Can someone help me figure out what carb this is... Stuck trying to find a rebuild kit. It's a Mercury 312 in my grandpas 56 ford f100


#greygoose

Carter WCFB

Sweet thanks for the quick reply... I believe it a 2 barrel, I just can't figure out which one... Sorry learning as I go

Welcome to the site, Greygoose.

Like Brodie, I believe that your carburetor is a Carter WCFB four barrel carburetor.  More specifically, the 'tell' for me is the sort-of mushroom shaped vacuum diaphragm 'spark control valve' located between the two idle adjusting screws in the carburetor base of the picture you posted.

IF I'm correct, your carburetor was used:
- for a one year only application (1956),
- one vehicle only application (Mercury),
- two models of 1956 312 Mercurys only.

The carburetor usually found on '56 four barrel 292 and 312 FoMoCo y-block applications were Holley 4000 carburetors.

The Carter WCFB four barrel carburetor debuted in 1952 and was discontinued from production in 1967.  222 different models are said to have been made over its 15 year production interval.  IF your WCFB carburetor is vintage 1956 and the Mercury application, it has an aluminum throttle base, vacuum controlled secondary throttle plates, and the spark control valve previously mentioned.  The spark control valve was used in conjunction with LoadoMatic type ignition distributors FoMoCo utilized from '54-'56 on y-block engines.  The carburetor provided the vacuum signal to the ignition distributor.  The distributor's ignition advance curve was solely controlled by the carburetor's varying vacuum signal from within two different locations in the throttle body.

IF your carburetor is from a '56 Mercury equipped with a Carter WCFB carburetor it is a number 2361 unit.  A brass identification tag with this number was originally secured on the driver's side rear airhorn-to-body screw of the carburetor.  Unfortunately, these tags often get lost in carburetor dis-assembly for rebuilding or tune-up.

Much of the above information was gleaned from Jon and Sue Hardgrove's web site at The Carburetor Shop LLC in Eldon, Missouri.  Jon is a very carburetor savy guy who will produce a carburetor kits for... virtually anything.  The kit I purchased from him for the carburetor I think you have, had everything I needed except the spring for the vacuum controlled diaphragm for the secondary throttle plates.

Click the link below to see the listing for what I believe is your WCFB carburetor...
http://www.thecarburetorshop.com/Kmercury.htm

I hope some of this info helps.           


NoShortcuts
a.k.a. Charlie Brown
near Syracuse, New York

Certain 56 Mercs had Carter WCFB four barrel carbs. You can find overhaul kits for these on the internet. You can also find accelerator pumps that work with today's fuel. If you change to a non Loadmatic distibutor (57-62), this carb will not work correct. A small base Carter WCFB from a GM, Mopar, etc will or even just using the base and the Mercs center and top will do. However doing this you will need to make revised throttle linkage. Good Luck

56 Vic, B'Ville 200 MPH Club Member, So Cal.

Hmmmm...  DryLakesRacer's suggestion of utilizing a later '57-'64 FoMoCo ignition distributor is a good one.  These distributors used a centrifugal advance mechanism and a vacuum advance diaphragm actuated by a vacuum signal from the carburetor.  

IF you install the later '57-'64 y-block ignition distributor, do not use the vacuum advance signal from the '56 Merc WCFB carburetor.  IF you wish to keep the WCFB carb as I did, remove the two vacuum lines from the carb to the distributor and install threaded plugs in the carburetor base and upper body.  Additionally, I would remove the previously mentioned 'spark control valve' located between the two idle adjusting screws.  I used a Holley model 4150 or 4160 power valve plug to permit plugging this opening.  Jegs and Summit are two mail order suppliers of these plugs.  The reason for removing the spark control valve was to prevent a vacuum leak should the spark control valve diaphragm fail.

The ignition curve on the '57-'64 FoMoCo distributor can be adequately adjusted to provide an appropriate centrifugal-advance-only.curve.  The vacuum advance curve serves to improve fuel economy at cruising speeds in city and highway driving.  IMO, engine performance will not be affected by not connecting this vacuum diaphragm line.

A suggested advance curve for setting the distributor centrifugal advance on your 292 or 312 engine can be posted here if you would like it.     


NoShortcuts
a.k.a. Charlie Brown
near Syracuse, New York

Cool thank you for all the information!! All is appreciated!!!

Cool thank you for all the information!! All is appreciated!!!

The carb looks to be from a 1956 Mercury.  If ordering a carb kit, then the tag number should read ECZ-9510-F.
Here are a couple of pictures showing the tags on the 1956 Merc WCFB 4V carbs.
  

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)