Stranded on Day 2

[msggunny]

Well, I decided to go with the 32/36 DGV for now... we will see what happens. Should be here sometime this week along with the adapter block. If it doesn't work out, I will look at getting a single barrel Weber.

O it will work, but you need to buy a jet kit for it. It will most likely run way too rich.

I have tried several times to jet mine down and even with a 2.5L cam, electronic ignition, 8:1 head, elect fan, header, and flowmaster it still runs a tad rich.

Just FYI.

It will work fine, but if you have the rest of the engine stock it will run rich.

[navydevildoc]

What jets do you have in yours right now? I am looking around online and the 4 cylinder kit comes with 145/150/155 mains, 65/70/75 idles, and 160/180/190 air correctors.

[navydevildoc]

Well, turns out that the Weber 32/36 DGV is backordered "At Least A Month" according to the guys at Weber.

To be honest, I was having second thoughts about the 32/36 after hearing all the stories of the jets just not ever getting set right.

So I am back to square one. Do I go with a 34ICH from Rovers North? That's the way I am leaning now.

The other viable option is maybe getting a Rochester B.

Comments from the crowd?

[greenmeanie]

You might find this link from TeriAnn on the Rochester interesting. I've run one for the last 9 years with a minor foray into a 34ICH. The Rochester is about the most fearsomely simple carb you can buy. It also has the advantage that you can get them at NAPA and overhaul kits are <$15 and available from any parts shop. If buying from NAPA all you need to do is file the mounting holes in the base to be a little wider.

I think the 34ICH is a little more economical on fuel but you have to also buy an adapter and modify your throttle linkage. Once jetted properly it was not a bad little unit.

As at some point you will ask, a good recipe for getting whatever power gains are available from a 2.25 is:
- 8:1 or slightly higher compression head. This is only really worth doing if you need to do a valve job or something like that too. There are gains here but they are not earth shattering.
- Rochester B or Weber 32/36 carb.
- 2.5L or Diesel cam.
- Electronic ignition from the likes of Pertronix, high output coil, remove the ballast resistor and get a good set of leads like Magnecor which results in a good, strong and reliable spark.
- If you are really running it as a road vehicle a K&N is a bit less restrictive but if you are going in the dirt stick with the oil bath.

I suppose I ought to say that the short answer is I would buy the Rochester.

[jp-]

Rochester is not a bad carb. I've rebuilt a few on some old chevy's. Very simple as Green states.

It wasn't until the 80's that the Rochesters became overly complex little bastards to work on.

[navydevildoc]

Called up our hosts at Rovers North today, they said the 34ICH they sell is already jetted correctly and can just bolt on, with the required adapter plate since I had a Solex.

When I leave work today I will go talk to Napa and Kragen, since neither of them list the Rochester B as available on line. The local Napa warehouse actually has some knowledgeable people in it, they may be able to find it.

[greenmeanie]

If dealing with the standard parts places it helps to have a vehicle specc'd out so that they can look it up on the computer. Most counter guys are not good if you walk in and talk about a Rochester B series. Tell the it is a 1953 GMC with a 216 and their computer will talk to them and you'll get much further. TeriAnn's link has the info you need.

[navydevildoc]

Well, went to the Napa distribution center last night, talked with one of the counter guys for quite some time.

Thanks to Teriann's excellent source of information on her web site, we really had no problem finding the Carb in the computer. Came right up as a '53 Chevy Truck. The problem is that they don't have them any more. He had pages of parts and rebuild kits, probably enough to where I could build one from scratch, but no completed units.

Same at the Kragen down the street. No joy. Same with the internet, I was only able to find one web site that mentioned that they might have them in stock (no guarantees).

So I said enough is enough and I called up Rovers North this morning, talked to Eric, and I have a 34ICH on the way along with a new Big Green Bible. Since I really wanted to have it running this weekend I even splurged on overnight shipping.

We'll see how it goes...

[schultp]

Well, went to the Napa distribution center last night, talked with one of the counter guys for quite some time.

Thanks to Teriann's excellent source of information on her web site, we really had no problem finding the Carb in the computer. Came right up as a '53 Chevy Truck. The problem is that they don't have them any more. He had pages of parts and rebuild kits, probably enough to where I could build one from scratch, but no completed units.

Same at the Kragen down the street. No joy. Same with the internet, I was only able to find one web site that mentioned that they might have them in stock (no guarantees).

So I said enough is enough and I called up Rovers North this morning, talked to Eric, and I have a 34ICH on the way along with a new Big Green Bible. Since I really wanted to have it running this weekend I even splurged on overnight shipping.

We'll see how it goes...

Any update on the carb issue? I wish I had read this earlier. You can buy Rochester Model B carbs for cheap on ebay if you are patient. They usually need rebuild but the kits are cheap. Mine was a total of $40 including rebuild and has been working great for 4 years.

They are notorious to "weep" from the gasket between the top and the lower bowl sections.

Paul.

[Cosmic88]

Any update on the carb issue? I wish I had read this earlier. You can buy Rochester Model B carbs for cheap on ebay if you are patient. They usually need rebuild but the kits are cheap. Mine was a total of $40 including rebuild and has been working great for 4 years.

They are notorious to "weep" from the gasket between the top and the lower bowl sections.

Paul.

The best way to cure that 'weeping' is to either find yourself (the hard way) a completely TRUE (Perfectly flat) block of aluminum or steel or (easy way) a 1/4" to 1/2" thick piece of glass. Lightly wet the surface with water or oil and lay down a sheet of wet / dry sandpaper. 440 is good to start with then move to a finer (800 - 1200) grit as you progress from start to finish.

Trying to keep the piece you are sanding true to the surface of the glass / paper just move the piece back and forth untill no part of the face is left unsanded. With the initial few passes you will quickly find the low spots in the face as they will be untouched. The old castings of any housing (water pump, carb sections, etc...) will tend to warp and distort over time and simply 'flatening' the faces will reduce leakage at the mating faces dramitically.

P.S. I use a Johnnie Walker bar mirror as my surface... for some unknown reason it seems to work best.

[schultp]

The best way to cure that 'weeping' is to either find yourself (the hard way) a completely TRUE (Perfectly flat) block of aluminum or steel or (easy way) a 1/4" to 1/2" thick piece of glass. Lightly wet the surface with water or oil and lay down a sheet of wet / dry sandpaper. 440 is good to start with then move to a finer (800 - 1200) grit as you progress from start to finish.

Trying to keep the piece you are sanding true to the surface of the glass / paper just move the piece back and forth untill no part of the face is left unsanded. With the initial few passes you will quickly find the low spots in the face as they will be untouched. The old castings of any housing (water pump, carb sections, etc...) will tend to warp and distort over time and simply 'flatening' the faces will reduce leakage at the mating faces dramitically.

P.S. I use a Johnnie Walker bar mirror as my surface... for some unknown reason it seems to work best.

These don't really weep enough where they need to be worked on. It is so miniscule that I have never felt a wetness. It just gets a yellow-brown haze on the surface of the lower bowl portion of the carb. I am aware of the glass plate trick from owning a Zenith carb prior to the Rochester. I'll leave well enough alone for now but will use your suggestion if it becomes more of any issue.

Back to the original posting....any update on the new carb?

Paul.

[navydevildoc]

Back to the original posting....any update on the new carb?

The Weber carb went on with minimal fuss, after I realized I didn't have the correct bellcrank on the accelerator linkage.

In fact, the engine ran so well afterwards I went and snapped a rear drive axle.

http://www.roversnorth.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6165

But, on a related note, a friend of mine loved my new Series IIA that he went and bought a series III that had popped up on eBay out in the Mojave. After riding around with him, I can tell the difference between his recently rebuilt 9:1 motor and my very tired 7:1. So for sure I will be giving this block some TLC and new heads.

[oldredbugeye]

check your gas cap

has the truck had a new gas cap..iirc some had vented gas caps.."my 69 didnt" i bought a new gas cap once and my bugeye acted the same way..i called our host and mark said "take the rubber gasket out of the new cap"..i did and it ran fine..turns out not enuff air was gettting into the systems..you can tell in this way..take off you gas cap if you hear a swish of air..then remove the rubber gasket from the gas cap..also when i bought this truck it had a rochester carb..i found out that some of these leak gas and can "wash out" you piston bore..i went with a webber 1 barrel From RN..and have never had a problem with it..as stated above you'll need an adapter plate in some instance's..i was lucky and didnt..hope this helps

Bill