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Chinese Zenith for 3000

T

Thelumberwagon

Member
Has anyone had any experience with a Chinese Zenith carb for the Ford 3000? When I search for carbs, they range from around $130.00 for a Chinese to $400.00 for non Chinese?

Is there enough of a difference to justify the extra expense of the non Chinese carb?

I haven't had a chance to fire the tractor up since I've gotten it but I've read enough to determine a carb upgrade will make my life easier when I finally do. I don't want to rebuild the old Holley only to find out that I should have sprung for the Zenith. Not to mention that I've seen several comments that the Holley is finicky. This tractor will be parked most of its life and only used a few times a year for mowing. I want the best odds of it firing up after long periods of sitting.

Thanks
 
Congrats on buying that tractor.
I think you did Good on the price.
I have no experience with the China made
so can't help there. I can say the $400
ones are a direct bolt-in swap and will
make your tractor run with no dinking
around.
If you really want a tractor that will
start and run after laying idle for
months or even years drop a diesel in
it.
Diesels stink and they're noisy but they
Always run.
 

Thanks

Unfortunately a diesel swap isn't an option. I'm not too far from doing my first test start but I know that I'll be faced with some carburetor issues and am trying to get ahead of them by researching my options.
 
No experience with the Chinese knock-offs. I returned a very tired 4500 to service a few years ago and invested $365 in a Zenith and do not regret it. It starts easily and runs well - I just added a bit of hose to the crankcase breather to get the blow-by to the rear of the machine...

When shopping I did find that there are several models of Zeniths and I found a shop (the identity of which I would have to go to the files to find) that supplied the correct version for my engine. If you are going to spend the money, make sure you get the right carburetor.
 

My generic search for a Zenith for a Ford 3000 yields the same carb on all searches. At least I think it does. If I do need to proceed that route, how do I determine which carb I need? I just figured a Ford 3000 was a Ford 3000.


I suspect mine is an early one since its only a 4 speed. I think it's a 1965 based on the engine numbers.

I would prefer not to pay $365 for a carb if it's the same as the $135 carb just a different vendor.

My plan is to resurrect this beast and get it reliable and then haul it 200 miles to the farm and leave it.
 
On the original Holley carbs, they changed the design of the bell crank and linkage on 4/1/68, so a 1965 tractor would have the earlier style linkage and bell crank, so you may need to transfer the old bell crank over to the new carb.
 
We bought the admittedly spendy replacement about ten
years ago. Easy bolt-on, worked great from the get-go,
haven?t touched it since. That and the electronic ignition
really brought our ?65 back to a point of being enjoyable to
own & use. (btw, whether to replace or repair Holleys and
whether e-ignition is worthwhile have been contentious points
here on this board).

To your question: I have no direct experience with the chinese
made Zenith knock-offs. But i have had recent experience
with a replacement weed whacker carb from there. Like the
Zenith knockoff, it was cheap and advertised as a direct
replacement. The mounting bolt holes were the only thing that
matched. The throttle linkage wasn?t oriented correctly and
didn?t fit. The fuel lines were different sizes. Luckily we have
the tools and enough spare pieces around that i was able to
cobble it together, but it was a thrash. Once together, it
started & ran very well, and has continued to do so. Hope this
helps.
 
Sean,
The bell crank and rod to throttle
handle did change when they went from a
two arm to one arm governor. But the
throttle rocker on the carb is identical
from 1965-83 and probably beyond.
 
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