How difficult is it?

It looks to me like you would only have to unscrew 4 screws to take the top of and replace it but I have no experience with carburetors so I was wondering if there is anything special or needed to know before I go buy a new float.

 

It depends on the carb ya got, and ya never said what that is. I think you will find more than four screws in it. Whatever it is. Let us know what carb it is and we can help ya better. Or Google your carb and look for a break down pic of it showing it dissembled.

The new float / carb kit should come with instructions for adjusting the float as well as gaskets and other parts you will need.

 

First things first.

1) Read the tag on the carb (if there is one) and post up the letters and digits here on FTE. I'm sure that either I, or someone else can help you decypher what kind of carb it is and where it came from (given that it has the correct tag).

2) Take pics of the carb and post them up on here. I've seen many carbs that were assembled using different pieces of other carbs or carbs that has pieces missing, which makes them very hard to distinguish from other carbs or even their correct type for even the most talented wrenchhead.

3) Help us help you. Tell us ask much about the carb as possible and what it's doing before you go ahead and change the float. Simply buying a float will most likely not fix your woes if your vehicle is sputtering at the pedal or the carb is giving you problems in some other form. Telling us ask much as possible about what goes on with your vehicle when it's running and what's happening with the carb can help us essentially, as I said, help you determine what needs to be done.

Unless you've rebuilt carbs before and know exactly what you're doing, I HIGHLY SUGGEST IMPO(in my personal opinion), that you don't JUST buy a float and change it out. There is most likely more you could be doing for you carb than just that small change (and it won't cost you too much to fix it back to almost-brand-new instead of a "quick-fix").

I say this with a very tough personal experience on my own carb, hours and hours of reading the manual for my carb and eventually rebuilding my own carb.

In all seriousness, don't just do a quick fix. It won't solve your problems for long.

If you don't trust what I say, at least put up a single pic of your carb so we can see what you need to do to get at your float.

Cheers,

Aaron

 

I guess letting you know the carb might of helped lol. It is a motorcraft 2150, the original carb. Truth is I'm 90% sure I need the carb rebuilt or buy a new one. I've heard brass floats are better than the original nitrophyl floats that are standard in my carb, because nitrophyl tends to break down over time. I was going to try and at least (if it is simple) replace the float before sending to someone to get it rebuilt or buy a new one.

 

It's the other way around - the nitrophyl floats are better. Brass floats are soldered together. If the solder is breached (which can happen with age), the float fills with gas and sinks.

If your carburetor needs to be rebuilt, replacing the float isn't an alternative. The only reason one would really need to replace the float is if (1) it's a brass type that might be punctured, or (2) the float tang is somehow broken.

Nonetheless, to change out the float on a 2150, you must remove 4 screws and the air cleaner stud, and undo the choke linkage to get the air horn off. However, you'll have to set the float height with the new float too.

If your carburetor needs to be rebuilt, then rebuild it. If you discover the float should be replaced in the process, then replace it. That's the order you should be going in.

 

Firstly, don't send it off. I've got the perfect solution for you. I send out a carburetor manual for completely free that covers all motorcraft/autolite/ford carbs that are 2100 series and 2150 series. Trust me on this one, you can do this one your own. All it takes is the ability to read, some patience and a small amount of money (all of these should be no big deal if you own a dentside lol).

Anywho, here is the link that will send you to the details of my carburetor manual that I offer to FTE'ers (no worries, it's free): https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/983918-ford-autolite-motorcraft-carburetor-2100-and-2100d-service-manual.html

I agree that the float option isn't a good idea, because if your carb needs a rebuild, replacing the float just simply isn't good enough. I agree with rebuilding the carb, but the float should be replaced irreguardless of condition because it's probably been sitting for so long that it's most likely close to being changed anyways. So reguardless of appearance of condition, change your float.

The reason I say this is because rebuilding a carb usually permits a rebuilt kit. The kit, comes with a float. Why let it sit in the box? Use it.

Anywho, get a rebuild kit and use the manual I offer to rebuild your carb. The only thing you'll really need is a large sealable container to put carburetor pieces in (only metalic ones, no aluminum though), and a gallon jug of engine/carburetor cleaner chemical solution to help you from scrubbing your fingers off.

This can and has been done before by many people. Do it yourself and save yourself the trouble of buying a carb (used or new) that has been rebuilt improperly, isn't in working condition, or for the new ones, costs over $200...

Yours will work fine if you ask for help along your journey and use common sense when it comes to the rebuilding process (bagging and labelling pieces, using a manual, tuning it correctly and troubleshooting when needed).

 

That's interesting - of all the different brands I've used, I have never seen a kit that included a float. What brand did you use and how much did it cost? In that case I would agree, if your rebuild kit has a new float, then why not use it.

 

I bought my kit from a local dealer in my province. Auto Electric. You've most likely never heard of them because they're only local to 3 provinces in Saskatchewan, Alberta and Manitoba here in Canada.

It was $50.XX CAN for the kit. IT wasn't that much because it came with EVERYTHING. All gaskets for all models of 2100 series (just incase yours varied or had a different airhorn), all the brass components, a new float (hard plastic), some rubber pieces for the accelerator diaphragm as well as a full new choke pull-off diaphragm.

It actually surprisingly came with a lot, seeing inside the box and looking like it had very little.

I used almost every piece I could from that box because it makes all the rubber and gaskets brand-new on a 30-some year old carb. It works like a dream now.

Even without tuning my carb, it's working 10X better than before.
It used to:
**sputter** *sputter* *die* when trying to start it.

Now it starts no problem on first try, just as long as the key is kept turnt over for it to start.

 

Before rebuilding I always Check the throttle plate shaft for play in the housing. If it is worn there than it will suck air as well as cause other problems. Now they can be machined and bushed there but unless it is a very rare carb one has to determine if it is worth it.