Technical Upgrade from Rochester 2G to Edelbrock 1406 worth it?

Hi All,

I'm reaching the point where I'm ready to consider either rebuilding the Rochester 2G 2 barrel carb on my stock 1975 sbc 350 motor or change out the intake with an Edelbrock Performer 2101 (found one for $100 on craigslist) and an Edelbrock 1406 (a used one I found on ebay $165 + $18 shipping that the seller claims to come out of a running car and working good). The intake/carb might run me about $280 ish.

It seems cheaper to rebuild the Rochester but I'm not sure how intricate and if the cleaner solution I can get will work as well compared to having a shop rebuild professionally which I imagine would come close to the cost of just upgrading to Edelbrock.

Any advice? Will I have an easier time in the future rebuilding and getting parts and dealing with ethanol in our fuel if I go with an Edelbrock setup? I know I'm not likely to get much increase in performance without doing other things which is fine. The Rochester 2GV has been finicky lately, and occasionally it stutters when I start it up after its been sitting and start driving. Turning it off, turning the idle mixture screws all the way in and 1 1/2 turns out will make it drive fine indicating its likely time to rebuild.

This is a 64 C-10 that I just drive around San Diego to paddleboard/surf or the occasional Home Depot run. I don't know if I'll ever change the cam in this motor as its original and probably needs a rebuild and changing the heads at some point if I wanted to gain performance. Given the amount of rust on the truck I don't feel it worthwhile to put a lot of money into it and just want something a little more reliable.
Thanks.

 

IMO this is a no brainer--go with the rebuild of the 2GC. Sounds like performance is not the #1 issue here, but reliability really moves the needle. I have a 2GC on an elco and have the necessary stuff to go to a 4 bbl. changeout--but haven't because the car is absolutely great as it is. I ain't fixin' it.

 

The 2G is super easy to rebuild. Kits are around $30

 

Thanks, I read somewhere else that sometimes its hard to rebuild them and get them to work well because we normal folks (and I imagine its worse in California) can't get the right chemicals to do them properly. Do you think there's any truth to that at all?

 

No.
Just takes more time to clean it.
Use some small MIG wire and a blow gun to clean out the small holes.
Super EZ carb to mess with.

 

all you need is 2-3 cans of spray carburetor cleaner. Buy a Walker Carburetor Kit for your 2-bbl and enjoy it.
If your nervous about it ... I know there are a bunch of Hot Rod guys around you, someone will give you help or assistance.

 

After you get it clean as you can put it thru the dishwasher with dawn. I like the place with the drinking glasses if yours has a center sprayer.

 

thanks is there an easy way to determine if the carb is in decent condition to be rebuilt in the first place? For instance what about too much play in certain areas from age/use? I imagine if my idle mixture screws are allowing me to fix the stutter issue it’s more a buildup of junk in the carb than worn out linkages/etc.

 

The only thing that makes me wonder is this truck is a little sluggish going uphill with this stock motor... its doable as is and I'm guessing going to 4 barrel/performer intake isn't going to make that much a difference without making more significant changes.

 

Did it just start to run poorly? ... or is it more of a smooth running situation?
Have you done a complete tune-up?

You never gave us any indication of it running bad.

Changing to a used carb and intake will net very little over what you already have.

 

It's always run sluggish up a hill since I've had it and I don't know the history of this motor but suspect its an original high mileage motor. I put a different HEI in it that I had in another SBC 350, new wires, new plugs, did valve seals, changed oil routinely and I forget what else. It ran ok but became temperamental as soon as my mechanical fuel pump went bad and I changed the fuel filter in the carb and cleaned out a bunch of junk in it (like really big pieces of silicone that I think maybe someone put in there deliberately to restrict the fuel pressure). I put a Delphi fuel pump and the pressure was north of 10 psi and even with a Holley regulator it was temperamental. I went with a lower pressure Napa fuel filter and got rid of the Holley regulator and seems to be at about 4.5 psi but its been temperamental still. Messing with the idle screws seems to fix the stuttering from a stop when giving it gas which makes me think the idle circuit and other things in the carb need cleaning. Perhaps the higher fuel pressure is mixing things up.

I imagine the sluggishness up a hill is just a tired original motor... I don't know that a better carb/intake would do much for that.. it could also be this smog era motor at 165 hp isn't up for the challenge with a heavy truck and a hill. It makes it fine, I just feel a little more power would make it uphill easier/quicker.

 

so, is top of motor clean? checked for vacuum leaks at base of carb and around manifold, condition of vacuum line, timing, any sign of gas leaking from sides of carb, etc? what type of transmission? single exhaust? instead of carb spray get Berryman o996-ARM B-9 Chem-Dip carburetor parts cleaner with basket and 3/4 gallon pail. or other brand. this way you can carefully clean parts by letting them soak in solution. unless you are single, do not use dishwasher.

 

Biggest issue I've seen with that era 2gc is threads stripping out. I'd personally go the Edelbrock route. Newer ones are rated for e15 fuel and nearly any parts store will have individual parts and rebuild kits on hand

 

The 2GC is a more reliable carb

 

we just stuck a performer and Edelbrock on a impala with a 2bl and noticed a good increase in HP seat of the pant performance ?.

Sounds like you got other issues and need to at least to clean out the carb you have and figure out why its running bad first .

Put a stock fuel pump back on it

 

Apparently the learning curve for carburetors is a lot steeper today, then it was 50 years ago when I started messing with them. We'd just go to the store and get a carb kit and some cleaner, and do what needed to be done.

 

Then read and fallow the directions that came with the kit.

 

I think a lot of times there seems to be a resistance to learning the basics of how carburetors work. Which I can sort of understand, at least up to a point, since EFI started taking over about 30+ years ago for the OEMs.

Also there seems to be a reluctance to read and follow the instructions included with the carb kit or in a service manual. Just a knowledge of carburetor part names and terminology would go a long way towards a successful carb rebuild.

 

+ the carbs we rebuild now are much older
More wear and tear on em.

 

I wish I was close to you , I’d clean , rebuild it and help you learn how it works .

 

I have a th350, new dual exhaust with glass packs. it’s clean.. no vacuum leaks I put new hoses for everything vacuum related. With the carb behaving I have 18 in hg of vacuum. When it’s stuttering I notice the vacuum drop down to 12 in hg. Shutting the engine off, resetting the idle mixture screws got it right back to 18 in hg instantly signaling a carb issue.

also timing is good at 14 btdc. I made a piston stop tool to confirm the zero timing mark.

 

@carbking , any advice for this 2gc carbed rodder?
Thanks.

 

Does it seem to have more power if going up a hill with your performer and edelbrock?

I have the stock fuel pump at least whatever Napa carries for that motor. The one I replaced was pissing fuel out everywhere (was scary)

I think it’s mostly all a carb issue.. when it’s not stuttering after resetting the idle screws it drives fine. I’m not sure if the little bit of sluggish up the hill is me not jamming the pedal harder or if that’s just what I should expect for a low hp smog era 350 motor. I test drove another c10 of same year 10 years ago with a sbc 327 and it had an edelbrock 4 barrel and I remember it being a bit sluggish up a hill and when I asked the owner he said that’s what I should expect for that motor and that heavy of a long bed truck…. Hmmmm

 

Wonder if the YouTube videos would help me get this done right…

 

Millennials (like myself) seem to be too distracted with stupid stuff where it makes it harder for us to sit down and learn basics . I’m open to learning to rebuild this carb though.

 

That’s why I’m wondering if I’m going to waste some time trying to rebuild mine and could have gotten an intake and 4 barrel edelbrock on there…. While I think it would be cool to learn to rebuild I have so many other things draining my free time.

 

4 barrel/manifold will likely be installed at some point. depending on budget, sounds like time is now.

 

Sounds like your time is "more valuable." and I get the feeling that until you install a different intake and 4-bbl, you're going to sit in traffic and scratch your head raw wondering. Just go ahead and do it, and report back.

 

Buying a used carb might just get you right back where you started..... needing a rebuild. You will also need a different air cleaner, possibly have to reroute fuel line, linkage changes may be needed...
Power-wise, you'll only see a difference when you kick in the secondaries, in fact, the 2 barrel probably flows more than the 1406 running on primaries.
Rebuild what you've got and keep on trucking!!

 

Yep... for about $300 kind of thinking just do it... yes I would like to save money and rebuild the rochester 2G but I could really use that time towards other things that need some attention..