Hey Everyone!

I recently purchased a 65 Custom Cab in large part because I don't know how to work on cars and want to learn. It has a 352 manual in the floor. When I say I don't know my baseline is that of a first grader so explanations should be rather simple.

Here is the current issue I am facing. It cranks but does not start. If I manage to get it started it will quickly shut off. From poking around on various sites and yt I think it is a fuel issue. I thought I fixed it left it alone for a few hours came back same issue. Not consistently but gas comes from the top of the carburetor. I think it stopped when I "fixed it" have not seen it since. I opened up the carburator, checked the float and it seems to move freely. My neighbor messed with those right before this started to happen. I adjusted the screws on the front that control fuel flow, that is what got it working. Any other steps I should take to get it working? Prior to this it started and drove well.

Thanks for helping with my first "new guy" post.

 

Probably want to get a Ford shop manual for the whole truck. And get a manual for whatever carb you happen to have. It may be original or it very well may be aftermarket. Do your best to get the carb set back to factory specs.

When working on a carb, I like to have a clear work area with clean paper shop towels spread out to keep things clean. Have a small box to keep the screws, springs, and other bits from rolling away from you.

 

Welcome to FTE!
You will have to make a few more posts before you can post pictures. Since you don't know the terminology, pictures will help explain your difficulties.
Also invest in a shop manual they are available on e-bay or amazon as originals, reprints and on CD's and thumb drives. One of those will solve a lot of mysteries.
You will get plenty of advice here, but you need to say what engine you have and if your truck was a sitter or was running when you got it.

 

I went out to it this morning and it started up no problem. That was after I started this thread.

I have a manual I purchased before I picked up the truck. I will sit down and go through it later today.

It was running fine until the neighbor messed with it. I drove it about 350 miles from where I purchased to my home. Have been driving off and on for about a month.

The engine is a 5.8l 352. I hope that is the information you guys are asking for.

 

Did your neighbor remove the carb and open it up? Or just mess with the adjustment screws on the outside of the carb?

Tom

 

I opened it when I couldn't get it to start but did not remove it. That was a few days after the neighbor messed with it. The neighbor turned the screws on the outside.

I think it is the original carburator. It has motorcraft printed on the top.

 

First year Ford made a Motorcraft carburetor available was 1972 so from your description there is no way it could be original to a truck older than that. See, you’re learning things already.

 

First piece of advice do not let your neighbor touch your truck . Those idle mixture screws on the outside of the carb need to be turned in until they very gently bottom out then opened up 1-1/2 turns for a starting point. If they aren't open far enough it starves the idle and transition circuits for fuel and it won't idle, and you will get an off idle bog.

 

In the less than a month that I have had this truck I have learned all kinds of things. 😀Thanks for the new bit of info. I would like to keep things as original as possible. Is there any reason why I should not start looking for an original replacement?

Haha! That is surely a lesson learned.

I know I need to replace the valve cover gaskets because I have a horrible oil leak. What I do not know is if there is a sequence for torque. Looked all over the place even the manual. 10 ft-lbs I have that. What about order?

 

No particular sequence, just go around and tighten them all a little at a time. In my opinion that 10 ft.lbs. is way too much. That is the same torque as a sparkplug. I just use a nut driver and tighten them until they are snug enough to not loosen up. Overtightening those things leads to more oil leaks than anything else because it distorts the rail.
I always use the rubber gaskets and glue them to the valve cover the rubber ones don't need to be replaced every time you take the cover off.

 

Ford used 9510 as the base number for most of their carburetors. To that a Prefix and a Suffix were added.

I like to use original Autolite 2100 carburetors. I had just picked up a couple of used ones to rebuild for my 1964 F100 with 292. The carburetors are fairly simple to rebuild as long as there are no hideous problems like cracks in the body or serious corrosion. All the small parts and gaskets are available in kit form.

A person can get just about as picky as they want with these projects. Carburetors were somewhat specific to engines and transmissions. For example, if the truck had Thermactor emissions system on it from the factory it may have prescribed one number of 2100 carb while a truck with an automatic transmission might have another number of 2100 carb.

The number or really a portion of the full number was often stamped into the base of the carburetor on the driver's side lowest flange. If you get lucky it might also have its original tag on it as well.

The original stamped identifying ID numbers (not part numbers) for a 1965 F100/250 with Standard transmission were.

C5TF-9510-B - aka C5TF-B - sometimes stamped just 5T B.
C5TF-9510-Y - aka C5TF-Y - sometimes stamped just 5T Y.

Other carbs from a 1966 that would fit the bill but not be 100% correct just because a 1966 carb on a 1965 truck wouldn't have happened.
C6TF-9510-T - aka C6TF-T - sometimes stamped just 6T T.
Since a 1965 didn't have Thermactor emmisions and your truck is not an automatic I'm not including any of those.

Part numbering with Ford sometimes works out fairly simple.
First digit C = 1960. A = 1940, B = 1950, D = 1970
Second digit 5 = 1965
Third digit T = Truck
Fourth digit F = Engine Accessories
9510 - it's a carburetor but that's all it'll tell you.
Suffix - this is the one thing that changes the most and distinguishes which exact carb it is.

For example, my 1966 F250 2WD with 352 and automatic transmission uses a C6TF-9510-C identifying number and this is what the stamping on the correct carb for it looks like.


At the link below is an example of a highly restored 1966 C6TF-T that one member posted recently.

1966 F100 352 stock carb question - Ford Truck Enthusiasts Forums (ford-trucks.com)

All of these ID numbers do cross reference to a part number which is oddly very rarely the same suffix. Talk about keeping it confusing...

And, just to take it one level further the ID tag on the @ibuzzard carburetor has a date code stamped on it. The 6FD signifies.

6 = 1966
F = June
D = Fourth week

So that would have most likely been on a July or August built 1966 truck. Possibly an early 1967.

 

In my opinion for the valve cover. I would start tightening the screws in the center of the cover first working towards the ends. To me, this keeps the cover from possibly bulging up in the center. This is what I was taught many moons ago.

Tom