carb rebuild (holley, list1850)

[runawayabc123]

I have a holley carb that is completely leaking gas, so rebuild time (way too much gas in the oil).

First, the carb says it is a LIST-1850 and nothing else. I see kits mention 1850-#, but no "1850". Are these the same (mine is just an old revision)? It looks like this on the shoe horn:
5752426
LIST-1850
982

On the part below/infront of those numbers (the pump housing?) is "2637".

I think this means, that at least this is a 4160?

So, what rebuild kit do I want? My dad would like to see parts like floats, jets, power value and set screws included in the kit, but I don't know if that is reasonable.

Also, I know newer carbs are better, but this pony is due to be torn down this summer and I really just want experience rebuilding a carb that I will get a little use out of. (I hope to find an autolite 4100 480CFM carb once everything is done, eyeing OEM.)

Any advice would be great. Thanks.

 

[zookeeper]

First, determine if your carb is a good candidate for rebuilding. Check for wear at the throttle shaft. If there's any freeplay, it'll create a vacuum leak and you can throw parts at it all day every day and it'll never be right until that is fixed. Assuming yours is OK, rebuilding is a simple thing to do provided you're careful and neat in your approach. Rebuild kits come with lots of exra parts to cover various versions of carbs with the same number, but updates and revisions over the years. Since the modle 1850 Holley has been made for many, many years, it's safe to say there have been a couple of changes in the last 40 years. I have never had a rebuild kit come with floats, but they do come with parts like accel pump spring and diaphram, lots of gaskets a power valve, various o-rings, a new sintered bronze filter, more gaskets, some instructions with a detailed exploded view of the carb, and finally lots of gaskets. How far you break the carb apart depents largely on what's wrong. Personally, I don't remove the choke plate or the butterflies, but everything else is fair game. The Holley on my wife's '69 Corvette eats accel pumps because it sits for long periods and I'm too dumb to drain the carb when it's stored, so I typically only remove the float bowl and the front metering block, clean them with BrakeKleen and air, install new accel pump parts and reinstall. There's not a whole lot to screw up, but one of the things I have seen repeatedly over the years, and is garaunteed to give to problems is to use ANY kind of RTV silicone, or gasket sealer at any point during your carb rebuild. I use Vaseline for O-rings and the rest goes together dry. Good luck!

 

[zookeeper]

double post...never mind

 

[runawayabc123]

Assuming I just moved the correct part, everything moved together and I didn't see any play in the throttle shaft. It did slide in/out, but only an unsignificantly small amount. While this carb looks older than I am by a few years, it doesn't seem to have ever seen a junk yard.

Also, looking at the multi-colored gaskets, someone has rebuit it before.

 

[zookeeper]

If the throtle shaft only moves in and and out, you're set. The main things are get it clean and blow EVERY port and orifice out with compressed air during the rebuild. To keep from blowing cleaner (I use BrakeKleen rather than carb cleaner) into your eyes you really need to wear safety glasses. Hope this helps.

 

[D.Hearne]

If the throtle shaft only moves in and and out, you're set. The main things are get it clean and blow EVERY port and orifice out with compressed air during the rebuild. To keep from blowing cleaner (I use BrakeKleen rather than carb cleaner) into your eyes you really need to wear safety glasses. Hope this helps.

X2 Cept I use spray carb cleaner followed up with compresed air. Pay attention to the gasket that goes behind the powervalve, don't left it get off center. Also the O rings for the fuel transfer tube: install these on the tube and dip em in brake fuid just before inserting the tube into the bowls. They need to be lubed to keep from tearing them. And pick the metering plate gasket wisely, make sur ethe correct gasket is used, oriented the correct direction. There shouldn't be any gasket covering any of the passages

 

[runawayabc123]

I took it to an auto part shop that I trust with hard questions and much like me, he didn't settle on matching 1850 to 1850-X. He was looking up the number R1717B on the bowl and couldn't find anything. He started pulling out old books looking for the numbers. He ended up telling me he still has an older book somewhere and took my number.

I guess I have a bit of an old odd ball carb.

Maybe it is something special that is worth something. (lol)

 

[D.Hearne]

You just need a kit for an 1850 carb. Go to a speed shop and buy a Holley kit for a list 1850 carb. You'll have what you need and then some.

 

[zookeeper]

I agree, sometimes parts guys try to complicate the issue, especially when it comes to aftermarket carbs...

 

[runawayabc123]

So, the parts guy claims he can get a kit, but I have yet to see anything (glad I didn't put any money down either).

I emailed holley and they told me it was for "1958-59 ford edsel 223 engine" which nearly made me laugh out loud. 600ish CFMs on a 223 from the factory? He also said no parts were offered for that carb.

I did some searching and found this link: http://www.tocmp.com/manuals/Carbs/Holley/MasterList/index12.html which says it is from a 59-61 430cu Thunderbird and that it is a 4160.

Is this possible? Does any of this sound right? I thought it was a 4150 for sure.

At this point, the only thing I am sure of is that it didn't come on a Mustang.

Help?

 

[runawayabc123]

The carburetorshop has it listed for a 1959 Mercury/Lincoln with a 430cu. So, I think I may be close?

http://www.thecarburetorshop.com/Kmercury.htm
1959 v8 430 A/T Holley 4160 1850 5752426 997
http://www.thecarburetorshop.com/Klincoln.htm
1959 v8 430 Holley 4160 1850 5752426 997

 

[D.Hearne]

You're splitting hairs here. Just get a Holley "Quick Kit" for a list 1850 carb and you'll have what you need. Unless your carb is so old and the throttle shafts worn that, no matter what you do, it will never run right. The only difference between a 4150 and 4160 is the 4150 has a secondary metering plate, the 4160 uses a metering block.

 

[runawayabc123]

That is actually what happened (parts guy called with it today). NAPA 2-5029 (from the orginal parts guy I mentioned). The kit is for 4150s, 4160s and have a ton of parts. The kit cross lists on the NAPA site for the 1959 430cu cars too (I never told him that either). I am 98% sure he gave me the right kit. In between, I emailed ponycarbs and they told me they have nothing for it and further that the carb shouldn't be used on ANY vehicle.

The only thing that bothers me is Holley's response. They even responded to my questioning it being on a 223cu with sure maybe is a 4160, but we still got nothing for you. (Now I know why my Dad hates Holleys so much.)

Bottom line, I should have listened to the "get a general holley quick kit" from the beginning. But, at least I learned that this carb is from historic Big Block of the past. (I work in the technical land of computers, so knowing exact or close to exact information is something I like over just being close which often works.)

Off to the rebuilding races this weekend.

Thanks for the tips/help (even though I was foolish enough not to totally follow it from the beginning).