1951 Buick special

[Hotrodcrzy]

Hi all. After years of building and leaning the flower is trying to be on the road. One of the things is the carb. A Carter. Can’t get it to work right. I have been reading on here a this is the first forum I have joined. I am at a wall. Should I get a new carb (where?) or rebuild? Thanks for all input. 

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

Welcome.    

 Drop down to the Buick forums to Post War.

 

  The Carter is good.

 

  Where are you located?

 

  Ben

[rocketraider]

Have you taken the carb apart, cleaned it thoroughly (preferably with solvent), and reassembled it? Then adjusted everything per the factory settings?

 

If it still has the 264 straight eight, I think Specials used two-barrel carbs?

 

We have a couple of topnotch carburetor guys here. If @carbking sees this he'll have insight.

 

 

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

3 minutes ago, rocketraider said:

 

 

If it still has the 264 straight eight, I think Specials used two-barrel carbs?

 

We have a couple of topnotch carburetor guys here. If @carbking sees this he'll have insight.

   Typo, Glenn

   263.  All Buicks still had 2 barrel in 1951

 

  Ben

3 minutes ago, rocketraider said:

 

 

 

[Rusty_OToole]

Best thing I have found is to get the factory manual, either from the car factory (Buick) or the carburetor manufacturer (Carter) and follow their directions exactly. You will also need a carburetor kit and possibly new floats, and other parts. The Carb King who posts on here regularly, is a good source of parts.

 

MoToR Repair Manuals are also a good source of factory info.  But don't go by the sheet in the carb kit, they are incomplete and filled with errors.

 

Usually there are 3 or 4 critical adjustments like float level and if you get them right, and all the parts are right, the carb will work like a dream.

 

The other thing you need to check is for wear in the throttle shaft, this can cause an air leak that will mess up your idle adjustment.

[Hotrodcrzy]

This is great. I am located in southeastern Idaho. I have the shop manual and tried to clean and inspect the carb as per that. Guess I’ll put for the rebuild kit. Have been dealing with old Buick parts dot com. Just got the motor running last month and working out all the bugs. Infested with them. Thanks for all reply’s. Was reading all about carbking. Good knowledge there. 

[carbking]

Check out the distributor advance, and an adequate supply of fuel to the carburetor before ordering the kit.

 

Should you need the kit, not a problem.

 

Jon

[drhach]

I'll second validating the ignition system. Likely the advance isn't working or not working correctly. My 42 Distributor has three locating bearings in the advance plate. They had pressed notches in the races and wouldn't allow the plate to rotate. Of course that didn't matter much because the advance canister wouldn't hold vacuum to rotate the plate. :). I put in a replacement vacuum advance and installed a repair kit for the bearings. It made a huge difference in the behavior of the engine.  

[TTR]

What is the compression in ALL cylinders ?

 

If all relatively even and strong, how is the distributor and ALL other ignition related components and specifications ?

 

If ALL in good working order, now you might be ready to start diagnosing fuel delivery concerns, including the carburetor.