pontiacguy Posted June 21, 2014 Report Posted June 21, 2014 I just picked up a 54 plaza wagon . It has the 230. I understand this was a late year upgrade and it actually was originally a dodge motor exclusively. I have not sucessfully identified the carb. I suspect this is that is the reason why. My service manual only shows a divorced spring on the exhaust manifold. I have a single tube from the exhaust manifod to the choke theremostat mounted on the rear of the motor. My problem is I cant set the thermostat to close the choke completely so the car wont start cold. THe heat riser is in place, and moves freely. I am assuming that I should have hot exhaust gasses traveling into the thermostat to heat the spring and open it. I have run the motor and manipulated the heat riser. I do noiot achieve any hot anything out the tube. It is possible my choke thermostat is just old and dead. Can someone please explain the way the system is supposed to operate so I can try to narrow down the problem. I intend to daily drive this car once all the bugs are worked out. Thanks Quote
greg g Posted June 21, 2014 Report Posted June 21, 2014 The default is the cold setting ie choke closed. the heat pipe provides hot air to the bi metallic spring to pull the choke open as the engine warms. There should be three screw around the outside of the choke chamber that allows the spring to be adjusted to position the choke butterfly. Usually there is a lean rich direction arrow stamped on the cover. I believe the carb is the same as used on the 55, Carter bbs. There is a service manual on this page. http://www.carbkitsource.com/carbs/tech/Carter/BBS-index.html Quote
pontiacguy Posted June 22, 2014 Author Report Posted June 22, 2014 Thanks for the link. It is definitely a Carter BBS. So, regarding the choke tube. Does anyone know if I should actually get hot exhaust gasses out of it. Right now I get no hot air at all, which i suspect is my problem. I have checked it to verify it is unobstructed. in fact if i blow compressed air from the carb side into the manifild, it vents out a slot in the heat riser cover (on the bottom of the manifold I checked it with a mirror). I was thinking that when cold, the riser should close and thereby provide heat to the choke thermostat. then as the motor heats up it would have enough heat to stay open as the riser opened. I see no mention of that in the manual. Also, where did carter stamp the carb number at? cant find that darn thing either. BTW, this is my first MOPAR so thank you for your patience, and of course the help!! Quote
greg g Posted June 22, 2014 Report Posted June 22, 2014 I believe it is an open area when the engine gets hot whatever air is in it rises into the carb chamber and is sufficient for the needs of the bimetallic spring. The numbers were usually stamped on a small triangular brass tag most of which like yours get left of, broken off or left on a bench after a rebuild. Quote
soth122003 Posted June 22, 2014 Report Posted June 22, 2014 (edited) Look on top of the float bowl cover and you will see an angled portion of the cover. On the right side of this there should be a stamped number D6G1 or something to that effect. Edited June 22, 2014 by soth122003 Quote
Dodgeb4ya Posted June 22, 2014 Report Posted June 22, 2014 The BBS carter should have a aluminum ID tag with the carb number on it. There is no angled top cover with the number stamped in it like a B&B carter used on 1953 and prior plymouths. Quote
soth122003 Posted June 22, 2014 Report Posted June 22, 2014 Sorry. My mistake. I read the BBS portion and my brain thought B&B. Quote
pontiacguy Posted June 22, 2014 Author Report Posted June 22, 2014 well, I definitely dont have the triangular brace so I feel good a knowing its not a BB the pic was helpful. Thanks! It makes sense that the choke tube NOT be exposed to exhaust gasses as it would clog that little guy up. So, likely my thermostat is just old and dead. not a crisis assuming i can get one. carbkitsource.com does not list one, and so far Bernbaum and Roberts dont seem to be able to help either. Any idea who may have one? It doesnt need to be NOS. Any old repop will do. In fact I prefer not to use NOS as the cost is prohibitive for a daily driver, and this carb will sooner or later be replaced. I am even thinking of a dial thermometer to source the spring from. Thoughts? Quote
pontiacguy Posted June 22, 2014 Author Report Posted June 22, 2014 (edited) So, I took a chance and found a "universal choke thermostat spring" at carburetor-parts.com. with shipping it will cost me $10. Ill give it a try and see if it gets me there. Ill let everyone know what happens Edited June 22, 2014 by pontiacguy Quote
pontiacguy Posted June 30, 2014 Author Report Posted June 30, 2014 Well the spring came in. It fit basically like the original, however, it was made so that the index line for rich/lean settings didnt align properly, It functioned, but it was shorter than the original as well so it didnt open any faster or farther than the original. In the end I went back to the original because I wanted the rich/lean marks to be correct. So, If you have no spring ir yours is broke its worth the 10 bucks. Otherwise, look for a plan B if you are really picky like me. IN the end I am still looking for the solution to my choke problem Quote
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