I need to rebuild my carburetor on my '59 Edsel Ranger, I believe it has a Ford 2 barrel 2100 carburetor. I was wondering if anybody has any experience rebuilding one of these and what rebuild kit I should use. This is also my first posting so I apologize if this is in the wrong place Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
I don't know that specific carburetor but can give some general advice. First off, don't go by the instruction sheet in the carb kit. It is incomplete and filled with errors. Get the original factory rebuild instruction, either from the carb manufacturer or car manufacturer's manual. Don't go getting ideas of your own. Cookbook it together following the directions exactly. This is important, I never had much luck rebuilding a carb until I figured out I didn't know as much about it as the factory that made them. Everything must be clean. Get a can of carb cleaner you can soak the carb in if possible. Otherwise use a spray can of carb cleaner and lacquer thinners. Be careful, the lacquer thinners will dissolve some plastics. Compressed air to blow out passages is handy too. If you don't have a compressor use a spray can. I don't know the different brands of carb kits. Get American made if you can. You may also need a new float if the old one is leaky or soggy. Take your time and don't force anything and you should be ok. Also don't poke anything thru the carb jets unless it is plastic or a piece of copper wire. Steel wire can damage the jet.
I don't know your carb exactly but all the ford 2bbls I've worked on are very simple carbs. don't be intimidated , see if you can get an exploded view pic from a service manual so you know what you'll looking at when you open it up. while it's apart to clean be sure to check the base plate to see if the throttle shaft holes are worn and sloppy, lots of old carbs with loads of miles are and the vacuum leak around the throttle shaft creates tuning nightmares.
Never hurts to take photos as you tear it down either,works for me. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App
All good advice. You picked a very easy carb to rebuild. These were dependable and mostly trouble free carbs. Vacuum leaks at the choke housing being the main issue. Good luck,
If it is a 2100 don't use the speedway kit ! You will get the wrong power valve (they send a 4 barrel P/V,and it will leak all the fuel from your carb bowl straight into your engine) the main jet seals are undersized,and may just have been my kit but the needle and seat were trash that wedge and hang up. At any rate I would grab a blow gun,about 3 feet of clear 1/2" acrylic hose and a box of baking soda and blast that little baby so she looks new again ! Oh yea,and look for a kit with a leather accelerator pump skirt !
Re-read the post by Rusty (post 2); lots of good information. I might disagree with him on the carburetor cleaner, but then Rusty lives in Canada, and maybe the carburetor cleaner there is still decent. The only use for carburetor cleaner available here (Missouri) is to transfer funds from the buyer to the parts house. Lacquer thinner works (use it outside); or if you have access to one, an ultrasonic cleaner (we use Dawn dishwater soap in ours) works almost as well, and is easier on the planet. Jon.
Thanks to everybody for the info. I'm 17 and don't know too much about stuff like this, I ordered a carb rebuild kit from motorcraft and it should be here soon. I'm glad to know the 2100 is a simple and widely used carburetor, shouldn't be too difficult to tebuild Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
When you get it apart look at the covers for the power valve and accelerator pump you well see that they are not flat more than likely so you will want to make them flat. I use a punch and the vice and tap them close then sand them flat.