The hotrod shop that I brought the vehicle to has told me that the 2-year old rebuilt carburetor was rebuilt using a bad core and that despite having double gaskets it is internally leaking. They recommend getting a different 4300D or purchasing a new carburetor. For the past two years I've gone down the rebuilt road, so I'm seriously considering getting something new so I don't have to deal with this anymore. However, that brings up a different set of issues. Their recommendation is Edelbrock for ease of tuning. They said Holley, if it was more of a racing engine, would then be a better choice. Me, I have no idea. Then there is picking the correct CFM, the kick-down, throttle linkage, the fit on the Cleveland intake manifold and getting it all to fit under the hood. The Edelbrock website doesn't make it easy to find a carburetor that would fit. In contrast, over on the Holley website they do and suggest this one HERE. Unlike Edelbrock, that Holly carburetor is available at Summit Racing for easy and fast pickup. The shop also said that one of the rear springs is weak. They recommend Eaton for replacement springs, I was thinking Moog. They said both companies are good. Then there is standard or heavy duty; constant rate or variable pitch springs. The only thing I am certain of is that I need four new insulators. Moog is also available at Summit Racing. Heck, I have no idea if either brand or style would allow the Air Lift bags to be reinstalled. What do y'all think? P.S. The vehicle has been in the shop for two months. I want my truck back.
The LAST thing you want to put on it is a Demon - I'm not a big Edelbrock fan, but they're OK, I prefer Quick Fuel. Slayer is the inexpensive model, 750 vacuum secondary should be fine, Hot Rod series is more money, but not really any better of a carb. You would have to see if a square pattern carb will fit on your intake. Good luck.
Food for thought,. Summit Racing is manufacturing a modernized version of the Autolite 4 barrel,. The original was designed by Holley for Ford. Fully adjustable and its cost is reasonable. M2008 series
The thing that Summit is selling is the old 4010 Holley - they have a long history of problems with sediment gathering in the bottom and plugging up all the holes in the casting - it has no bowls, the whole top just lifts off.
My experience with the 4010 is a second filter, a G3 IIRC, at the tank output line. As long as he has good filtration and a clean tank unit/lines, there shouldn't be any sediment problems. As for the Summit/Autolite redux, I'd have to see it. But it is a good idea.
Just installed holly 4160C/600CFM on 72 400M.Operates flawless,very happy with carb.and performance.Has kick down linkage that should work as long as 1" throttle body spacer plate not used.Ordered thru Amazon,would have been cheaper thru summit.No tax.Around $350 OTD. http://www.summitracing.com/parts/hly-0-80458sa/overview/
I would also vote for the Holley. In my opinion, the only thing edelbrok has going for it is being cheaper. Most of the time, a properly sized holley, like what LSChero posted, is so close out of the box that there isn't any need to tune it unless you are squeezing every pony out of the engine.
I spent a large portion of yesterday doing carburetor research instead of what I should have been doing and I have to say by the end of the day if I was an element, I'd be stuponium. The above carburetor that LSChero linked above looks nice, but details about using a square bore carburetor on a spread bore intake and if that requires an adapter kit, what about hood clearance? What other parts would I need or not need, such as the kick-down and throttle linkage? Does it just bolt on, connect and all is good? From what I've been able to gather, calculating the CFM with a volumetric efficiency of .75 and a maximum RPM of 6,000, that works out to 457 CFM, so the 600 CFM carburetor linked above is not overkill, so that would be good news. I have also determine with almost certainty that most auto parts websites are useless when entering engine specs to determine compatible carburetors. My ignorance in these matters does not help to make determinations from their weak results. I guess what I'm trying to do is, go to Summit or the like, with a grocery list, and say, "I want these things" and leave with everything I need and not have to make the long return trip back. Then go to the shop, drop everything off and get my vehicle out of there as soon as humanly possible. I am, to be quite honest, tired of dealing with vehicle problems. These last two months are starting to take their toll, to the point of contemplating selling the vehicle, with the realization, that fixer-uppers may be more than I should be dealing with at this time in my life. This is not in any way a reflection on you guys. You guys have been wonderful and I absolutely appreciate the time you have spent attempting to help me. A sincere thank you. I haven't figured out what I am going to do about the coil springs. I may just tell the shop to forget about fixing them. So what if it leans, as long as the bumper isn't scraping on the ground, let the damn thing lean.
Mike, most of the time that 600cfm carb is really a 300cfm 2bbl carb. Unless the engine needs more than 300cfm, the secondaries will not open unless that carb has the linkage that slightly opens the secondaries at WOT.
I'd separate the air bag lines, and even off the rear with air pressure if you're not going to change the springs. I hate carb adapters myself, but if you are leaving the spreadbore intake you have no choice if you use a square bore carb. Most adapters are between 1/2 and 1 inch thick, so it shouldn't interfere with the hood.
Mike, It's a lot of learning and taking in all the advice you will get. Good and bad. These old cars are sometimes a real pain in the ass. But that moment when ya fire it up and drive it makes all the head aches worth it. Is it easy. Nope. If it were we would have more mechanics than we would have jobs. I look at it this way. If I learned something out of any part it's a win. Sure ya might learn what won't let it run or drive. But ya learned from it. It's a project treat it as such. It's therapy man. Sometimes it makes a drink to much but shit it's your awesome ass car. That you rescued and got on the road again. And that my friend is so worth it. Keep at it. Buy a carb. Get her running again. That will make ya smile. Get them springs sorted out. And maybe work on that not so fun shit this winter when ya can't drive her. Good luck man!!! HIGH FIVE✋
Mike, I had my share of headaches in a two year time period with my 72 Ranchero. Like you, I contemplated selling the car and being done with the entire thing. I can tell you from experience once you get it running correctly that you will be so happy that you kept the Ranchero. I entered it in the local car show with my 8 yr old son and it was a day that we will never forget. Keep plugging away my man.
i bought one of the summit carbs (750 cfm vacuum secondary) when they first came out and it has been hands down the best carb I've EVER had. Every holley I ever had was a leaking pig in short order but that's my own personal experience. I almost went with the edelbrock but didnt want to get all the extra adapters. Very happy with my Summit carb.
When I bought my car, it had a 600 vacuum secondary Holley, and I was never impressed by it, especially at off-idle and lower speeds. I decided to try an Edelbrock 500, and it was like night & day, a totally different and MUCH better driving car. Love it.
... While we're here, does anybody have a favorite place to get an Edelbrock (#1406 600cfm, circa 2006ish) repaired / rebuilt? (ideally located near me, SF) I've had one of those for about 10 years, and almost since new it has had this problem: run over something like a speed bump, or into a parking-lot stop, and the idle instantly turns to crap. It seems that there is some sort of mobile junk in the idle passage(s) just behind the screw (?), and when bumped it slides into place in a way that blocks idle flow. I can usually fix it by removing the needle and sticking the little spray tube from a wd-40 can into the hole and blast it briefly, and that fixes the problem until the next time. Last time it happened I lost both sides, and decided to run with my alt Holley carb until it is resolved. I would fix it myself if I knew how to expose the problem passage for cleaning -- there are various little plugs visible on the base in that area, but I'd prefer to know what I was doing. Soaking in carb cleaner is futile, have tried that. I have various factory drawings of the carb, but none has the detail I need. Any help appreciated.
If the 1406 is the AVS/AFB style, which I think it is, are you removing the entire 'barrel' with the rods and springs to access the jets? Usually, problems like you describe are associated with the barrels and the springs if the metering rods are not bent or the incorrect size for the jets.
?? No, nothing is bent (ribald), the metering rods are easily removable and look fine, springs are good. They move in/out freely. Bent parts couldn't be fixed with a squirt of wd40 into the idle mix hole. I've had it fully apart multiple times chasing this. Andy, the 1406 looks like an AFB to me. I believe it is somewhat of a clone of the AFB. I like it a lot when it's working right (except as I've complained before about the lack of a choke pull-off. And no dash-pot mechanism.) Doesn't seem possible I'm the only one who ever had this problem, was hoping that some carb doctor would recognize my symptoms and tell me how to fix it directly. I'm still assuming that it actually is fixable, not cursed. I'm fortunate enough to have a backup carb that's nearly as good as the Edelbrock so it isn't urgent.
If it is crud in the passages, here's a trick you can try: With the engine warm, choke full open, take a wadded rag, and rev the engine a few times, then cover the primaries with the rag only long enough for the engine speed to approach idle, then lift the rag. Let the idle speed stabilize and repeat a couple more times. If the crud's soft, it should pop through under the high vacuum.
