WCFB Float Adjustment
Thread Starter
Pro
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From: Ottawa, Ont. Canada
WCFB Float Adjustment
I am trying to adjust the float levels on the 2X4 set up in my ’57. The procedures in the ST-12 manual calls for the floats to be adjusted with the air horn (top cover) held inverted and measure the distance between the floats and air horn.
In that position, the floats are not parallel to the air horn and the distance between the floats and the air horn varies between each ends of the floats. Should this adjustment be made in the middle of the float or at a different location?
Thanks..
Pierre
In that position, the floats are not parallel to the air horn and the distance between the floats and the air horn varies between each ends of the floats. Should this adjustment be made in the middle of the float or at a different location?
Thanks..
Pierre
Last edited by Pierre; May 30, 2008 at 09:17 PM.
Le Mans Master
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From: Puget Sound
Pierre
When inverted, the floats should be parallel (or very close to it) with the air horn. It's been a couple years since I've done a set but I don't remember that ever being a problem. I believe the measurment is 1/8" primary and 1/4" secondary. Be sure to adjust the floats both laterally and for drop.
Jim
When inverted, the floats should be parallel (or very close to it) with the air horn. It's been a couple years since I've done a set but I don't remember that ever being a problem. I believe the measurment is 1/8" primary and 1/4" secondary. Be sure to adjust the floats both laterally and for drop.
Jim
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2004
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From: Plano Texas
Pierre,
On a WCFB, the floats should be adjusted in an inverted position to a near parallel position between the top of the float and the surface of the inverted top casting. The float drop is made with the top casting in a level position and the end of the floats about 3/4-inch from the bottom of the top casting measured vertically. An important point is to make sure that the floats are centered in their float bowls with the carb assembled. You don't want the floats to rub the sidewalls of the float bowls or they could stick open and cause a flooding condition and/or fire. I know this from personal experience. Adjusting the floats is done by carefully and deliberately bending the float supports and the tang behind the fuel inlet pintle. Good luck.
On a WCFB, the floats should be adjusted in an inverted position to a near parallel position between the top of the float and the surface of the inverted top casting. The float drop is made with the top casting in a level position and the end of the floats about 3/4-inch from the bottom of the top casting measured vertically. An important point is to make sure that the floats are centered in their float bowls with the carb assembled. You don't want the floats to rub the sidewalls of the float bowls or they could stick open and cause a flooding condition and/or fire. I know this from personal experience. Adjusting the floats is done by carefully and deliberately bending the float supports and the tang behind the fuel inlet pintle. Good luck.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jul 2000
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From: Ottawa, Ont. Canada
Thanks for the responses, it confirms what I thought. The confusion came from the info/pictures at the following sites. I guess not all applications are the same.
Pierre
http://members.capital.net/com/studiog/CarterWCFB/
Pierre
http://members.capital.net/com/studiog/CarterWCFB/
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2007
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From: Puget Sound
Thanks for the responses, it confirms what I thought. The confusion came from the info/pictures at the following sites. I guess not all applications are the same.
Pierre
http://members.capital.net/com/studiog/CarterWCFB/
Pierre
http://members.capital.net/com/studiog/CarterWCFB/
Some good info. on that site, some incorrect info. as well. WCFB = Will Carter Four Barrel
. It's actually an acronym for Wrought Cast Four Barrel.Jim
Le Mans Master
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From: Toronto Ontario
On Hemmings website, I read " Carter had been manufacturing the model WCFB four-barrel in the early Fifties, and General Motors began using the "William Carter Four Barrel" as standard equipment in 1952, with Packard picking this type of carburetor as its stock equipment choice in 1953, followed by Chrysler in 1954. These were popular with many original manufacturers; in fact, the WCFB series carburetors were used on Corvettes up to 1964. However, their weight, at over 17 pounds, suggested that a lighter carburetor with the same progressive four-barrel characteristics was needed."
See for yourself: http://www.hemmings.com/mus/stories/..._feature8.html
Hmmm, here's another reference: "Actually, the world's first progressive four-barrel down-draft carb was the Carter WCFB (Will Carter Four Barrel), introduced in 1952. Weighing in at a hefty 18 pounds, they were used on Buick Straight Eights. They are still available on E-Bay, from time to time."
That one's at this link:
http://www.442.com/oldsfaq/ofcrb.htm
There seems to be more than one opinion that WCFB means "William Carter Four Barrel".
The plot thickens.
- Pat
Last edited by C2Driver; May 30, 2008 at 04:13 PM.
Le Mans Master
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From: Puget Sound
That's interesting. I've never heard of the Will Carter theory before. I'm just going on memory of rebuilding them for 30+ years and what I've heard the industry refer to them as. I believe the NCRS agrees with the Wrought Cast theory.
It makes sense that a Carter WCFB = Carter Wrought Cast Four Barrel and Carter AFB = Carter Aluminum Four Barrel.
Carter Will Carter Four Barrel seems crazy.
Jim
P.S. That Hemmings article is wrong. The WCFB was used through the 1965 model year. I've never found their articles all that accurate regardless of topic.
It makes sense that a Carter WCFB = Carter Wrought Cast Four Barrel and Carter AFB = Carter Aluminum Four Barrel.
Carter Will Carter Four Barrel seems crazy.
Jim
P.S. That Hemmings article is wrong. The WCFB was used through the 1965 model year. I've never found their articles all that accurate regardless of topic.
Last edited by 1snake; May 30, 2008 at 04:37 PM. Reason: P.S.
Team Owner
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Army
Everything I've read says WCFB = Will Carter Four Barrel and AFB = Aluminum Four Barrel. In any event as folks know, I've fought my Carters for months before getting them right. First off - the floats are adjusted with the air horn gasket REMOVED. Second the float settings MAY be 1/8" or 1/4" but it depends on what carbs you are running (many folks are running clones now). Third - make darn sure you don't swap the primary and secondary floats by mistake if you have had them off for a rebuild. I also adjusted mine exactly using the locations on the web site indicated above. Don't mix up the air horn screws as they are different lengths and can cause grief if interchanged.
Finally, if you have them apart you may want to go ahead and install the "left-run, anti-stall" bushing if you can find one around.
Finally, if you have them apart you may want to go ahead and install the "left-run, anti-stall" bushing if you can find one around.
Last edited by Frankie the Fink; May 30, 2008 at 04:48 PM.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2008
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From: Toronto Ontario
That's interesting. I've never heard of the Will Carter theory before. I'm just going on memory of rebuilding them for 30+ years and what I've heard the industry refer to them as. I believe the NCRS agrees with the Wrought Cast theory.
It makes sense that a Carter WCFB = Carter Wrought Cast Four Barrel and Carter AFB = Carter Aluminum Four Barrel.
Carter Will Carter Four Barrel seems crazy.
Jim
P.S. That Hemmings article is wrong. The WCFB was used through the 1965 model year. I've never found their articles all that accurate regardless of topic.
It makes sense that a Carter WCFB = Carter Wrought Cast Four Barrel and Carter AFB = Carter Aluminum Four Barrel.
Carter Will Carter Four Barrel seems crazy.
Jim
P.S. That Hemmings article is wrong. The WCFB was used through the 1965 model year. I've never found their articles all that accurate regardless of topic.
"Sorry, everybody, it always has been, and always will be, directly from Carter, and yes, for the earliest Buicks and every thing else, WHITE CAST FOUR BARREL, period, end of the confusion.
Call Carter, ask for the in-house carb historian, he will confirm-WHITE CAST FOUR BARREL=WCFB."
Then at http://www.camaros.org/carb.shtml , we are told:
"In 1952, the "Will Carter Four Barrel" (WCFB) became the world’s first four-barrel carburetor and had a whopping rating of 385 CFM!"
So now we have 3 opinions:
WCFB-white cast four barrel
WCFB-wrought cast four barrel
WCFB-Will Carter four barrel
- Pat
Le Mans Master
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From: Puget Sound
I hope JohnZ posts on this. I'll go with whatever he says. I believe he is the one that corrected me long ago as I originally thought it was White Cast Four Barrel.
The guys on those other forums can't even agree on Carters first name. Willard, William, Wilford.
Jim
The guys on those other forums can't even agree on Carters first name. Willard, William, Wilford.
Jim
Last edited by 1snake; May 30, 2008 at 05:59 PM.
Le Mans Master
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From: Toronto Ontario
I wouldn't be surprised if WCFB originally meant "wrought cast four barrel" or "white cast four barrel" and someone nicknamed it the "Will Carter four barrel" for reasons of nostalgia. Having said that though, my Google searches mainly turned up "William Carter Four Barrel".
- Pat
Team Owner
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From: Washington Michigan
I don't have a conclusive answer either - I've always heard it described as "Wrought Cast Four Barrel" until a few years ago when the "Will Carter Four Barrel" thing began showing up.
Whatever you choose to call it, they just get harder to find and more expen$ive.
Whatever you choose to call it, they just get harder to find and more expen$ive.
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2005
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From: Flemington NJ
An additional note on float adjustment that might save you some hair pulling...
I put all of my float settings exactly at the factory specs yet struggled with flooding, especially from the front carb. After checking and rechecking it dawned on me that the engine does not sit perfectly level in the car, thus neither do the carbs. Since fluids seek their own level, the slight front to back engine tilt was all that it took to cause the carbs to flood. After a bit of trial-and-error float adjusting I cured the flooding without affecting performance at WOT or other speeds.
Hope this helps!
Mike
I put all of my float settings exactly at the factory specs yet struggled with flooding, especially from the front carb. After checking and rechecking it dawned on me that the engine does not sit perfectly level in the car, thus neither do the carbs. Since fluids seek their own level, the slight front to back engine tilt was all that it took to cause the carbs to flood. After a bit of trial-and-error float adjusting I cured the flooding without affecting performance at WOT or other speeds.
Hope this helps!
Mike
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2006
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From: Hudson North Carolina
I set the primaries at 1/4 and the secondary floats at 5/16, blocked the heat cross over and wired open the heat riser on my POS and haven't had to touch them again in over 10,000 miles knock on wood
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2007
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From: Puget Sound
Mine are set at 1/8" primary and 1/4" secondary and the level is exactly at the bottom of the float bowl site screws. I too blocked off my heat cross over and gutted the heat riser. No problem for 25 years. I've done at least a dozen set-ups exactly the same. Never a problem.
JohnZ - thanks for posting. I had never heard of the Will Carter theory until the other day. Wrought Cast has been the theory for a long time, but so has White Cast.
Jim
Safety Car
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From: Nevada City Ca.
2015 C1 of Year
After your positive the floats are adjusted correct and while the engine is running remove the two side screws and if gas runs out of either screw the floats are to high and need to be re-adjusted ///or if the gas is fare below the screw bottom level ,they are to low and need to be re-adjusted .
The gas should be at the screws lower hole level then there adjusted correct. That is the reason for the TWO driver side SCREWS
The gas should be at the screws lower hole level then there adjusted correct. That is the reason for the TWO driver side SCREWS
Team Owner
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Army
Burning Brakes
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From: Plano Texas
Since Frank brought up the topic of spacers, I thought I would chime in with my solution. I used 1/8-inch thick sheet cork gasket material between two carb gaskets. The sheet cork gasket material was purchased at Pep Boys or O'Reilly (can't remember) and is 12 inches wide by about 36 inches long. Easy to cut with either scissors or an X-acto knife. I used a carb gasket as a template to make the cork spacer the same size. The cork spacers fit great, although I have yet to try them in the real world. I'll let you know how they turned out. Also, I'll try to post some pics when I figure out how to using the Forum directions.
Team Owner
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Army
1/4" is as much as you can go and still get the hood to close with the stock air cleaner. I estimate a 20-30deg improvement in carb temps based on that mod. I bought a sheet of hi-temp phenolic from McMasters used a carb gasket as a guide and made the spacers.
