AFB Carb float height

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Capt150
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun May 17, 2020 9:47 pm

AFB Carb float height

Post by Capt150 »

Hello,
I am new to posting on this forum andI am looking for a bit of guidance while I rebuild an AFB carb my Imperial.
I have a 1964 Crown Coup that has sat since the 1980s. Overall the car is in excellent shape but requires some work to get it running well.
I am rebuilding the carb and all the literature I am able to reference has the carb float height set at 7/32” for this year of car and carb combination.
This seems quite low to me as most rebuild online tutorials set the float height around 7/16”.
Can anyone please confirm the proper float height.
Serial # on the carb is, Carter AFB #3644s
Thank you for your help in advance.
Brad
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1964 Imperial
1964 Imperial

ImperialAtom
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Re: AFB Carb float height

Post by ImperialAtom »

I have yet to actually rebuild a carb, but from what I understand I wouldn't think the float height would matter what style vehicle it was being used in. So if the common practice is 7/16 then I would probably be setting it to that. As long as it reaches the little inlets that lead to the jets then you should be good is what I would assume.

Beyond that, the only concern I would have is if it was set too high which would cause the bowls to overflow. Just my non-expert opinion which is likely useless but that's what the internet is all about. :)

Beautiful car!

gary h
Posts: 186
Joined: Mon Jan 20, 2020 10:42 am

Re: AFB Carb float height

Post by gary h »

I Think I had the same color combo on a '66 I once owned. Is it Royal Turquoise ?

Capt150
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun May 17, 2020 9:47 pm

Re: AFB Carb float height

Post by Capt150 »

Thanks for the quick reply.
I will try and set the floats around 7/32” and see how level the are with the air horn portion of the carb. The more reading I do the greater emphasis is put on having the floats parallel with the air horn.

I do believe it is Royal Turquoise. This is basically the condition that the car came to me in, minus a lot of dust.
To my amazement after some precaution it fired right up. Now it is just a matter of fine tuning and replacing a few rusted pieces “exhaust and breaks”.
Thanks guys
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DonFromTexas
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Joined: Fri May 15, 2020 10:31 am

Re: AFB Carb float height

Post by DonFromTexas »

For what it is worth, attached is the manual for my 1959 Carter AFB.
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Capt150
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun May 17, 2020 9:47 pm

Re: AFB Carb float height

Post by Capt150 »

So I set 7/32 on one side and 7/16 on the other .
The 7/32 looks almost parallel with the air horn housing.
Thanks gents for all the help so far. This is great!
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ImperialAtom
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Re: AFB Carb float height

Post by ImperialAtom »

Lookin great! What did you soak the carb in to clean it out?

DonFromTexas
Posts: 373
Joined: Fri May 15, 2020 10:31 am

Re: AFB Carb float height

Post by DonFromTexas »

Here is the whole thing
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Capt150
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun May 17, 2020 9:47 pm

Re: AFB Carb float height

Post by Capt150 »

Oh wow that is great... thanks so much!
I soaked the carb in “Simple Green” but there was liberal use of carb cleaner and a parts bath from an aircraft hangar with what ever stuff the guys have in it there.
Overall it was not a difficult job but I think the devil will be in the details.
It for sure will be better than what it looked like when I opened it up.
Here is a pic of the inside of it as I pulled it off the car. And it had been running alright up to that point.
The car only has 46,000 miles on it.
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DonFromTexas
Posts: 373
Joined: Fri May 15, 2020 10:31 am

Re: AFB Carb float height

Post by DonFromTexas »

A couple of cautions. My car had sat for 45 years and the ONLY thing that had been disturbed was the ol AFB. I had overhauled them in the past, but this one was taken apart by a teenager who know nothing about carbs. He had lost some of the linkages and I did not know what else. I sent it to a company that rebuilds them, dynos them, etc. They also found he had switched the jets around as well as other things. I got it back looking like new, bolted it on and it ran like a new one.
After a few days it would not start without being primed or cranking long time. Since I had replaced the fuel tank, fuel pump, and carb I did not expect that. This carb has cross drilled fuel passages, and uses plugs. They apparently did not get some plugs in tight, now it drains all the fuel from the bowl into the crankcase. Takes a few days, then it is prime it again. They warranted it and all I have to do is send it back, but right now I need the car mobile for a paint job. Be especially careful of those plugs (aluminum rivets if I recall correctly). That might be one in the float bowl area, see the small round thing?

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