carb.... grrrrr

[hockeydad4-22]

I need help settting up the carb. This rig is burning rather rich and while I used to think I knew a thing or two about them, recent attempts at tuning another much simpler carb have taught me different.

Is there anyone here who is just a wizzard with them? I would be more than happy to compensate said individual for his or her time with untold riches be they in liquid form or cash or trade.

[freeheelbillie]

I am sure someone on here will post up...however, I am NO wizard when it comes to carbs. I get by but thats about it. If you need a little help right away give my buddy Mitch Lacy a call 720-338-9669. He did some work for another member and does things for me I suck at. Best part is hes fair and willing to teach as hes working. Hes down off Colfax and Vine, tell him Billie sent you down and he'll take good care of you.

Billie

[akaFrankCastle]

I need help settting up the carb. This rig is burning rather rich and while I used to think I knew a thing or two about them, recent attempts at tuning another much simpler carb have taught me different.

Is there anyone here who is just a wizzard with them? I would be more than happy to compensate said individual for his or her time with untold riches be they in liquid form or cash or trade.

Don't know if I am doing it right or not, but here is what I normally do.

I picked up a vacuum gauge from the parts house and hooked it up to the manifold vacuum port on the carb base. Checked to make sure my timing was set for maximum vacuum at idle and at around 2000 RPM. Then played with the carb adjuster screws, incrementally (1/4 or 1/2 turn at a time, per screw), until I once again achieved maximum vacuum at idle and 2k. Once I got the carb set, I rechecked the timing to make sure everything was straight.

Couldn't tell you if I am running rich or not, but I've had no issues.

[ZOSO]

thats only for tuning the idle circuit. Its time consuming to get it right for cruise and WOT. I cheated and just bought an AEM wideband O2 sensor and tuned it that way. Works great.


What kind of carb are you using?

[Kinder]

If it's the stocker 2100 I might be able to help, I've got mine running pretty well.

[akaFrankCastle]

thats only for tuning the idle circuit. Its time consuming to get it right for cruise and WOT. I cheated and just bought an AEM wideband O2 sensor and tuned it that way. Works great.


What kind of carb are you using?

Back from the dead comes this thread!

Zoso,
I looked up those AEM widebands. Holy bat dollars! You happen to know of a cheaper alternative? Been kind of thinking it would be cool/useful to be able to know my AFR.

[ZOSO]

the AEM is the cheap ones. But it is the actual AFR you are running. If you do buy one just buy some extra bungs and plugs. On the power side wire it to a cig lighter and just transfer it from car to car. I paid 179 for mine on Ebay.


http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/AEM-WIDE ... 3a6193fd18

[akaFrankCastle]

I'm running true duals all the way to the rear. Think it would be worthwhile to bung and plug both sides? I know it's pricey, but a high or low AFR on one side could help me to trouble shoot problems down the road. Thoughts?

[ZOSO]

You could get dual gauges. I run duals on my 79 with no crossover between them and only take the readings from the driver side.

[akaFrankCastle]

I'll keep thinking on it. I was just thinking a lack of spark on one side would show on that side's gauge as running rich and would help me to track down which was having the trouble.

[ZOSO]

you should feel the lack of spark on one side. All this will tell you is if you are getting even fuel to both sides. Even better for what you are looking for is either an EGT in each header tube or wideband for each. That will tell you what cylinder needs work. Im assuming you are running a dual plane intake. There for each side of the carb feeds 2 cylinders on each bank.

[akaFrankCastle]

No dual plane. Stock barrel intake at the moment. I'm probably just over thinking/engineering this at the moment.

[Booger]

One problem with using a widebiand is that it will drive you crazy. Zoso found out about the different circuits in his carb using it. You can tell more or less which carb circuit you need to work on by looking at the readings. But it can also drive you nuts trying to get it perfect. Never gonna happen.

Then there's the changes in afr with differing air densities. That's why new cars measure inlet air temp and barometric pressure.

Reading the plugs is still the time honored way to tell if the afr is close or not.

I created an Excel spreadsheet to calculate jet and metering rod changes for our Edelbrock carbs. I just enter the stock jetting and then enter various jet and rod combos to see how much of a change is being made. It helped find a few combos the Edelbrock book didn't list because we had a Carter rod and jet kit so could create many more combos than just what comes in the Edelbrock kit. Beats the heck out of using pen and paper to do the calcs.

[David Smith]

Food for thought; Placed an Edelbrock in my 302, always ran rich, fowled plugs too!. Used the same carb. on my 351w, same richness, could not lean it!. I was usine the "manifold vacuume" port, cause its not ERG. Friend said "try the ERG port because the distributor is from an ERG setup."
Switched over and had great results, increased power, able to lean it out.
Asked why this happened, he stated the distrubutors for ERGs have different internals. I stated no vacume @ idle! He responded It won't till under load!
I don't understand the mechanics, but I understand success!