

First, since the vehicle is running, you need to know what setting you are currently using (somewhat of a "base line"). With the engine off, gently turn the adjustment in until lightly seated, counting the number of turns. Now return the adjustment to its present setting.

Start the vehicle, and run the engine until fully warmed. Now drive the vehicle at your normal cruise.

If the engine does not "surge" (feels like a miss, or you are constantly being buffeted by a head wind); stop, and readjust the adjustable metering jet by turning it in (probably clockwise) 1/8 turn. Repeat the driving test and readjustment until you experience surge. Then back the screw out 1/8 turn.

If the engine surges on the current adjustment; back the screw out 1/8 turn at a time until the surge is gone.

ALL OF THE ABOVE assumes that the engine has good compression, and that the ignition is in good condition.

And lastly, would suggest you look for a different carburetor OR even give another look to your old Rochester B.

Jon.

Jon,

Thanks. The old Rochester was rebuilt by me about 5 or 6 years ago. I guess I'll go through it again.

With the current settings I am getting what you describe as surge, It feels like it is missing every few seconds.

Most of my carb experience is with SU carbs on my Austin Healey.

Thanks for the advice.