Holley 4000 Nylon Check Ball

[My Old Blue]

Hello fellow Ford owners. New member here. Working on my 4000 4bbl and rebuilding it. I see conflicting information on whether the red nylon check ball is used in the distributor vacuum passage port located on bottom of the base.

Mike's Carb parts says it's used with no stipulations, whereas Daytona's install sheet says it is used on standard trans models. I have a Fordomatic in my 56 Country Sedan. Any info is appreciated.

[Alaska Jim]

Sal would probably be the man on this question.

[streetdreams]

x2 Sal

[rotorwrench]

I'm more familiar with the Holley 885 but they are similar in design even though just a two venturi instead of 4V. The load-o-matic distributor works completely off vacuum. When the engine is at idle, it gets some of it's vacuum at the throttle plate for advance. Off idle, it transfers to full venturi and the check ball closes off the passage to the throttle plate so I'd say it has to be in there just for normal distributor advance function. Holly started using them in late 1949 on the 885 series when they found that the lower vacuum port didn't allow for full vacuum due to that little port being open.

[My Old Blue]

Thank you for the insight rotorwrench. Sound logic that the check ball should be there.

[dmsfrr]

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Pretty sure the '56 vacuum port & distributor vacuum were a one-year-only setup, before Ford changed / upgraded the carbs & distributors in '57.

And times 3 for Sal knowing.
.

[scicala]

Unfortunately Mike's carb parts and Daytona are mis-informed. The plastic (light) check ball was used in Holley 2140 and 4000 Holley teapot style carbs for Ford Mercury and T-Bird in '54 thru early '55. If the '55 carb has a 4 digit LIST number (example LIST 1074) that is a late '55 carb and the plastic check ball was eliminated. Again, this is Ford, Mercury and T-Bird only. In '56 it was also eliminated.

For Lincoln the plastic check ball remained there from '53 thru '56.

This is based on the Holley manual parts sheets and my own experience over the last 50 years.

Also, auto and manual transmissions has nothing to do with it.

Sal

[Kahuna]

Sal is totally correct. NO check ball

Jim

[My Old Blue]

Excellent! Thank you Sal. The ball was not present in the LIST 1161 2 Holley I'm rebuilding, nor was it present in my back up 4000. Both were rebuilt at sometime prior and your expertise validates. Thank you. Sal, if I may ask a second question. In the rebuild kit I have from Daytona, they included, as well as all other kits I've seen on the web, duplicate main body to throttle body gaskets. Do you have insight to these duplicate gaskets included in the kit?

[scicala]

My Old Blue,

The extra gasket is for the 1956 Lincoln Holley 4000 that had a taller choke section, so a spacer was required there, and a gasket was required for both sides of the spacer. Just keep the extra for a spare or pitch it,

Sal

[My Old Blue]

Thank you very much Sal.

[scicala]

Your more than welcome.

Sal

[S-cat]

I just rebuilt (first one for me) what I believe to be a ‘56 Holley 4000 for my buddy’s ‘56 T-bird with the 312.

1) Does anyone have the “List” numbers for ‘55 thru ‘57 Holley 4000’s? I want to verify that we have a correct ‘56 numbers matching carb and one that does not require a nylon check ball in the base. There wasn’t one when I disassembled it, but the kit came with one. The carb number is ECZ 9510 L LIST-1162-211. We also have a spare on hand that’s not complete and it’s carb number is ECZ 9510 M LIST-1161-2. The second car did not have a nylon check valve in the base either.

2) Which hole is the “winter” setting for the accelerator pump linkage? It appears to me to be the one farthest away from the air horn toward the firewall. I have a slight hesitation transitioning from idle, but otherwise the carb is performing flawlessly. Which leads me to my next question;

3) Where is the best place to measure vacuum from the intake manifold in order to set the air/fuel mixture screws?

If the above adjustments donÂ’t correct the hesitation issue, weÂ’ll delve into the timing & advance settings.

Thx!

[scicala]

I posted this by mistake.

Sal

[scicala]

Originally Posted by S-cat

I just rebuilt (first one for me) what I believe to be a ‘56 Holley 4000 for my buddy’s ‘56 T-bird with the 312.

1) Does anyone have the “List” numbers for ‘55 thru ‘57 Holley 4000’s? I want to verify that we have a correct ‘56 numbers matching carb and one that does not require a nylon check ball in the base. There wasn’t one when I disassembled it, but the kit came with one. The carb number is ECZ 9510 L LIST-1162-211. We also have a spare on hand that’s not complete and it’s carb number is ECZ 9510 M LIST-1161-2. The second car did not have a nylon check valve in the base either.

2) Which hole is the “winter” setting for the accelerator pump linkage? It appears to me to be the one farthest away from the air horn toward the firewall. I have a slight hesitation transitioning from idle, but otherwise the carb is performing flawlessly. Which leads me to my next question;

3) Where is the best place to measure vacuum from the intake manifold in order to set the air/fuel mixture screws?

If the above adjustments donÂ’t correct the hesitation issue, weÂ’ll delve into the timing & advance settings.

Thx!

List 1161-2 is correct for a '56 for Ford or Mercury 292 or 312 with auto trans.
List 1162-2 is correct for '56 Ford or Mercuy with 292 or 312 with manual trans.
Also, for T-Bird, they originally came with LIST 1163 for manual trans and LIST 1164 for auto trans. Also no check balls.
There was never a plastic check ball used since early '55.
The mixture screws after the engine warms up are mostly 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 turns out.
Put the pump link in the furthes hole (outer hole).
You can measure manifold vacuum from the line the goes from the brass fitting at the back of the carb, where it attaches to the top of the fuel pump, if all that stuff is still there.

Sal

[S-cat]

Many many thanks, Sal!

According to the vin, this car came with an automatic which it still has. What is the difference between the two carbs?

[scicala]

Originally Posted by S-cat

Many many thanks, Sal!

According to the vin, this car came with an automatic which it still has. What is the difference between the two carbs?

The only reason there were different part numbers between the auto trans and manual trans carbs, was because the auto trans carbs came with a dashpot.
Otherwise 100% identical parts and calibration except for the part number stamping.

Sal

[S-cat]

Originally Posted by scicala

The only reason there were different part numbers between the auto trans and manual trans carbs, was because the auto trans carbs came with a dashpot.
Otherwise 100% identical parts and calibration except for the part number stamping.

Sal

You are a wealth of knowledge, sir!
That explains the one carb without a dashpot
Many many thanks, Sal!