Ford 860 Carb Rebuild

MikeyK · Jul 24, 2017

I'm planning on rebuilding the carb (Marvel Schebler TSX593) on my Ford 860. I already purchased the complete repair kit but I just have a couple of questions for the tractor owners more experienced than me:

1.) Is any sealant recommended for the new gaskets? If so, what kind?

2.) Does anyone have any tips for the rebuild? Such as any tips for removing/replacing certain tricky pieces or for making sure all the adjustments are good once reassembled?

My plan was to count the number of rotations for each screw in jet/pin during disassembly and use those numbers to reassemble the carb with the new pieces but there's probably a better way.

Thanks for your time.

-Mike

old · Jul 24, 2017

#1 buy a good kit like say the Walker brand kit sold at O'Reilly's.
#2 follow the instructions in the kit
#3 you need to spray out all passage ways poke out all passage ways wit ha small piece of wire or as I do I use a torch tip cleaner tool and blow out the passageways with air
#4 NO gasket stuff at ALL.
#5 kit tells you the correct starting setting for the needles

MikeyK · Jul 24, 2017

old,
Thanks for the info, I appreciate it!

-Mike

old · Jul 24, 2017

Always happy to help if and when I can

pomester · Jul 24, 2017

I take wheel bearing grease and work it into the bowl cover gasket - just put a bit of grease on the tip of my finger and thumb and work a light amount to thoroughly cover both top and bottom gasket surfaces - I don't leave any chunks anywhere and I make sure none of the holes are compromised, you just want the gasket to absorb what it will, it shouldn't be messy -

this will keep the gasket from sticking to the carburetor pieces and allow for disassembly and reuse later down the road if needed -

similarly I make sure the threads are lubricated associated with the idle and run needles, throttle body/bowl screws, idle adjustment screw, etc - nothing goes back together dry - - I also oil the throttle and choke shaft where they turn in the bodies and then lubricate all appropriate points in the linkages - throttle and governor and choke

MikeyK · Jul 24, 2017

old,
I just checked the carb rebuild kit I got but it didn't come with any instructions. However, my I&T shop manual has the start settings for the needles so I should be good to go, right? Thanks.

-Mike

MikeyK · Jul 24, 2017

pomester,
Thanks for the tips! Do you use the same wheel bearing grease to lubricate the screws and needles? Should I just plan to clean the carb body with carb cleaner spray or should I soak it? Thanks.

-Mike

old · Jul 24, 2017

Where did you get the carb kit from?? Sounds like one of those cheap China made TSC kits which are not very good. Lack of instructions and also lack of good well made parts is why i buy the Walker brand kits from O'Reilly's. The walker kits are so well explained even a 10 year old could read build a carb is he can read

pomester · Jul 24, 2017

Do you use the same wheel bearing grease to lubricate the screws and needles? Should I just plan to clean the carb body with carb cleaner spray or should I soak it?

The grease will work fine altho I keep a pump can with 90W on the bench and usually use that for threads - I remove all the crud I can from the carb at the parts washer before I disassemble and soak the pieces in a gallon can of NAPA carburetor cleaner overnight, maybe stirring the can a few times - then I take compressed air and aerosol carb cleaner for the final clean - it's been mentioned to use welding tip cleaners to poke the passages, just be careful not to increase the size of any jets or bugger any orifices -

Make sure your ignition system is in top condition - these MS carbs are simple rugged units, but even in the best of condition won't make up for poor electrical condition

MikeyK · Jul 25, 2017

pomester,
Thanks for the additional info. I plan to tackle the carb rebuild this weekend and I'll report back with the results.

-Mike

showcrop · Jul 25, 2017

2X the torch tip cleaner. It gives you a good selection of sizes and you can push it in without it bending. For the settings, and the way to adjust them after it is running again, go to your owner's manual.

MikeyK · Jul 30, 2017

Well, I got my carb mostly rebuilt this weekend. I took it all apart and let everything soak in Pine-Sol for about 2 days. Then I probed all of the passages with torch tip cleaners (thanks for the tip old & showcrop) and cleaned the whole carb with a toothbrush. I blew out everything with the air compressor and then hit it with the blow dryer to make sure everything was dry. I massaged the gaskets with some grease (thanks for the tip pomester) and put everything back together... well, almost everything.

While trying to put the choke lever spring on, I somehow broke it. Use the old spring, you say? I broke that while disassembling the carb.

I emailed the place I bought it from so hopefully they'll send me a new spring. Otherwise, it looks like it's gonna cost me just under $7 for a new one.

On the bright side, while the carb was soaking for 2 days, I took that time to remove and replace the oil pan gasket, the oil drain plug gasket, and the oil filter. I used Permatex #3 Avation to re-seal the oil pan gasket and it worked great, no more seeping gaskets!

Thanks again for everyone's help, I appreciate it. I'll post back once I get the carb install and get the tractor running.

-Mike

MikeyK · Jul 30, 2017

Oh, I forgot to ask one question. My rebuild kit came with one felt and one rubber bushing. The old ones seem to be held in by brass rings that are pressed into the openings for the throttle and choke rods but new brass rings weren't included with the kit. I'd like to replace the bushings but I don't see how I can remove the brass rings without destroying them. Thoughts, ideas? Thanks!

-Mike

MikeyK · Aug 1, 2017

old,
My rebuild kit came with felt and rubber bushings for the throttle and choke rods. Brass rings are pressed in to hold them in place but new rings weren't included with the kit. How important is it that I replace those bushings? How do I remove and reuse the pressed in rings without destroying them? Thanks.

-Mike

MikeyK · Aug 1, 2017

showcrop,
Do you have any experience with the brass rings I asked about in my most recent posts? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

-Mike

MikeyK · Aug 2, 2017

Anyone?

-Mike

pomester · Aug 2, 2017

the good kits have those parts - shaft seals are important, particularly if there's a bit of wear - remove the butterfly, slide the shaft out, and make a little pick tool out of a piece of wire and carefully work the brass out of the bore - a bit of disfigurement is not a big deal -

MikeyK · Aug 2, 2017

pomester,
Thanks for the reply. I tried prying up on one of them with a small flat-head screwdriver and it didn't budge, it just started to bend at the edge where the blade of the screwdriver was pressing. They have been in there for around 62 years so I don't know how I'm going to get 'em out without completely destroying them.

I emailed "Mike's Carburetor Parts" to ask if they carried new brass rings but I haven't heard back yet.

-Mike

showcrop · Aug 2, 2017

Mikey I have never removed those rings, but I agree that a good pick may work. A good source for pics is your dentist. I have a pretty good selection.

MikeyK · Aug 4, 2017

pomester & showcrop,
I finally got those brass retainers out and I'm glad I did because the rubber packing was hard and brittle. I used the tip of the pic to go around and around the edge of where the brass rings meet the cast iron body of the carb. Then I dripped on some PB Blaster and let it soak in for a bit. Next I used a pic to pry up on the ring, moving around the ring in an attempt to get it out evenly. Once the lip of the ring raised up a little on one side, I'd then concentrate my prying on that side only.

It look a LONG time but I finally got them both out with minimal disfigurement. I broke the pick pretty early in the job but that probably helped because the "new" tip wasn't as thin as the part that broke off. Also, I only gouged a single 1" gash in the skin between my thumb and pointer finger!

After all that, Mike's Carb Parts emailed back with a link to new retainer rings:

http://www.carburetor-parts.com/Marvel-Schebler_c_611.html

http://www.carburetor-parts.com/Marvel-Schebler-Throttle-Seal-Kit_p_3309.html

Thanks again for all the help.

-Mike

MikeyK · Aug 15, 2017

pomester & showcrop,
I need a little help adjusting my newly rebuilt carb. When reassembling, I set the main adjusting needle, per the manual, 1.25 turns open and the idle air adjustment needle 1 turn open. The tractor starts and runs fine but I don't quite understand the terminology for fine tuning the needles.

For the idle air adjustment needle, the manual says 'turn the idle adjustment needle "IN" (clockwise) until the engine begins to "roll" from too rich a mixture, then back the needle off until the engine runs smoothly'. What does it mean when it says "roll"?

-Mike

showcrop · Aug 15, 2017

(quoted from post at 05:39:03 08/15/17) pomester & showcrop,
I need a little help adjusting my newly rebuilt carb. When reassembling, I set the main adjusting needle, per the manual, 1.25 turns open and the idle air adjustment needle 1 turn open. The tractor starts and runs fine but I don't quite understand the terminology for fine tuning the needles.

For the idle air adjustment needle, the manual says 'turn the idle adjustment needle "IN" (clockwise) until the engine begins to "roll" from too rich a mixture, then back the needle off until the engine runs smoothly'. What does it mean when it says "roll"?

-Mike

The normal idle for these 4 cylinder Fords is not steady at one speed but a slight and regular up and down, which in the manual they call a "rolling" idle. If everything is good it should go nicely down to 600 RPMs. In order to get the high speed really dialed in you need to get it on a dyno or other constant heavy load.

MikeyK · Aug 15, 2017

showcrop,
Thanks for the reply. So, I just turn the idle needle in clockwise until the engine kind of slightly fluctuates in a repetitive sound then back it out until the "rolling" stops and there's an even idle?

-Mike

showcrop · Aug 15, 2017

(quoted from post at 06:13:56 08/15/17) showcrop,
Thanks for the reply. So, I just turn the idle needle in clockwise until the engine kind of slightly fluctuates in a repetitive sound then back it out until the "rolling" stops and there's an even idle?

-Mike

Yes, that is pretty much it, but don't turn it back very much, it is pretty sensitive.

Ford 860 Carb Rebuild

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