Joe D. Form the begining when you said you had Carter carbs and spacers I assumed AFB's. By the photo of the engine in the truck and the other side view your carbs are Carter small base WCFB's off 55-56 Mercurys. They were used only with Loadmatic distributors which maybe part of your problem. Ted Eaton showed how to modify the teapot Holley to run with the later dist but no one I know has modified these carbs which were also used on Lincolns. I can tell by the vacuum system to open the secondaries. I have a few of these carbs also. 

I learned when I replaced the teapot Holley on my 56 Ford with a 53 Cadillac Carter WCFB (changed to a 57 dist at the same time)  the heat from the manifold boiled the gas in the carb. I found a guy on E-Bay that sold phenolic ones for the small base.

When I added my dual quads 5 years ago I naturally bought another phenolic plate. I use the 3/8" ones. I have run my set up for 5 years without  problems. Having read you need to hold the pedal wide open to restart says flooded to me (boiled). It can definately be heat causing this. I now use WCFB's from 1953 303" Oldsmobiles (matched set) the only time starting is a problem is when I leave sit over 2 weeks without running which I blame on the gasoline. A standard cold start is press the pedal to the floor to squirt in the front and back of the manifold and it starts right up. When warm I don't touch anything but the key.

I hope some of this helps. Photos of mine have been on here before but here's again. I used a black felt pen on the edge of the phenolic.

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

Joe D (The Frig)
1960 F-100 - 292 Y-Block
Philly Burbs

Idle is around 1000 rpm, tried different setting with no luck but it seems to like 1000.

The rear carb is the one controlling the idle.

Thanks for the help!





Joe D (The Frig)
1960 F-100 - 292 Y-Block
Philly Burbs

"Joe D. Form the begining when you said you had Carter carbs and spacers I assumed AFB's. By the photo of the engine in the truck and the other side view your carbs are Carter small base WCFB's off 55-56 Mercurys. They were used only with Loadmatic distributors which maybe part of your problem. Ted Eaton showed how to modify the teapot Holley to run with the later dist but no one I know has modified these carbs which were also used on Lincolns. I can tell by the vacuum system to open the secondaries. I have a few of these carbs also."

... hmm ...

THANX for the wake-up call ...

"Dual Quads (Carter) are off of a 1957 T -Bird I was told.."

The intake may be 57 BIRD but not the WCFB's.

If these are MERC WCFB carbs, they will be LOAD-O-MATIC modified (CARTER FACTORY) to use with a LOAD-O-MATIC distributor. Shown is a photo showing location of the SPARK CONTROL VALVE-



Do you see the SCV under the fuel inlet line? Do you see this valve on either of your carbs? Do you know if your distributor is LOM or 57/ Dual Advance?

May have stumbled across the reason for the shutdown between gears. I will explain once you determine what you have.

Curb idle @ 1000RPM? You either have some type of vacuum leak or one hell of a cam.

____________________________

On you tube I've a short video. (Y-Block dual quads) in drive mine idles at 625. The only time mine shows any quirks is after a long run at freeway speeds and coming to stop I sometimes must put it in nuetral. Don't know way but it acts like it's loaded up but there is no black smoke or smell. I do "open it up" every month or so to flow fuel out of every jet and seeing 90-95 mph makes me feel good.
I also have a Lincoln small base Carter WCFB with an aluminum base. It has the vacuum actuator secondaries but no spark control valve on the front. I bought rebuilt on E-bay many years ago and small tag on it said 57 Lincoln and the brass triangle tag matched by a search by me on the Internet.

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

Is your DIST LOM or Dual Advance?  If Dual Advance, ported or manifold vacuum (if you are using a vacuum advance)?

I think you said you have GM WCFB's on it.

____________________________

KULTULZ, if your askin me and not JoeD, Mine is a 57-up, I mentioned I installed it when I put the 1953 Cadillac Carter WCFB on my "A" manifold.
Funny thing is I always liked the Rochester small base 4GC which was the replacement carb on the Cadillacs and 98 Oldsmobiles and I've spent a lot trying to them make on work on my 296" Y. I have perfect ones but none will work correctly. All the GM style WCFB's work great.
Packard, Mopar, Studebaker, are good sources for Small base 4 barrels it seem FOMOCO used the vacuum secondaries.

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

Thanks! I'm going to try the spacers. Kultulz added a link for the WCFB spacers.

Still trying to imagine how boiling causes flooding. Is it because the floats drop and let too much fuel in at once or what?


Joe D (The Frig)
1960 F-100 - 292 Y-Block
Philly Burbs

Do you mean that glass fuel bowl looking thing?
Stock cam I was told. Also have to advance the timing quite a bit from 4 degrees TDC for it to run right.








Joe D (The Frig)
1960 F-100 - 292 Y-Block
Philly Burbs

"Do you mean that glass fuel bowl looking thing?"

No, On the carb center base is a valve that appears similar to a power valve-

.

____________________________