23 4 cylinder Carb rebuild

Hello

I am a newbie on Buick,

that has recently bought a 23 Buick 4 cylinder roadster. It has not run in 32 years but did remember when it was running. Have been going threw the fuel system ( fuel tank rebuilt and sealed, vacuum tank done) and have got as far as the carb and need to rebuild it.

I thought I found a rebuild kit from: http://www.thecarburetorshop.com/Kbuick1.htm But after conferring with them and being unable to find any casting or stamped numbers on the body, they would not sell me anything, as they say there is too many different ones.

Can someone recommend or have a rebuild kit for my marvel carburetor for this year. I have included 2 pictures of the carb.

Thank You in advance.

Kevin Kelly

Iowa

I wouldn't wait for a kit. When you remove & clean up the jets, suck on one end with your finger over the other end to verify the jets have no cracks & re-install them with the old fiber seals. Replace the heat riser tube with a scrap piece of aluminized exhaust tubing and make a new cork float from three wine corks.

Thanks Mark,

But can I even get a rebuild kit for this carburetor? All gaskets I think were original as they just fell apart, so need them, and it does have some wear on the needle but the speedo only shows 5800 miles. Other fiber gaskets just should not be used I think, as there is not much left of them. I do not think I want to tackle this project the way you say, and would either like to have a rebuild kit or have someone else that can do it correctly. Can you or anyone else help?

Is the heat riser tube the thing that sticks up into the exhaust manifold, that the incoming air for the carburetor comes threw? It seems to currently be in fine shape.

Any help from anyone, on my project would be appreciated.

Thank You

Kevin Kelly

Iowa

Kevin

These carburetors are very simple. You can cut the gaskets yourself. There are two thin paper gaskets, one at the bottom of the carb where the float chamber connects to carb body, and another for the float chamber cover. A thicker gasket is used from the carb to the inlet manifold . The heat riser is the tube that is inside the carb and is surrounded by the heat jacket, You can see this when you remove the carb, check for holes where the tubes enter from the exhaust. This picture is from a 1920 which has only one pipe from the exhaust other than that its the same. You don,t really need to use heat with modern fuel, I have disconnected the heat pipe completely.

The heat riser is a separate part on my later 1920s Buicks; but it still functions the same. The inner steel tube must be sealed at both ends and have no holes in it. Otherwise, exhaust will contaminate the fuel/air mixture.

I agree with Rod, make your own gaskets. Waiting to find them may take a long time and lots of $$.

Kevin and Mark, with this being a 1923 model, and if it has the correct, original carburetor, which it looks like it does from the photos, then the heat riser tube is absent on this unit. I believe 1924 was the first year for this high tech advancement on the Buick automobiles. I will post more information for carburetor restoration later on today.

Terry Wiegand

South Hutchinson, Kansas Doo Dah

I know that Mark likes to suggest using wine corks to make a float. Several people have had problems with this process as many wine corks are now made from glued composite cork making the cork denser so they don't float as well. I recommend going to the hardware store and buying a large cork stopper for thermos or other glass jars. This cork is very light and easy to work with. No gluing the corks together. I agree with making your own gaskets. It's easy and they fit better than some of the kits gaskets. Do check for the cracks in the jet tubes. Soak the jets in lacquer thinner to dissolve any varnish that will eventually come loose with modern gas and plug your jets.

Bob Engle

Thank you so much for all the reply's,

OK I will try to make all my own gaskets. What kind or type of gasket material should I use-- there seems to be many different ones. I think I will reuse my same fuel shut off needle as when I cleaned it up is is really now worn much at all.

On the float--i think it is original and does float, I am thinking I should just reseal it with some super glue or something else and put it back in?

This whole carb rebuild may be easier than I think thanks to you guys helping me along.

Still having trouble finding the heat riser tube inside the carburetor, unless it is the 2 tubes running from the exhaust, but according to Terry there may not be one.

Kevin Kelly

Iowa

I'm sure I'll raise some comments.

My opinion on the float is, just go with it if it seems OK.

I have an 1918 E-45 with the original carb and cork float. I, obviously, use modern gas that has ethanol and I have had no problems (at least so far - I have owned the car since 1967). The car still runs great.

The float does look a bit grungy, but it isnt coming apart and it still works well.

I know others havn't been so lucky, but the easiest thing to do is to leave the float alone and see just how well it works. If it is OK - then you are done. If you do have a problem, it is easy enough to go back and then build a new float.

Good luck.

Kevin - first sorry that I was unable to identify your carb and offer you a kit. I have been embarrassed too many times by Marvel, and now tend to be very conservative in offering parts unless I am positive the parts will fit.

Now, a couple of items that may help:

(1) As Bob suggested, modern cork is a composite, and is FAR MORE HEAVY THAN NATURAL CORK! So, look outside the box. Blocks of balsa wood, readily available at hobby shops, are lighter than natural cork, and much lighter than the composite. Like any non-metallic float, the balsa wood MUST be sealed BEFORE it is placed in gasoline. POR-15 works well for sealing, as does the model airplane fabric dope. I have found nothing that will seal a float that has been in gasoline.

(2) Gasket material. This may sound odd to you, but on a Marvel it doesn't matter. The Marvel is going to leak if you put gasoline in the fuel tank! We use Armstrong N-8090 for most applications, and "tag paper" for others; but again, with the Marvel, you are just trying to slow down the leaks, not stop them.

(3) The two major keys to making the Marvel work as well as possible (not very well) are: (A) making sure the airvalve is free in its entire range of motion, and ( the use of a correct, non-fatigued airvalve spring.

Jon.

Carbking,

I love your #2 comment - amen!!

Kevin - first sorry that I was unable to identify your carb and offer you a kit. I have been embarrassed too many times by Marvel, and now tend to be very conservative in offering parts unless I am positive the parts will fit.

Now, a couple of items that may help:

(1) As Bob suggested, modern cork is a composite, and is FAR MORE HEAVY THAN NATURAL CORK! So, look outside the box. Blocks of balsa wood, readily available at hobby shops, are lighter than natural cork, and much lighter than the composite. Like any non-metallic float, the balsa wood MUST be sealed BEFORE it is placed in gasoline. POR-15 works well for sealing, as does the model airplane fabric dope. I have found nothing that will seal a float that has been in gasoline.

(2) Gasket material. This may sound odd to you, but on a Marvel it doesn't matter. The Marvel is going to leak if you put gasoline in the fuel tank! We use Armstrong N-8090 for most applications, and "tag paper" for others; but again, with the Marvel, you are just trying to slow down the leaks, not stop them.

(3) The two major keys to making the Marvel work as well as possible (not very well) are: (A) making sure the airvalve is free in its entire range of motion, and ( the use of a correct, non-fatigued airvalve spring.

Jon.

haha, not a fan of the marvel then I'm guessing

haha, not a fan of the marvel then I'm guessing

My mentor in the carburetor business told me a carburetor joke back in the 1960's that was popular among mechanics in the 1930's:

"You have a Marvel on your car? It will be a real marvel if it works"

Jon.

For me, the key is not to expect the same performance from an 80+ year old Marvel as you do from any brand downdraft carb.

Kevin,

Restoration Supply (RestorationStuff.com) has Buick floats in nitrophyl #CAR003. $25

JB

22-6-55 Sport touring

Is the 1923 Buick 4 cyl carb the same as the 6 cyl? I have a 23 Buick 6 cyl coupe conv that needs to have the fuel system refurbished (carb overhaul, float replaced, vacuum tank overhaul, etc.). Please advise. Thank you.

The 4cyl and 6 cyl have the same carb castings but have different jets and dashpot spring.

Greetings people,

Have got my fuel tank, vacuum tank and carb ready to go on my car. (did it all myself) I found lots of screen filters throughout the system but thinking I should have some type of newer fuel filter system. I could cut the line from the fuel tank and install an inline filter. I have also seen a bowl type filter that was screwed into the underside of the vacuum tank.

What seems to work the best on these systems? Are they necessary? Let me know your thoughts on this topic.

Thank You

Kevin Kelly

Iowa

To Spruce, Most vacuum tanks came with a sediment bowl on the outlet from the factory. It is the easiest and most effective filter to put into the system. Anything else looks bad and makes the owner look bad too.

Greetings people,

Have got my fuel tank, vacuum tank and carb ready to go on my car. (did it all myself) I found lots of screen filters throughout the system but thinking I should have some type of newer fuel filter system. I could cut the line from the fuel tank and install an inline filter. I have also seen a bowl type filter that was screwed into the underside of the vacuum tank.

What seems to work the best on these systems? Are they necessary? Let me know your thoughts on this topic.

Thank You

Kevin Kelly

Iowa

any fuel you put in it these days is going to be a hell of a lot better than the crap they had back when the car was new

any fuel you put in it these days is going to be a hell of a lot better than the crap they had back when the car was new

LOL How true though. Same goes for oil.