Carter AFB 3826 - secondaries stuck

Discussion in 'Carter' started by PatricksBuick, Feb 6, 2013.

  1. PatricksBuick

    PatricksBuick PatrickBuick

    on the carb I am trying to revise my secondaries are seriously stuck. From the looks of the opened carb it seem that this 4bbl ran a long time with only two barrels being active.
    Can somebody give me an idea how I can get these free without ruining the whole carb?
    I suspect it is the well that is stuck, not just the flaps.
    Can I soak the whole carb in ??? considering it is some sort of aluminum?

    Secondly these little metal pieces are rotted away. What are they called in English? Can they be sourced new or is it easier to build them myself?
    P1010717.jpg
    Thanks

    Patrick
     
  2. DEADMANSCURVE

    DEADMANSCURVE my first word : truck

    that pic is of a baffle that fits in place between the needle/seat assembly and the float bowl area . truthfully i do not remember seeing one of those that rusty . probably from some % of water left in fuel bowl . if the rest of the internals look similar it may be new carb time . i may have a pic of internal carb after quick cleaning and you can compare .
    added : well maybe not quick , that pic is of a 600 cfm #1405 ready to go back together pretty much . but it may give you a reference point .
    carb spray ( penetrating oil maybe better ) shafts and butterfly's a few times and try working them back n forth gradually and see if they loosen up . let em sit overnight after soaking , and LIGHT hammer taps on end of shafts may help . don't get crazy .
     

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  3. bigjimmyl

    bigjimmyl Well-Known Member

    see if you can get them stuck open and just go fast ! LOL!
     
  4. DEADMANSCURVE

    DEADMANSCURVE my first word : truck

    and just thinkin - the carters out there are older , more worn , etc - balance out your cost to repair and your cost to replace . the edelbrocks are pretty much a direct replacement carb for those . is it for the car in the avatar ? 4 bbl carb 300 V8 ? sure a 500 cfm or 600 cfm carb should be fine .
    the 1405's ( manual choke , set for performance ) and 1406's ( electric choke , set more for gas mileage ) are both 600's . and there are edelbrock 500 and holley 600 choices also .
     
  5. urbancowboy0307

    urbancowboy0307 Silver Level contributor

    Didn't doc post something about soaking an old carb in simple green and it came out amazingly clean?
     
  6. DEADMANSCURVE

    DEADMANSCURVE my first word : truck

    bill : yep . from 1-1-2013 . i searched "simple green" and just looked down the list a little . full strength @ 4 hours . said it worked pretty good . i'll have to experiment a little .
     
  7. PatricksBuick

    PatricksBuick PatrickBuick


    You are right. But this is not about saving money or economic thinking. I WANT to do that. It is clearly beyong my capabilities, but you have to try to see what you can do and what not. Seems getting some of the parts is also a pain. If I cannot get the secondaries to work without breaking the carb I will have to look into other option... :(

    ---------- Post added at 09:04 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:03 PM ----------

    Found it. Thanks for the hint. Will give that a try. :cool:
     
  8. DEADMANSCURVE

    DEADMANSCURVE my first word : truck

    IF you do get carb freed up etc and continue on :
    > before you buy kit carefully take er apart , organize parts by "top" , "left" , "right" etc . inspect each component individually , watch out for small parts ( check balls , clips , springs etc ) so they don't go flying . post a pic or two if needed . basic tools are all thats needed . removing the 4 jets can be a problem - careful there . soak - tap - soak - use correct size screw driver - firm even pressure . good luck . and you are kind of at the mercy of whomever has been in that carb before concerning correct internal parts so asking questions and common sense are kind of the rule there .
    > if all looks ok then get a good kit , check schematic to see if something looks missing or incorrect . start cleaning er up ( maybe buff a few areas , a brass small scrub brush , old tooth brush , and i use a dremel tool with a couple basic small brass or steel brushs to get in smaller spots . i hooked up a dimmer switch to get the dremel rpm's down a little ) , spend extra time making sure fuel passages are clear , a little carb spray and some compressed air helps there . make sure gasket surfaces are flat n clean .
    > reassemble , install carb , live happily ever after ! well maybe not quite like that . more like reassemble , oops forgot something , reassemble , doubt yourself , dbl dbl check then install carb , cross fingers , start car ( you did install inline filter correct ? ) . make final outside adjustments to choke , idle and pump arm settings .
    > on the plus side the carter/edelbrock style carbs are a good first carb for ya to try and rebuild - basic , not alot of extras , easier to figure out and set .
     
  9. PatricksBuick

    PatricksBuick PatrickBuick

    Haven't freed it yet but a new issue arose already while taking things apart that aren't stuck.... :puzzled:
    One of the metering rods is bended (no it wasn't me). It is also unclear how somebody could bend it so much and get it reinstalled... :confused:


    bended metering rod_kl.jpg



    Anyway I need a replacement. Number on the rod reads 16-341.
    Having found this

    http://www.teambuick.com/reference/carbs/1965-V8.pdf

    it seems the rod's measurements are 0.0695"x0.059". I cannot confirm this as I am too stupid to measure so precisely.
    Unfortunately I cannot find an identical rod from Edelbrock.
    Is there still a source where someone could get Carter equipment?
    What happens if I choose a different size like 0.07"x0.057 (that one would be available from Edelbrock)??
    Patrick
     
  10. DEADMANSCURVE

    DEADMANSCURVE my first word : truck

    that rod may have been installed but for sure not correctly or carefully . probably from someone installing the rod assembly into top of carb first THEN installing top onto base and forcing unit down . the tip of that rod fits down into the front jets and should be installed last . it could not have run correctly that way .
    there was a spring under that piston i assume ? should be .
    i would keep taking things apart and inspecting , keep notes , see what ya need in the end . do the math .
    i'll check in a sec and see if i can find a corresponding edelbrock rod# for ya .
    edit : quick blurry pic added - thats how they should go into place basically . thats out of a 600cfm edelbrock . #16-341 does appear to be the carter part number - but my carter strip kit does not include that part number . going off of your measurements a close edelbrock part is #1418 ( .070 x .057 ) sold in pairs . that edelbrock number seems to correspond to a .095 to .116 jet ( big ) and listed as a possible choice for the 800cfm thunder series carb ( big ) . there are choices in the spring also . and DO NOT assume that the correct internals are installed in that carb .
    edit #2 : searched carter 3826 a little - looks like maybe a 500 cfm 300V8 carb . if my assumptions and guess work are close that is probably not set up correctly for your size ( stock - stockish ) motor .
     

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    Last edited: Feb 11, 2013
  11. wkillgs

    wkillgs Gold Level Contributor

    Here is a method from Jon, aka Carb King, to get it unstuck. It would be best to get the carb as clean as possible before putting it in the oven.... it will stink!
    http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.php?97732-frozen-Carter-AFB

    >>>Remove everything you can from the throttle body, especially the plastic choke cover. Place the throttle body in an old oven (not the oven used by your significant other ) and heat the throttle body as hot as you can get it (up to 600 degrees F.). Allow the throttle body to cool naturally (don't douse it with water). After the throttle body has cooled, place in a ziplock bag, and place the bagged throttle body in your freezer overnight. The next morning, use the penetrating oil while the throttle body is still cold.

    This method works 80 percent of the time. There are more drastic methods as well.

    Jon. <<<<<
     
  12. PatricksBuick

    PatricksBuick PatrickBuick

    Thanks you for the advice. It worked, secondaries are free now.
    After some serious baking (yes wife should definetely not be in the house for a couple of days) and deep-freezing I soaked the whole carb for weeks and weeks in rust solvent. Gentle hammering and fumbling around eventually freed the secondaries.:grin: So I am confident for now.
    Patrick
     

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