With winter comming, I'm really feeling the pressure to finally get my engine into my car and get it running. I'd now like to order a 4v carb. and intake. Problem: I know nothing about carbs. Here's what confusses me: 1.How many CFM to get? 2.Secodaries 3.choke Can some one please recomend a carb good for me (brand and model would make it much simpler). My car is a 77 mav and will have a 302 fron a '76 mav. The engine will be all stock except for the intake and carb. Thanks. Dan:confused:
Carb The Edelbrock 500cfm is a good choice for out of box no hassle installation, #1404. If a camshaft change for performance is in the future, maybe a 600cfm #1405 would be a better choice. I think for your stock engine etc. a Edelbrock Performer manifold, would be best.(1500 to 5500 rpm). A Holley 600cfm with vacum secondaries is another good choice but may require a little more tuning etc. I think the # is 1850. Check out Edelbrock.com and see what they offer. You can also call the tech reps at Jeg's or Summit etc. and they should be helpful on your choice.
I recently put the Edlebrock manifold and carb on a friends Mav. One thing I didn't like about the Edlebrock carb is its width. The friend bought the adapter to put the auto kick down linkage on, but the carb is so wide with this piece installed, it rests on top of the valve cover. It would probably have worked with stock valve covers, but it will still hang over them. He has a set of Ford Motosports. As far as performance, is seems to run great. I haven't heard from him in a while so I guess its still running OK.
Those new Holley 570 CFM carbs are nice. Would probably work the best for you. The new Demon carbs are cool as hell too. I have a feeling they're more expensive than the Holleys. I never cared for the Edelbrock carbs. hey're basically just a modified Carter design...
carb choice I presently have an Edelbrock on my 77 Comet and as soon as I get a chance, it's getting replaced with a reman'd Autolite 4100. The 4100 is a 480 CFM and is almost idiot proof! It's from a 65 289 and I have the 4100 on my 64 1/2 mustang. The carb has almost 190,000 miles on it and it still smokes the tires. I have gotten as much as 22 MPG, but the average is about 17. They are a bit harder to find than the aftermarket and are pricier, but they pay for themselves with performance and MPG. I had "borrowed" the 4100 (600 CFM) off of my 66 T-Bird w/ 428 and needed to drive the car later. I put the 480 CFM one on and it's still there, 10 years later. It seems to like the smaller one better! Just another .02 worth!
for bolt-on-and-go performance, you cant beat an Edelbrock. Holleys need tuning to get them right, and they will tell you that if you call the techline. The holleys will make more power for sure, but the E-brock's dont have to be tuned near as much. Jetting from the box is spot-on in all of our applications, only thing I had to do was change the step-up springs on the 460-powered truck, but that was because it was a little 600 on a big-block that wanted twice that much carb.
Back in the old days we used the Autolites because they were a dime a dozen and the easiest and cheapest thing to rebuild. We made a simple little plate that turned them into mechanical secondaries. They had kick ass performance.
well, what do you guys mean by tuning the holley carbs? I'm not totally mechanically inept. If its just a quick thing that someone has to show me, it sound like you all agree that the holley is the better carb and the one to go with, right?
What do you think of these Autolite 4100's on E-bay? Is this what I'm looking for? What's the difference between the 1.12 and the 1.08? http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1866226886 http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1868307311
By "tuning", we are referring to selecting the right jets, power valve, vacuum secondary spring, adjusting the float level, and Air/Fuel mixture screws. I know how to do all this so it's not a huge deal for me, but someone who just wants to bolt it on and GO might want a more simple design. Holleys run great right out of the box on many applications...mine was not one of them however. I think the new Holleys are bada$$ because they don't blow power valves like the old style models do, they look nicer and are supposedly easier to "tune". I like Holleys for "square bore" applications, I like the Rochester Quadrajet for Spreadbore applications (GM cars). There's nothing "wrong" with the Edelbrock...It really all comes down to personal preference and what type of performance you desire...
Re: PonyDoc's comments about an Autolite 4100: The September 2002 Mustangs & Fords featured an article titled "All About Autolite." Jon Enyeart of Pony Carbs said: "The Autolite 2100 and 4100 respectively were the finest two- and four-barrel carburetors ever made." When I was a senior in h.s. waaaay back in 69, I had a 67 Mustang fastback with a 289 4 barrel. I pulled the 4100 and installed a dual-feed Holley cause everyone else was. It ran like crap and got terrible mileage. Reinstalled the 4100 and the car ran fine. Tom
carbs 4100's come in basically 2 sizes- 1.08 & 1.12. 1.08 is the 480 CFM and the 1.12 is a 600 CFM. The best part about Pony Carbs is that he can built one to match your engine. He tweaks them and, if you send your specs, the carb will be built for that engine. Same price! The 1.12 was mostly for big blocks. That's why most 600 generic (re: Holley) carbs are too big for a 289/302, unless it has been worked and will breathe really well. Down here. (So Fla), Holleys are altitude sensitive and overpasses are "altitude". When they work, they work well, but if they aren't right, thety do make nice doorstops! 4100's are becoming scarcer and more expensive, but they are almost foolproof. I grab everyone I can find, even if it's a parts carb, as Pony Carbs can still use parts off of them and I get credit when I turn them in.
4100. there are almost no parts, nothing compared to a Holley or Edel/Carter. I've got one, needs work tho. I didn't get to mess with it, my cousin had an Edel 500 on his 289, it didn't work out, ran way too rich. bolt a Holley 650 DP and she did great. from what I know of Edel's, I think he just didn't have enough vacuum, but he let someone else use it before I got to tinker...
