Hi everyone! I've recently purchased a 1981 Dodge B150 cargo van - it had a custom conversion in 1989, was driven 6,000 miles until 1992 and then sat in a shed for 27 years, not sure if it really qualifies as a "survivor", although it is all walnut and shag carpet in the interior - and am already totally fascinated by the history and complexities of the little engine it's powered by. So cool that there's a forum dedicated exclusively to it! I'm really looking forward to spending more time here - i probably will be, judging by the work it's taking to get the van up and running.

Anyway, this is my first experience with a carbureted engine, and I'm eager to start learning about how they work. However, very little info came with the van and I'm having a hard time finding where to start. I am pretty sure I have a late-model Holley 1945, unless I'm missing where all the computerized stuff would be and this is actually a 6145. Updating parts on my van's been giving me trouble in general because it seems like everything is some weird in-between of 1980 and 1981 parts.

Right now I'm just trying to get my bearings with working on carbs while trying to balance out some practical things about my situation. My daily driver was totaled by a drunk driver on Wednesday, leaving this van as my de-facto daily, and starting into this carb cleaning/rebuilding project with two left feet is giving me a touch of anxiety about how quickly I'll be able to actually have a working vehicle again. I'll definitely need to order a carb rebuild kit but have historically been a pretty slow learner when it comes to these sorts of things, and because this carb sat for 27 years it looks horrible inside, and gives me doubts about how fully I'll be able to get it running smooth again. So I've been looking at ordering a rebuilt carburetor to bolt on and tune and keep this old one to disassemble, clean and rebuild at my own pace. However, I'm having a tough time deciphering compatibility between different carbs, particularly for the late-model 225 Slant 6 that i have. Would, for example, a Carter BBS from the mid-70's fit onto my engine? Is that a wise choice, or should I look for a rebuilt 1945 from 81-83?

Also, while disassembling parts around the carburetor to get it off, I lost the little snap ring piece that connects these parts of the throttle - shown in the picture below. Anyone know what that's called and what I can replace it with?

[image removed for size]

Thanks again for all the help!

Welcome to the site, Iyan! Sounds like a fun project.

The 1945 carb would probably be a good choice. It will likely be hard to find a good quality rebuilt carb, and maybe others can chime in on what is a good source.

That little clip is often called an "e clip" and can be had at a good local hardware store, or online at this amazing place:

https://www.mcmaster.com/e-clips

or at other outlets.

Oh, if you could resize your pic to be about 1/2 that size in both dimensions, that would help people on this site view it more easily.

All the best,

Lou Madsen

_________________
Home of Slant6-powered fun machines since 1988

Hi Lou, thanks for the welcome and the advice! I'll order a rebuild kit and get to work on this while looking for a nice replacement.

Hello and welcome, Iyan. As a custom van afficionado, I would love to see more pictures of your van.

As far as the carb rebuild goes, I think you can successfully rebuild your carb on your own. Carburetor rebuild manuals and repair videos can be found here: http://www.slantsix.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=55801

The most important and, frankly, difficult task you will have will be cleaning out the residue form the 27 year old gas. I recommend two ways to clean your carb. The firs s the old fashioned "dip tank" method. In this method you buy a large realable pail full or a strong clenaing chemical solution, disassemble the carb, and place all the metal carb bits in a basket in the pail and let it soak for a few hours or overnight. The chemicals break down the varnish and residue in the carb. Then you remove the carb pieces form the chemicals, rinse them with water, and blow out all the passage with compressed air. This way the way it was done for decades, but a modern option is available.

Ultrasonic cleaning units have recently come on the market that are affordable enough for hobbyists to buy. These use ultrasonic vibrations rather than chemical reactions to clean metal parts. These have the adavantage of not using toxic chemicals and of being able to clean the small passages in the carb better than chemicals. It will cost you more up front, but you can use the unit to clean many things besides carburetors.

After cleaning, all that is left is reassembly and verify the adjustments. Thse are actually fairly easy if you take it slow and follow the instructions.

You can do it!

_________________
Casually looking for a Clifford hyperpak intake for cheap.