I need some input from fellow Hambers here. I have been building 40's model Ford pickups for many years now, and they all have had the same problem. I have been bee using SBC and SBF stock engines, with just an intake upgrade and an edelbrock perfomer carb (600 cfm). The will all rev to the moon in park, but when i drive and hammer down, it just seems like it's not rapping out. It doesn't spit and sputter or act like it's starving for fuel. It just seems that under a load, it doesn't get up and go like it should. Could it simply be that i'm using too large of carburetor??? I currently have a SBC 305 and I need to buy a new carb. I'm thinking about buying an Edelbrock 1403 which is 500 cfm. Any help would be very appreciated.
The carb is fine, it's that the engine needs to be bigger! I'd also be thinking about gear ratios, stall speeds, cam specs, etc. Everything on the car needs to be designed to work together, and if you want performance, you need to up your game on all of it.
I knew i was gonna catch hell for that 305... I'm not really looking for performance, i just wanna get on it every now and then and enjoy the brief shot of power. When I first stand on it, it hesitates for a second then picks up. I'm running 3.73 gears, small tires and a stock late 80's camaro engine that I converted to carburetor.
Have you been keeping the original fuel lines? I know my 48 had a very small fuel line to feed a sbc and changed it to 3/8 line.
As squirrel said, there's a lot involved. compression, CID, cam, rear gears (I had a '79 Ford SW with a 351W/c4, turned out it had 2.25 rear gears in it!) , and the transmission, all figures in. The fuel lines on my '48 Plym were adequate.
I guess I'll try a 500cfm carb and see how it does. I'm currently running a 700r4 with 3.73 rear end gears. It may just be as you all mentioned. A small displacement, stock engine. I'm expecting something that just isn't there.
you can try a smaller carb, and see how it works. But without knowing all the details of what you have now, we can't say for sure that it will help. Make sure the accelerator pump is working properly, the timing and advance curves are the best they can be, the engine is in good shape, etc.
Have you done anything but bolt the carb on and drive it? Tuned everything? Are you using a restrictive exhaust system? Does the distributor have vacuum advance and is it working? Correctly? Have you checked fuel flow? SPark
All those things check out. It's got open lake headers, standard rise aluminum intake, new spin aluminum fuel tank, all new 3/8" fuel lines, new Carter electric fuel pump, new distributor, new plugs and wires.
One thing you have probably checked, that I didn't once upon a time many years ago...... make sure you're actually getting full throttle. I could never figure out why I didn't have more get up and go. Turns out that when I replaced the carb and intake, i ***umed that the throttle linkage I had would make the carb open all the way when I stepped on it. It didn't. Only about 1/2. I was young and dumb, what can I say.
I will definitely check that. It could be the culprit. I'm using a speedway adjustable s**** pedal. If I have it mounted high, and the pedal adjusts low to reach, it could cause a short throw. That's exactly what it acts like. Like the secondaries aren't opening. I'll check it tomorrow and let you guys know. Thanks again! Sent from my SM-G950U using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I had a 305 in a 79 4 door nova 2.73 gear turbo 350 with shift kit stock convertor stock 305 with comp 280h with springs double roller timing set edelbrock aluminum intake edelbrock 600 carb truck headers cherry bomb mufflers no power steering just running alternator an it didnt have no bottom end comin off the line but it sure would fly once you got the rpms up i imagine if i had a good gear and loose stall it woulda hauled hindend but it sounded great an ran great an had good power all around i though Sent from my LG-LS777 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
If you are spending the money I would go 600 CFM for a 305. Hint, I have one listed in the cl***ified section.
I have a 305 on the stand now i got for free with 601 ho heads im gonna try to port an do some work to the heads an raise the compression an stab the same 280h cam like i had in my last 305 to put in my chevyii but this time a manual 3 speed and thinkin ima put 4:10 or whatever gear in it im sure itll be way better than the last i like 305s cause nobody wants em and if your not drag racin or doin anything ******** they run good and serve there purpose Sent from my LG-LS777 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Going smaller than a 600 will buy you absolutely nothing, but going to a Holley over an Edelbrock will likely buy you something.
Do you have the vacuum advance line hooked up to full manifold vacuum????? You might want to give that a try......
Some of you guys would be surprised at how many 10 second Stock cl*** drag cars, and 9 second Super /Stockers there are out there..Oh, and NONE of them have Holley carbs
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