I apologize for hijacking this thread, I should not have done that.  I will start a new thread regarding my crossover tube to keep from confusing the discussion.  

Thanks, Ralph

The original post was by John (Old Teacher) who had the ’56 Merc WCFB  carb.  The later post is by Ralph (rponfick) who is simply asking about the choke tube going through the ECZ-B manifold which would be the ’57 and up intake.  Ralph likely has a newer carb and not the Carter WCFB carb.  Ralph can likely clarify that for us.

With all that being said, the choke air transfer tubes going through the exhaust passages of the 1956 & 1957 intake 4V manifolds are designed to move only clean air through them and not exhaust.  If that tube become corroded and/or damaged, then exhaust gases enters that tube and makes its way to the choke assembly.  That's always detrimental to automatic choke performance.  The drivers’ side (left side) of the intake manifolds would be the air inlet and the passenger side (right side) would be the exit for that same air.  That tube going to the air cleaner horn in the picture submitted by John (Old Teacher) would be the inlet for the choke air and it’s there to ensure only filtered air goes to the choke.  You will find a similar inlet air tube on the Holley 4V Teapot carb applications also.  The 1957 ECZ-B intakes simply had a small bonnet or air diffuser for the air inlet for the choke and that was mounted directly at the lower left side of the intake by the heated crossover.  By design, the exhaust heats the air going through that tube as it travels to the automatic choke assembly located on the right side of the carburetor.  Starting in 1958, that tube was eliminated at the intake manifold and the choke air then came directly from the exhaust manifold where the exhaust manifold had a small chamber to heat the air before going to the choke.  Exhaust gasses are still isolated from the choke air.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

As I have read it, one of the Mercury assembly plants was near the Carter factory and it was the only plant to get the Carter WCFB’s. They were difficult to get to work properly with vacuum secondaries and possibly the Load-matic ignitions and either Ford or Carter requested a stop and they quit manufacturing them for Ford. I’ve enclosed photos of a 56 Merc Carter #2361SA and what I believe is a 57 Lincoln 2404 SA but might be a 56. You can see on the Merc the econo valve on the front and the Lincoln doesn’t have one. Both have the clean air grommet on the left side and the vacuum secondary actuator on the right.
I’ve removed the photos since they cover over the narrative. Many do not know Ford Products used Carter 4 barrels prior to 1957. 

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

rponfick,
I’ve got a few questions about your carb picture.   The first is if you have any history on this carb?  Does it look original to the engine?    What year and model Merc is it in?  The tube coming up from the manifold seems to be going inside the air horn of the carb.  Where does it go to after entry into the carb?   Could I see I pic of the carb throat to try to figure out why it’s routed where it is?  Does the existing choke tube look homemade?  Can I get a pic of the automatic choke assembly?  If it has a manual choke that would indicate it's not the original carb. 
I did some checking in the 1956 and 57 Ford Factory service manuals and the 1956 shows only one four barrel, the teapot.  The 1957 shows one Carter four barrel, and that appears to be an AFB.  It also shows a Holley and a Ford available.  It looks like only Mercury used a WCFB or someone grafted it on.
Over the years I have rebuilt quite a few AFB and WCFB carbs.  Most have been Chrysler and a few  GM’s and I don’t remember seeing a choke tube crossing over the air horn to get to the choke assembly on  the other side.  
I’ve attached some info on WCFB chokes I ran across.  HTH
Don
EDIT 
I finally found some Mercury carb info and it does show a WCFB used on the 312 in 1956.  The carb number stamped on the base of carb should be 2361.  Chances are it'ts the orginal carb.  I still would like to see how they got the exhaust across the carb to the choke.

 

In looking at my '57 intake manifold, I do not see a hole on the driver's side of the manifold where the heat tube is to be pushed through.  What am I missing?  Do some manifolds only have a hole on the passenger side?  If so, the tube would be hard to replace. 

Thanks, Ralph

As others have said you may have a lousy cross-over tube, which is fixable as described in previous posts. On the verticle tube connected to the carb, I would simply bend one up from the proper brake line tubing. The connections are not high-pressure tight, so this should be easy enough to fabricate.
Replacing the cross-over tube is more involved and requires removing the intake. After removing the intake manifold, use the proper size punch and other to drive out the remnants of the old tube. It doesn't really hurt to leave them inside the manifold if you have to (they may be rolling around in there already). Then install the new cross-over tube, maybe use some grease or wax to ease installation with a wood block and mallet. Oh, and you will need to replace the intake manifold gaskets.

       A  L  A  N   F  R  A  K  E  S   ~  Tulsa, OK    

The choke tube that goes through the heated crossover passage in the 1956 & 1957 intake manifolds is replaceable when it corrodes.  Paul gives both a source and a part number above.  If wanting to retain the tube as originally designed, then the old tube can be pressed out and a new one installed but this will require removal of the intake manifold to do so.

If exhaust gasses do get into that tube due to corrosion, then it plays havoc with the factory choke assembly at the carburetor.  That hot exhaust at the choke coil will initially corrode up the internal workings of the choke and eventually destroy the assembly itself.

If going with a choke that does not require that particular air source (ie. Electric) then the choke tube holes on each side of the intake can be plugged thus eliminating what would be an exhaust leak.  When doing away with the choke tube, then tapping those holes to a 3/8-16 thread and putting set screws or bolts in those holes suffices for plugging those holes.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

CASCO has  the tube than runs thru the manifold if your is bad.   tube 9890 if a 56 or 57


54 Victoria 312;  48 Ford Conv 302, 56 Bird 312
Forever Ford
Midland Park, NJ

Is it a big problem if the crossover tube in the intake manifold is corroded or missing?   Can you tell by having the exhaust pulse out the attachment hole? 
Maybe if the tube is gone, you have created your own EGR (exhaust gas recirculation) valve and updated it to a more modern emissions system.  
Ralph

Paul, the crossover and end fittings are readily available at most vendors. The WCFB is unique in it's inlet tube design.

But if one needs the OEM PN's, I will provide them.

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