http://www.ehow.com/how_7955020_identify-part-numbers-carter-carburetors.html pay close attention to Item number one... I found this gem today while researching WCFB carbs...
makes perfect sense if you know nothing about cars. gotta love the i-net. wonder why the mechanic didn't leave his name.
Crap. That explains why the last time I tried to identify my Carter I had so many problems. I never should have stopped in the middle of I-10 to do it - and leaving the handbrake off for sure explains why that 18 wheeler was able to knock my car over 400 yards into a ditch.
I immediately put a short cut on my desktop. Here all these years I have been doing it the hard way. Engine running in gear. This can be ESPECIALLY exhausting when the fast idle cam is stuck...
My old "Motors Manuals" have a carb section with all the numbers to match those little brass tags on early Carter carbs. You can match them up and know exactly what the Carter is off of. A lot safer and easier...
You guys are tough! So how does one identify a Carter AFB carburetor??? Perhaps this "addendum" may help: Most Carter AFB carburetors would have an identification tag. On all of the original prints I have checked, this tag was to be placed under the airhorn to body screw located on the rear of the carburetor closed to the pump side (notice I did not say drivers's side, as some of you drive on the wrong side of the road!). However, just because it is supposed to be there doesn't mean it will be. MOST, but not all, Carter AFB carburetors also have the identification number STAMPED somewhere on the carburetor. These stamped identification numbers may appear in three different areas of the carburetor: (A) edge of the front mounting flange on the side opposite the pump (most common) (B) airhorn front center just above the body (C) body rear center about midway Now, how do you identify an AFB which has no stamped number, and no tag? While there is a small fee for the service, you acquire the following seven numbers from the carburetor: (1) raised casting number on body pump side (0-???) (2) raised casting number on airhorn (general side opposite pump 6-???) (3) stamped number on step-up rods (check both, some have different 16-???) (4) stamped number on primary venturi cluster pump side (5) stamped number on primary venturi cluster side opposite pump (6) stamped number on secondary venturi cluster pump side (7) stamped number on secondary venturi cluster side opposite pump Now call that grumpy old hillbilly in Missouri As to the identification number itself, there will (if present) be one of two formats of number: (1) Other than FoMoCo nnnnl(c) where nnnn is a four digit number, l is the letter S as in (S)am, and c (if present) represents a minor engineering change. The first change would be an A, the second change a B, the third change a C, etc. (2) FoMoCo number would be dymm-s where d is a letter representing the decade (C=1960's, D=1970's, etc.), y is a digit representing the last digit in the year, mm are two letters the exact meaning known only to the individual that assigned them, but in general the model on which this particular unit was first used (VF=Lincoln, other combinations exist), and the s after the dash represents a difference in the model (example a might mean with air conditioning and b might mean no air conditioning) Other numbers/letters may be present. Most carbs with tagged or stamped numbers will also have a date code. The date code could be: (A) mwy where m is a letter representing month (A=Jan, etc.), w is a number representing week, and y is a number representing the last digit of the year. (B) the same as above but without the week (this is the more common) It is also not uncommon for the manufacturor's part number (ie a Chevrolet number) to be present below the Carter number on a tag. Tag shapes have meaning where a triangular shape means anything but California, and a square shape means California smog emission. As to the CFM ratings, regardless of those mentioned in the "reference" link, Carter AFB carburetors were manufactured in CFM ratings from 400 to 939 (Carter didn't actually publish the rating on the 3636s, but the flow sheet stated 939 on the wet 4-barrel scale, and 1128 on the wet two-barrel scale). Maybe the writer of the "reference" link will see this thread Jon.
Excuse me , her name How to Identify Part Numbers on Carter Carburetors By Tiffany Ameh, eHow Contributor
just took quick look ,guess i missed it. duh. went back and looked. i was looking at the end of article.
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