I have a 83 F-150 4x4 351 with a variable venturi carb that wont seem to pull off the choke if there is one. When it's cold it seems to run ok but then it smells like it's dumping raw gas out the exhaust, excelleration is lousy, the idle is very lopey, and has a somewhat constant miss. The local Ford garage told me to just replace the carb with a remanufactured one, any suggestions.

 

Get rid of it. Holly makes a conversion.


2000 XLT Flare Supercab Sport 5.4-Auto-355LS-Tow pkg-Bedrug-Xtang Tonneau

 

I've got a 351W in my 86 F-250. She's got an Edelbrock 351 Performer aluminum intake, and I had a Ford factory installed Holley, but just replaced it with a brand new Edelbrock 600cfm 4bbl electric choke carb. Thing is amazing, got a significant increase in gas mileage, and she runs much better now. Topped the new carb with an Edelbrock Pro-Flo triangular mesh air cleaner. Makes an awesoem sound sucking in the air as you accelerate. I now stick by Edelbrock all the way, been havin great luck with em, and the thing is their not ridiculously expensive. My carb was $240, brand new. Good deal.

~Ryan

 

Those old variable venturi carbs where always bad news, They had tons of trouble with them. I have replaced at least a dozen with the old Ford 2 barrel carbs This can be done by obtaining the spacer plate from same era 1979-198x model, 351w engine setup and a Ford 2 barrel carb jetted for a 302. You will have to make a minor adjustment to the accelerator cable mounting bracket to get the length right. The only other issue is if your distributor advance is vacume operated or controlled by the computer. If it is vacume then there are no issues just hook it up, if it is electrical(computer controlled) then you will have to look for a replacment of some sort that is no run by the computer.

 

I to have the same carb. It's a piece of junk. You say that ther is a replacement carb by holly. Does anyone know the model number and if it is calif. smog legal. Any info will help. Also will the wireing work on the replacement that is on the side of the ventury.
thanks
18cory