To rebuild or not to rebuild. That is the question

[drbarbara]

Hello. Me again with another newbie question. My fake V20 (see post in General Section) has a Ford 302. Currently when I start it, the engine starts at the first try and idles reasonably well. After cruising for a while (7 miles or so) during which it runs well it dies when it idles. I have new spark plugs, new spark plug cables, new rotor cap and new points. Below is a picture of my carburator. My question is should I have the thing rebuilt, try to do it myself or just start by spraying a ton of carb cleaner into it.

Thanks

[THEFERMANATOR]

Looks like it needs a serious cleaning and some bead-blasting. It also looks from the picture to be a truck carb and not a marine carb. I don't see the coast guard bowl vents and such on it that marine carbs have.

[drbarbara]

It is not in my immediate plans to blow up into little pieces. Here are some more pictures of the carburator. Are you sure it is not a marine one?

Thanks

[spareparts]

yeah, that definately a truck carb, the external bowl vent is a dead give away, that could be a serious safety hazard. looks like someone swaped in a complete truck engine by the valve covers. Check with summit racing, or ebasicpower.com for a true marine Holley carb for that thing. You'll need to fasion a metal fuel line to repalce teh rubber one, and ditch that glass inline fuel filter(another safety issue), install a water separating fuel filter before the fuel pump, the new carb usually comes with a screen in the inlet

[THEFERMANATOR]

I didn't think they ever offered the FORD carbs for marine use in the first place. HOLLEY, CARTER and ROCHESTER build all of the marine carbs I've seen.All of the cossosion on it is another giveaway of it being a truck carb, marine carbs are normally ZINC coated to resist corrosion as you don't want a big hole to open up in your carb and let gas run out on a hot engine. This is a marine style carb. Notice the J vent directing the fuel vapors directly back into the venturis. You could also look on EBAY and I'm sure you can find an old 2 barrel ROCHESTER off a low HP V8 and bolt right on and go with your current engine.

http://store.summitracing.com/partde...5&autoview=sku

[drbarbara]

[quote=THEFERMANATOR;124128]
". This is a marine style carb. Notice the J vent directing the fuel vapors directly back into the venturis. You could also look on EBAY and I'm sure you can find an old 2 barrel ROCHESTER off a low HP V8 and bolt right on and go with your current engine."

So is this a marine carburator or not a marine carburator. I thought it looked like a Holley 2bbl from the pictures I have seen. Are they interchangeable between Holley and rochester?

Sorry for newbie question

[nipper]

I think he was telling you that the pictured carb in the link he posted is a marine style carb.

[macojoe]

Been there and done this!! My V had a truck motor in it when I got it, and it took no time for the head to rot thru (raw water cooled) the the oil pan rotted, valve covers rotted, water pump, carb problems, then the engin coupler, manifold.

After 5 years of gluing the thing back toghter, not to mention the $$$ I put a bracket and OB and never looked back!!

If you really like this boat and plan on having it for a while I would consider new power, either new marine motor, or a conversion to outboard.

[THEFERMANATOR]

The carb in your pictures is a 2 barrel FORD truck MOTORCRAFT carb. The link I posted is to a 2 barrel HOLLEY. You should also be able to find a good used ROCHESTER on EBAY for not a lot of money as many people get rid of them and go to the 4 barrel carbs.

[drbarbara]

I stopped by my local volvo penta dealer looking for a screw that I needed for my outdrive and I showed their mechanic the pictures of the carb. He told me it looks like a standard volvo carburator but that I need to change the fuel line for a steel line.