Any recommendations for the best rebuild kit for the Stromberg 97 carb? Also, is it best to buy a new fuel pump?

Thanks

 

Do you have a 40's truck? or did you swap to a Stromberg?

 

Get the kit from the source: Stromberg 97 Stromberg 48 81 Stromberg parts carburetors carbs
Disclaimer: I have not actually purchased a kit from these folks. I got lucky and was given a couple old rebuild kits for 97s that I used when I built the carburetor for my 37.

How far down do you plan on disassembling the carb? Do you have the Stromberg specific jet wrench? What are you planning to run it on? Pictures? Curious minds want to know!

 

I agree,buy a genuine Stromberg kit. I bought a generic kit for one of my 97's ,then I bought a Stromberg kit for the other 97 I had,no comparison in quality. Never could get the generic kit to stop leaking and or the needle and seat sticking.The stromberg kit was awesomw and only about $10.00 more

 

The carb is from an original 1951 F1 that had about a 100,000 miles on it Flathead V8. I am doing a frame up resto. Have the chassis done, ready tp paint the fenders, grill and runningboards. The cab is stripped, ready for primer. Using BC-CC, PPG brand products. About ready to take the engine to a machine shop.

Thought I would dissassemble the carb completely. No, I do not have jet wrench. Is the overhaul kit from the Stromberg web site? If I ever get it completed guess it will have to run on the current 10% ethanol stuff. My carb has 94 cast on it.

I plan to take pictures as I dissassmble the carb. Any more info will be appreciated.

 

Better put the brakes on there. If your carburetor has 94 cast into the back, 'tis a Holley, not a Stromberg. And if it was a Stromberg, it wouldn't be "correct" on a 51; Ford stopped using Strombergs in late 37/early 38. Unless you had a Stromberg with the later replacement base, you wouldn't have the vacuum port for your Load a matic distributor.

A "correct" 51 carburetor would have 7RT on the left hand side of the bowl, and of course the Ford script on the right. Some pickups and trucks had a lever on the left hand side of the throttle shaft for a hand throttle, with the **** in the cab.

If you do in fact have a Holley, contact Ken Isidor from CT (203-375-9340). He has the best parts for the Holleys with right length leather accelerator pumps, good power valves, and gaskets. I buy a lot of parts from him. Great to deal with. One more thing, if it is a Holley, keep the needle valve if it is steel, it is fuel proof and can be re-used unless it is grooved (I've not seen one that isn't re-usable). I know Ken runs short of those at times.

 

^^ That's why I asked if it was old or had been swapped! This is what the stock Holley looks like (details vary but not much)

 

Be cautious, tales abound about new fuel pumps having a spring that's stronger than the original. This makes for too high fuel pressure. I believe the Airtex brand is okay, but this is second hand information.

 

I heard Airtex were the ones with the problem (among many others, tho, and who knows who really makes any of them?)

 

Wow - thank you guys very much. I was looking at a catalog, a new Stromberg 97 fit 49-53 flatheads and that is why my carb was Stromberg. I have the parts graphics CD for the truck, and sure enough the illustrations look like my carb. Mine does not have 7RT on the side of the bowl opposite the Ford script. The carb is similar to the picture that was sent to my post. So thanks again, and to the Forum, to get me on the correct path.

 

If yours has the Ford script, but no number, it was a universal replacement (for car or pickup). If my understanding is correct, the no number script carbs were made for retail in stores such as Western Auto, Montgomery Wards, etc.

 

My second hand source is that GM fella on the Fordbarn who mentions the name skip at least 5-6 times in every post, or so it seems. When he's not hawking skip's wares, he's barking Airtex. Of course, he may be only doing it to get someone's goat, though.

 

HouBill, please post pictures of your carburetor. It is very possible that someone put a carburetor from a 1939 to 1948 Ford onto your engine at some point. These will bolt on and run, but won't work with your distributor at all.

On the fuel pumps, if you read the Ford literature it says that the carburetor needle and seat are good to 3.5 p.s.i. maximum. The same manual will tell you that the fuel pump puts out 4.5 p.s.i. Something about the right had not knowing what the left hand is doing...

As an add on to what 1952henry said about the needle, also look at the seat. Many of the new rebuild kits come with a seat where the fuel passage is drilled larger than original. This oversize hole applies more fuel pressure to the needle making it more likely to leak. I exclusively use good condition old needles and seats. Sooner or later I will run out of old carbs to rob parts from though.