Re: Gummed up carb never rebuilt a carb

Posted by DavidPackard On 2020/3/29 19:42:37

John:
I believe it is much like a freeze-out plug, that is, an interference fit. To remove you place pick or small needle nose pliers in the slots, or slot to outer diameter, and convince the cover to come out of the bore.

Having said that, I will admit that unless I see a lot of crap hiding under the retainer I don't mess with it. If you pour some solvent into the primary float bowl you should see if there is free communication into the pump reservoir. You can keep doing that until the flow is immediate and robust. Since the intent of the ball is to block the flow of fuel from the pump reservoir back into the float bowl, then you should empty and dry the float bowl, and then pour solvent into the pump reservoir. You should be able to fill the reservoir without a ton of flow past the ball back into the float bowl.

The ball is there to impose a restriction to flow path back to the bowl, such that the path of lesser resistance is to the discharge nozzles. The intent is not necessarily a leak free ball check, but that would OK to. If the circuit is clean I suspect that will be OK, and before the carburetor is installed on the car you will probably do an accelerator pump check. During that check you should see evidence that the nozzle flow is OK. You can actually test that circuit as part of the cleaning process prior to assembly. Fill the bowl with solvent, install the pump, and push down with your thumb. You should not see a robust flow back to the bowl.

By the way, in my post earlier in the day, that was the first time I tried to change the font size. I selected <LARGE>, and boy did it come-out large. I wasn't yelling.

Here is the text from a Carter Service Manual

Remove pump inlet ball retainer and check ball from bottom of pump cylinder well by prying the retainer sideways with a 5/16- inch s ix point socket.

I have seen the leather in the pump wear-out, and I have seen a bunch of blocked nozzles, but have not seen a leaking check ball . . . at least not yet.

dp