Carburetor Frustration – Autolite/Autoline 1100

Gritsngumbo · Post by **Gritsngumbo** » October 2, 2011, 12:01 pm

After the weather cooled somewhat and I had a chance to drive Little Red (my 64 F100 Shortbed with a 223 I-) around town a little bit and in anticipation to trailer her down to Crusin the Coast in Biloxi next week. I decided to order a rebuilt carburetor from Rock Auto. Reason for changing the carb: Runs fine while driving, but stopping at lights and sitting in traffic I had to keep the choke pulled out a bit with resulted in a pretty fast idle.

The carb arrived Thursday afternoon late and I took the old one off on Friday. Everything seemed to match up to the old carb fine (fuel inlet, vacuum line connection, although the choke cable on the “new” carb entered from the opposite side. But the back of the carb where the throttle attaches to the carb was drastically different.

Here’s the two side by side:

As you can see the arm that connects the carb to the throttle on the old carb is longer and has a hole in it, while the “new” carb has a shorter arm and a ball on the end. I’ve spent a day and a half trying to fabricate brackets and linkage to make the “new” carb work with the original throttle without success.

Here’s a shot of the throttle mechanism, which I’m assuming is stock.

My first thought was they had sent me the wrong carb, then I thought that I had possibly ordered a carb for the wrong year, but the picture in the Rock Auto online catalog is the same as they sent and shows the same for all 61-64 Ford trucks.

Anyone have an idea what carb I had on the truck and what the “new” carb is supposed to fit? Changing out the arm doesn’t seem to be an option as the arm is welded or braised to the shaft on both carbs.

Since I’m leaving early Wednesday morning for Crusing the Coast my options are limited:
Option One: Rebuild kit. I don’t think I can get a rebuild kit here and installed before Wednesday.
Option Two: Take the truck to Crusin the Coast with the old crappy carb on it hope for the best while running the risk being embarrassed by stalling in traffic while cruising.
Option Three: Leave her at home and enjoy the event as a spectator and not a participant as I had hoped to do.
Don’t really want to trailer her 300 miles just to sit in the motel parking lot..

unibody madness · Post by **unibody madness** » October 2, 2011, 1:07 pm

The only difference I see is the choke clamp down is facing the opposite direction
It appears that there is a cap rather than a weld on that bracket . You can try removing and switching brackets between carbs, or maybe your cable might be long enough to wrap around and come in from the other side.
as far as the throttle ball, I have one with the ball and the other with a post, clip attachment.
You can alway take them both to Rock auto and ask WTF?

Gritsngumbo · Post by **Gritsngumbo** » October 2, 2011, 1:13 pm

The choke cable bracket isn't the problem, I can deal with that, but the throttle arm is much longer on the original than the replacement and doesn't work with the throttle.
Also, Rock Auto is not local and is an internet/mail order retailer. I can always e-mail them with the pics, but that's not going to solve my problem in the short term.

ICEMAN6166 · Post by **ICEMAN6166** » October 2, 2011, 1:30 pm

your missing a piece

there is a short (under 2")connector that fits on the ball and connects to the linkage, i have one on the 223 catb intake sitting over in my shop.
seems to me i remember having saved a few from junked trucks but i would have to do some hunting

Gritsngumbo · Post by **Gritsngumbo** » October 2, 2011, 1:34 pm

Brian: If you could find one that would be great.

bobenhotep · Post by **bobenhotep** » October 2, 2011, 2:43 pm

I may also have one, lemme look...

bobenhotep · Post by **bobenhotep** » October 2, 2011, 3:44 pm

I am zero balance on that thing. I really thought I had one. If you lived nearby I have an adapter and a 2bbl that would fit that truck.

Gritsngumbo · Post by **Gritsngumbo** » October 2, 2011, 4:04 pm

bobenhotep wrote:I am zero balance on that thing. I really thought I had one. If you lived nearby I have an adapter and a 2bbl that would fit that truck.

Thanks for looking. Yeah, that distance thing sucks.

Spanky · Post by **Spanky** » October 2, 2011, 4:30 pm

Hey there, if you get her working could you let us know how the new carb works out? I have the same issue you're having on the same type engine. Somebody told me maybe to try and adjust the float a little because while stopping it could be starving itself for fuel in the bowl. I haven't tinkered with it yet but I did do a rebuild kit in it from the local parts house. Doing like you and buying a new carb was on my mind too but a last resort. $$$ Thanks and good luck to you!

Gritsngumbo · Post by **Gritsngumbo** » October 2, 2011, 5:34 pm

Thanks. I didn't do the kit because I've read that there are so many parts missing that it's almost not worth the trouble. The Autoline rebuilds have a pretty good reputation and were recommended by a couple of members. I'm thinking the carbs they are selling are setup for the early Mustangs (if you Google Autolite 1100 the pictures and the examples look just like the one I received and most are on Mustang sites). I'm hoping that Rock Auto just left out the little part that attaches to my truck. If they don't at least try to fix the problem before I leave for the coast, I'll have an audience of several thousand people (they're expecting 5,000+ vehicle entries, plus all the other folks who attend) to complain to about Rock Auto

.

BTW: i have no reason believe my truck is changed from what was originally there, but maybe it has.

Brians1966 · Post by **Brians1966** » October 2, 2011, 6:32 pm

Grits
Looking at Rocks Auto's online catalog the the original carb, looks identical to the one used for a 63 to 68 Econoline and P100 with a 170 cid.(Autoline C808)???, I will do some digging and see what I can find

bobenhotep · Post by **bobenhotep** » October 2, 2011, 6:50 pm

the autolite 1100 carb sometimes will do this thing where it will have a really weird idle. I had to choke mine because the idle would seem to change on its own. id adjust it to be good, then it would be high as hell, never would get right...

bobenhotep · Post by **bobenhotep** » October 2, 2011, 6:54 pm

on the old carb hold the throttle butterfly still and see if the throttle lever will wiggle. they apparently just mushroom the end of the throttle shaft to hold it on there. the weird idle was caused on mine by the butterfly moving around on its own, just a little. your old carb might be doing that, just a guess.

Gritsngumbo · Post by **Gritsngumbo** » October 2, 2011, 6:55 pm

bobenhotep: Thanks for the info.
BTW: Brian66 in a PM said: "was having the same issue with my 300- turned out to be that pest of a spark/economizer valve on the side- might change it and see what happens" whatever that is

bobenhotep · Post by **bobenhotep** » October 2, 2011, 6:58 pm

its that thing that looks like a holley power valve stuck in the carb

Brians1966 · Post by **Brians1966** » October 2, 2011, 8:42 pm

bobenhotep wrote:its that thing that looks like a holley power valve stuck in the carb

He right - I forgot about them being called power valve also

Gritsngumbo · Post by **Gritsngumbo** » October 2, 2011, 8:44 pm

Can you buy those separate? If so, do you know where?

bobenhotep · Post by **bobenhotep** » October 2, 2011, 8:55 pm

although it looks the same as a power valve, it is not. It works backwards of one. you can put the one from the new carb on the old and see what happens. easy enough to try. did you check the butterfly to see if the throttle lever wiggles?

Gritsngumbo · Post by **Gritsngumbo** » October 2, 2011, 8:58 pm

bobenhotep wrote:although it looks the same as a power valve, it is not. It works backwards of one. you can put the one from the new carb on the old and see what happens. easy enough to try. did you check the butterfly to see if the throttle lever wiggles?

No, I haven't been to the shop today. I've been catching up on some video work for clients so I can be out of town for 5 days. I'll check it first thing tomorrow.

Spanky · Post by **Spanky** » October 2, 2011, 9:26 pm

Gritsngumbo wrote:Can you buy those separate? If so, do you know where?

When I bought my carb rebuild kit it came with a new one. ( power valve )