Carter Carb Help

[Hewfil1]

First off, allow me to introduce myself. I'm Hewfil. I come from the east coast, Pennsylvania speciffically. I'm the proud owner of a 1974 GMC K10 named "Mud Shot", sporting a built 350ci V8 Chevrolet. Now, time to get to brass tax, I'll give a full intro later.

My engine has a Carter Performance AFB atop a Weiand intake. Not sure of my exact intake model because this truck sits at a farm and I don't have access to it unless it's a weekend.


My problem is this. I'm embarking on a rebuild of my carb, specifically, the accelerator pump. I have issues with bogging when hitting the throttle in gear. My problem arises at the fact that Carters are supossed to have a part ID # stamped on the front driver's side of the carb base. (Or so I've been told) However, mine had no stamp. The only stamp on the carb's base is one on the passenger side of the front.

If someone on here could give me an answer as to what model this is, or if the part number is actually stamped elsewhere, I'd really appreciate it. It's due at a major truck ride on the 28th and I need to have her rebuilt by then.

[Jabes1]

625cfm electric choke carb. Parts will exchange with the Edlebrock carbs. Super easy rebuild and easy to tune. 9653SA is your part number.

[Hewfil1]

Originally Posted by Jabes1

625cfm electric choke carb. Parts will exchange with the Edlebrock carbs. Super easy rebuild and easy to tune. 9653SA is your part number.

Thank you so very much. Appreciate the feedback. Definitely glad I came here. My only question is why can't I find stuff based on the part #? Also, it's a 9000 series then, correct?

[geezer#99]

Some info here for afb's.
http://www.hemmings.com/search_content/?q=carter+afb

[Hewfil1]

Originally Posted by geezer#99

Some info here for afb's.
http://www.hemmings.com/search_content/?q=carter+afb

Thanks. But I still don't know why mine has a stamped number that doesn't match anything I find.

[Jaysonb]

I'm pretty sure that all you need is a kit for a edelbrock 1406.

[Hewfil1]

Thanks for the input guys. I've settled on buying two rebuild kits of different/recommended types for the 9000 series, and two different types of accelerator pumps. I'll compare parts and use whichever works best, then report the results.

[hatzie]

The 9635 & 9635S Competition AFB were Carter manufactured 650CFM Aluminum Four Barrel carbs with GM Linkage, Electric Choke, and Emissions Calibration. The 9635 is physically the same carb as the 9625 AFB with the addition of an EGR port to make it more emissions friendly.
The 9635SA is a 9635S made after the Carter bankruptcy... probably by Federal Mogul. I would guess that the original Carter rebuild parts will interchange. Metering rods and vacuum piston springs for some Carter one, two, and four barrel carbs can sometimes get a little dicey to find. The 9000 series should be easier because they are not 50 years old.

I took the easy route on one of my projects and don't regret it. I used a stock Chrysler Rochester Quadrajet and spreadbore manifold off an 80's Dodge W200 with a 7.4L to replace the squarebore Carter AVS 4638 on the B383 in my 1969 Polara 500. The metering rods and mating jets in the original 1969 Carter AVS were visibly worn out and close to impossible to find. The Rochester was much easier to rebuild, much easier on fuel, and isn't so cold blooded.

Since this is not an original piece I'd get a rebuilt Rochester and manifold or a new squarebore Holley or Edelbrock carb to replace it. The Holley and Edelbrock squarebore carbs will fit your existing manifold but you'll have to tune em.

[Hewfil1]

Originally Posted by hatzie

Since this is not an original piece I'd get a rebuilt Rochester and manifold or a new squarebore Holley or Edelbrock carb to replace it. The Holley and Edelbrock squarebore carbs will fit your existing manifold but you'll have to tune em.

I'll likely just take your advice, then keep the carb around for the sake of the fact that it was what came with it when it was given to me by my father. Thanks a lot man!

[Jabes1]

The Edlebrock 1400 series carbs are exactly the same, for example... you can order a rebuild kit for a 1406 carb for your Carter. The metering rods and jets all interchange, you can even use the tuning chart on Edelbrocks website. Need more or less pump shot, order the pump shot kit for any Edlelbrock 1400 series carb. Running too rich at cruise, get the spring kit for the Edelbrock carbs to adjust. These are super easy to work on and tune. If you have a wideband O2 sensor gauge such as Innovates kit, you can see in real time what your adjustments are doing and exactly what your air/fuel ration is at cruise as well as wide open throttle. You don't need a wideband O2 gauge to tune a carb, but it totally simplifies the process. These along with the Edelbrocks are good carbs. Your money and your time though. I've been there and done that with Carbs, now I'm into fuel injection. Good luck with whatever you decide to do!

[Hewfil1]

Originally Posted by Jabes1

The Edlebrock 1400 series carbs are exactly the same, for example... you can order a rebuild kit for a 1406 carb for your Carter. The metering rods and jets all interchange, you can even use the tuning chart on Edelbrocks website. Need more or less pump shot, order the pump shot kit for any Edlelbrock 1400 series carb. Running too rich at cruise, get the spring kit for the Edelbrock carbs to adjust. These are super easy to work on and tune. If you have a wideband O2 sensor gauge such as Innovates kit, you can see in real time what your adjustments are doing and exactly what your air/fuel ration is at cruise as well as wide open throttle. You don't need a wideband O2 gauge to tune a carb, but it totally simplifies the process. These along with the Edelbrocks are good carbs. Your money and your time though. I've been there and done that with Carbs, now I'm into fuel injection. Good luck with whatever you decide to do!

Thank you so much. And don't get me wrong, I like fuel injection, but something about the carb choking and sputtering the engine when you're riding bumpy trails, makes my heart tickle. And currently I just cleaned it thoroughly with the carb cleaner, then threw it back on the old girl. With all the black deposits and sludge that came out, I think that was the main issue. It may have been sitting since '84, and drove by me a few times in the last couple years, ran fuel system cleaner through, but the gaskets seem to be giving no trouble. Hell, I expected the truck to basically turn into a oil well when I first started it years back. No issues thus far besides the carb.

[Hewfil1]

Originally Posted by hatzie

Since this is not an original piece I'd get a rebuilt Rochester and manifold or a new squarebore Holley or Edelbrock carb to replace it. The Holley and Edelbrock squarebore carbs will fit your existing manifold but you'll have to tune em.

Late on the post, but what Edelbock/Holley would you recommend, as I do not wish to run the double pumper setup from a Holley.

[hatzie]

Originally Posted by Hewfil1

Late on the post, but what Edelbock/Holley would you recommend, as I do not wish to run the double pumper setup from a Holley.

You'll need to do some legwork. I'm no fan of Holley carbs but they can be made to work well.
The 1400 series Edelbrock has a following and you can get support here.
gregski likes his Holley.

I took the lazy route and used a Rochester Quad on my Polara. Not sure what I'll do about the Autolite 4100 on the F250 or the AFB on the W200 when and if I get to em... The F250 is all original AFAIK so I'll likely bite the bullet and get it reworked by someone that knows more than me about the Autolite Holley clone carbs. The Dodge W200 is not an original engine or carb so the Carter is likely going on the shelf along with the manifold and I'll duplicate the sweet running setup I put on the Polara.
My GM trucks are Diesels but I've had several G20 vans and Trucks with Rochester 2bbl & 4bbl carbs on Smallblocks, and Big Blocks that ran til the trucks and vans died for other reasons.

[Hewfil1]

[QUOTE=hatzie;7718909]You'll need to do some legwork. I'm no fan of Holley carbs but they can be made to work well.
The 1400 series Edelbrock has a following and you can get support here.
gregski likes his Holley.
/QUOTE]

I've been doing a little looking, it seems the Edelbrock 1406 (non-EGR) will be my best bet of carbs being it's a clone of the Carter I have.

[rich weyand]

[quote=Hewfil1;7718913]

Originally Posted by hatzie

You'll need to do some legwork. I'm no fan of Holley carbs but they can be made to work well.
The 1400 series Edelbrock has a following and you can get support here.
gregski likes his Holley.
/QUOTE]

I've been doing a little looking, it seems the Edelbrock 1406 (non-EGR) will be my best bet of carbs being it's a clone of the Carter I have.

Yeah, though you do have to do a bit of work on it.

One is to set the float height. They are always wrong, right out of the box.

To do that, you need a new gasket between the upper and lower.

Another is to put the pump shot to the richest setting. Our truck engines pull a lot of vacuum, so the air rush in is pretty high.

Another is to lean it out a bit. They are set up to the rich side from the factory so people who just throw them on an engine don't burn their valves. With the high vacuum, though, our engines pull harder on the gas than they are set up for.

one solution is to go one step leaner on the jets front and rear. Front is .098 and rear is .095 out of the box. Put the .095s in the front and put a new set of .092s in the rears is one solution.

I left the .095s in the back, went to .092s in the front, and then went to .062/.052 needles. That works, too.

You have to have the carb apart to change the jets, so do that while you are setting up the floats.

Also, go to the 8" step-up springs. The step-up springs should be about half the idle vacuum. The carb comes with 5" springs, but you are probably pulling more like 16-18" of vacuum at idle.

[Hewfil1]

Originally Posted by rich weyand

Yeah, though you do have to do a bit of work on it.

One is to set the float height. They are always wrong, right out of the box.

To do that, you need a new gasket between the upper and lower.

Another is to put the pump shot to the richest setting. Our truck engines pull a lot of vacuum, so the air rush in is pretty high.

Another is to lean it out a bit. They are set up to the rich side from the factory so people who just throw them on an engine don't burn their valves. With the high vacuum, though, our engines pull harder on the gas than they are set up for.

one solution is to go one step leaner on the jets front and rear. Front is .098 and rear is .095 out of the box. Put the .095s in the front and put a new set of .092s in the rears is one solution.

I left the .095s in the back, went to .092s in the front, and then went to .062/.052 needles. That works, too.

You have to have the carb apart to change the jets, so do that while you are setting up the floats.

Also, go to the 8" step-up springs. The step-up springs should be about half the idle vacuum. The carb comes with 5" springs, but you are probably pulling more like 16-18" of vacuum at idle.

Apparently Edelbrock also makes them leaner from factory for "fuel economy". I have a truck made for power, I don't want economy. Dangit Edelbrock.

[rich weyand]

Originally Posted by Hewfil1

Apparently Edelbrock also makes them leaner from factory for "fuel economy". I have a truck made for power, I don't want economy. Dangit Edelbrock.

Leaner only in respect to their standard setup. Still too rich for the vacuum signal the carb gets from our truck engines.

My comments above apply to the 1406.

Note that you can run a bit leaner than optimum, but that the correct numbers for best performance on an AF/R meter are well known. My comments above are to optimize those numbers.

[Hewfil1]

Originally Posted by rich weyand

Leaner only in respect to their standard setup. Still too rich for the vacuum signal the carb gets from our truck engines.

My comments above apply to the 1406.

Note that you can run a bit leaner than optimum, but that the correct numbers for best performance on an AF/R meter are well known. My comments above are to optimize those numbers.

Thanks once again Rich. The minute that carb goes on and I have it tuned, you'll be the first one to hear about it.