Carter or Zenith?

I'll admit it right off the bat. I'm being lazy. Normally I would hunt this info down myself, but I really don't feel like it.

I've got a 1953 Super C, serial number 17x-something. Carb needs a kit.

What will tell me if I have a Carter or Zenith carb?

the carb, or carb # tag.

Could have a couple different ones on it and the only way to be sure is to look at the carb its self to be sure. No way for use to tell you what you have on it
Hobby farm

Parts manual or the Case-IH website. Look at the configuration of top of the bowl or bottom of throttle body. You can also tell a Zenith 161x7 from 67x7 that way (I think those numbers are right).

Most likely it is a Carter, but there is nothing in the serial number suffix that will tell you that.

Yup, look at the carb, but what exactly should I be looking for? I don't think there are any identifying tags on the carb.

The carter on my A says "Carter". I dont know if all say that but mine sure as shoot does. Henry

It says right on the carb what it is, i think right on the front twards the rad.

MKirsch: I agree with Eric, both my Carter and Zenith carbs have it cast right into bowl housing.

Kirsch: I got thinking after my post, by gosh you are being lazy. Do you want Eric and I to drive from Ontario to hold the light, and write it down for you. hahaha

(quoted from post at 19:40:30 01/07/09) Kirsch: I got thinking after my post, by gosh you are being lazy. Do you want Eric and I to drive from Ontario to hold the light, and write it down for you. hahaha

Click to expand...

HAW-HAW!, Hugh, you are a scream, Ol' buddy. mike

The word Carter will be on the bowlof the carberator if it is a carter. I think Zenith did the same thing.

Mike: You think this is funny, I have a better one, tops anything in Alabama. Around these parts the good lord must have his snow start switch broken. Somehow he has it wired into ignition of my 130. Everytime I start to plow snow, it starts snowing again.

I'm about 5 miles from town, heard an old guy say you could tell what nationality lived in each house in town by their snow plowing. He said, "The Portaguese manicure snow plowing, western Europeans that have been here 150-200 years do a decent job snow plowing and the Dutch that came here right after WW#2 just stir it.

In all seriousness guys, there's nothing on the carburetor. Dad and I have been all over it and it has no wording on it that we can see.

I agree that it's probably a Carter, but hate to get stuck with paying for a kit that won't work.

MKirsch: Seriously, this has been my experience, seemed like I bought a kit every 5 years, for each tractor and they all always leaked.

Last winter I got teamed up with an old IH partsman. There were about 6 different Carters for A, B, C, SA and SC. Most have numbers on side of base. Many of the parts are very close in size, in fact can be installed in just about every Carter. Things like needle being 1/8" short. Problem here, current day industry is trying to make 2 kits service all 6 Carters.

Zenith is a bit better, at least there seems to be a kit for each, problem, not all Zenith carbs are numbered. Just for example two different Zenith were used on short production run of 130 and 230. My 130 carb had Zenith on it but no number. We had to lay both possible kits on the counter and compare them piece by piece. Both needle valves and seats would fit but one needle was shorter. Who's to say I got it right yet, if the last kit I bought was wrong. One thing the new Zenith kit had was a steel tipped needle, been years since we've seen those.

Nine months later my Carter on my SA still leaks, I'm happy to report the Zenith on my 130 does not leak, truly a miracle.

My opinion, if you have a Carter, take a hammer to it, send it to recycle. Buy a Zenith and go from there.