Ford 2000

Hello, I have a 75 ford 2000 and someone
before me converted the fuel system to
gravity feed. I know this is not right so
I purchased a fuel pump and installed it.
Now the tractor runs very badly and the
carb pukes fuel out of the bottom. So I
put it back to gravity feed (for now) and
pulled the carb off to have a look at it.
I did not open it because I do not have
new gaskets, however I noticed the fuel
inlet was jb welded in and there is a
large crack in the casting that was jb
welded as well. So I figure I should bite
the bullet and order a zenith carb for it.
My question is, will the zenith carb work
well with gravity feed or does it prefer
the 4 psi of the fuel pump?

I have a 3 cyl 4000 that was running on gravity when I got it. It would do some puttering around - PO used it to feed a large round bale a couple of times a week that way. When I got it it hadn't run for a couple of years and the Holley carb was all gummed up inside so I replaced it with a Zenith - still on gravity.
It ran good but did not have the power to effectively run a 6' rotary mower.
I had a small electric fuel pump and put that on it then it made good power.
However, my engine is a 192 ci and yours is a 158 ci and they use identical fuel system to the carb. So, you might do fine with gravity on yours. I would at least try it and see.
If you do a search in the archives here you will find many posts about the Holley - often spelled Holly - and read what others have said about them. Some guys can get them to run right after a rebuild others, like myself, never could make them run right.
I just toss the things and buy a Zenith.
Zenith is very expensive but makes a 3 cyl tractor run Good.
Your call on that.
If you do buy a Zenith maybe then try it gravity and see. Mine had most of the original fuel lines torn out is why I put the electric pump on. I have since collected original lines and some day will put everything back to original. For now with as little as I use that tractor it hasn't been a high priority.

I have a 72 2000 that my FIL got in exchange for hay he didn't get paid for. It hadn't run in three years. He bypassed the fuel pump and it's been gravity feed eversince. Only time I had trouble was when a small piece of dead leaf plugged the inlet to the bowl. And that was only an intermittent problem.

Thanks for your responses, I am going to purchase the zenith carb and run the fuel pump. I did not know if the zenith carb would run just fine without the fuel pump.