4160 Carb Rebuild/Cleaning Questions

Finally getting around to rebuilding a very old/dirty 4160 (3310-4) from an 85 F250 460 and had a couple of questions.

1. I haven't been around many carbs honestly so forgive this ignorant question but what color are these carbs supposed to be? I ask because I'd removed the primary bowl, soaked it for 30 minutes, cleaned, dried, and put some other parts in the dip. While I was waiting I got bored and grabbed a little piece of the red scotch pad (4774 or something) and rubbed a little. Well next thing I knew I had done the whole bowl and it's now nice and grey/silver. Is this bad? I know you don't want the red scotch pad stuff in an engine but I plan on thoroughly dipping and drying it with an air compressor again so that will take care of that, right?

2. Once I take the secondary off and base off so I just have the throttle body with the choke plate and its linkage can I dip that whole thing? Are there any plastic parts left? I do see a little plastic/nylon looking loose block that the linkage goes through so I don't want to ruin that.

Thanks

Did some more reading (step 1 done last ) and deduced that one wants the gold color on there as a way of preventing the zinc from oxidizing. Lesson learned and will be looking for a shop to take care of this. Probably not a bad thing to have done anyways.

Well, just for anyone reading this.
I called a shop that's been doing this since well before the 70's and was told that it really doesn't matter in the life left of a carb that old. He said that yes, it would oxidize eventually but it would need rebuilt well before then and a visual inspection at that time will identify if it's pitted beyond use.

All you did was rub-off the zincdichromate etching to get down to the parent metal, which is a bright grey for zinc.

Thanks.
Any thoughts on that choke linkage plastic piece? Can't see how to remove the linkage to get it off without bending it somehow.

kramttocs wrote:Thanks.
Any thoughts on that choke linkage plastic piece? Can't see how to remove the linkage to get it off without bending it somehow.

I believe those -4's have the big choke cross bar without screws. You may be able to wedge the center and pull the choke blade out from the top. I usually only fool with dash 2's and down, so I don't fool with many late models and they are a prime candidate to loose the tower when I do. Try some EastWood Carburetor Paint, it's tough stuff like the Old DuPont Imron and looks good.

kramttocs wrote:Thanks.
Any thoughts on that choke linkage plastic piece? Can't see how to remove the linkage to get it off without bending it somehow.

Chopping a Dash -4 this morning. Use a super small flat blade screw driver and two larger flat blade screwdrivers and two set of ViceGrips. Start the small screwdriver down in the middle of the choke bar and then the two larger ones on the outside and gently spread the bar. Clamp the two ViceGrips on the outside ends of the choke blade and gently tap them with a hammer evenly and the blade comes right out. Then cut the disgusting catheral tower clean off after recording the numbers and make something else out of it like a paper weight or choke rod blockoffs LoL.