i was just playin' man.. would rather have a 500cfm 4bbl on a 4bbl intake than a 2bbl with adapter personally.

 

Yeah, i figured hehe. Thats why i got the 4bbl intake and carb, i just was surprised it wasn't more CFM than that. But i will need an adapter if i throw the 2bbl back on to rebuild the 4.

 

A good 4 bbl is always better then a 2 bbl, more power and better mpg. Least that's what I've always been told. If you can keep the heavy pedal off the floorboard.

 

It isn't easy to do even with the 2 bbl. After i fiddled with the 2150 on there now, it seems more jumpy at start off. I can see a 4bbl getting more mpgs

 

K so i got the gasket ordered, it won't be here till tuesday though so i also got RTV while there. I, however did NOT get the bolts due to my step father saying i won't need them. The plan is, when the old bolts break or fail then he gets to buy me new ones.

We tried to continue tuning the carb today because when i would come to a stop while driving the engine would start to shudder and sound like it was dying. As we played with it Things went down hill. I learned some, but the engine developed a bad surge issue. I had issues previously with it surging but it wasn't often enough to be concerned. Now it happens everytime when it's running. We don't know for the life of us what would cause it. My initial thought was it had something to do with the ignition or the dizzy. Apparently not. Though it will be taken off and replaced, i still would like to know what generally causes it. The fuel filter looks fine, and the fuel i use is the same that i have used for a long time. We adjusted all 4 screws (2 mixture screws, 2 idle screw) and we timed it to our best ability. We went from the mixture screws being 1.5 turns out to being 3 turns out and it would improve slightly for a while then go back to surging. The RPMs go way up then drop so low the motor is jumping and the truck shakes, then it surges again.

Anyways, it is annoying and i'd like to know what normally causes this for future reference.

To add more to this long post (sorry) i did google it and figured out that sometimes this little diaphragm behind the accelerator pump called a "Power Valve" and if that has ruptured it can cause a similar issue. Or alternatively if the vacuum isn't hooked up to the pump or has a leak it can surge. I learned this from a Jeep forum, i am fairly sure mine doesn't have any vacuum hose on it anywhere UNLESS it is internal vacuum. Then i won't be able to tell unless i tear it apart. I bought a can of carb cleaner due to not knowing where mine can disappeared to and soaked the inside of the carb and choke. I haven't started it since then so tomorrow i guess i will fire it up and see what it does. I might also call on my neighbor to come and see if he knows what the deal is.

Anyways to end this story, i want to thank anyone who read it and any info anyone has.

 

Ok got another big update for you guys. I decided to get the truck prepped for the intake for tomorrow, so i went ahead and removed the old one. I got some questions, but i will wait till after the pics.
Here is my gasket


Pulled the carb, the gasket was a mess and there was gasoline everywhere.


Here's the old turd now. It's very dirty, and i think there was a lot of small leaks on it.


Yup these are the intake bolts. I'm sure there was a way you are supposed to take them out but i just pulled each one out from front to back. They came out easily and a few were probably only finger tight. IIRC they are supposed to be around 20-25 ftlbs right? So 23 would be a sweet spot i imagine.


Didn't realize it but i have to pull the dizzy out.. My step dad mentioned it, and i figured "what the hey, i can wiggle it out" I was seriously underestimating the grip this stupid thing had on the block. So before trying to pull the intake i pulled the dizzy just for the ease factor.


****ADVISORY TO ANYONE TRYING THIS This cast iron intake *without* the carb is probably 50lbs alone... Take it slow and try to have someone near by to lend a hand****


Once on the ground i figured out what everyone ment by the weight difference, Even with the 4bbl Carter on the edelbrock is much lighter.


Here is the valley pan, i pulled it off and kept it aside so when i get my new gaskets tomorrow, i can make sure the holes all line up right.


now i just have to get the gaskets, and clean up the head ports. Then once i get the new intake on i can throw the Carter on. Though i am at a stand still with that. I don't seem to have the linkage to connect the choke to the thermostat spring. What is the probability of not being able to get far without it for a while? None of the linkages from the Motorcraft fit. I was thinking of getting a thick paperclip from work or something and using that, but it seems like that would bend too easily.

Other than that, i should be good. Once i get the old gasket crap cleaned up i can test fit the new intake and see how it looks. I'm getting excited .

Once all that work is done and it runs and drives how i want i will look at cleaning up the old intake and selling it or turning it in for scrap. Anyone looking to use a 2bbl intake as an anchor? If i had a boat i probably would .

 

Yeah those stock intakes are deceptively heavy. Looks great so far! You don't absolutely need the choke to drive the truck. My 78 never had one and I drove my mustang for a few days without it. Just makes it easier to start really.

 

Ok thanks, i will probably close it off for now. Yeah that intake sucks... With my Carter, i can pull the choke open and it clicks and stays open all the way. I guess i can just stick it open like that and leave it.

 

Alrighty, i picked up my intake gaskets. I thought they were going to be metal similar to head gaskets but i spose not. Here they are,


Now i don't know if you can see but on the right side where the water jacket is, the big hole. There is a small part of it that goes over the water jacket spot, Any idea if that is normal? The sticker on the package says it's for a 351C which would match my heads but being an aftermarket intake is that normal?

 

I didnt think the 351c and 351m used the same gasket. The M block has a dry intake where the C block has normal water passages. Maybe I'm crazy tho...as long as it lines up I guess.

 

I guess. It seems about normal. On the heads of my engine, there is a lot of carbon built up in the water jacket (unless it is metal, i haven't checked) so maybe there is water? I don't know for sure. And to be sure, should i put RTV around all the ports and stick it to the intake/heads? Or just on the corners and front/back. If it isn't raining tomorrow, i plan to start clean up of the engine. I would have today but it started raining a bit and i had some shores to do.

 

i think the water jackets just wouldn't be used, it should be alright... dunno why you would have carbon buildup at the water jackets? sure you aren't looking at EGR or something else?

 

Here is what i mean. I think the picture should be clear enough and zoomed in enough. I redboxed them. I think those are for the water jackets yeah? They are the 2 furthest forward.

 

Alrighty guys. It's just about done. here are the pictures.
Once i got it seated and bolted down i was working on getting the dizzy seated.


Tomorrow, i have to pull the dizzy and start over seating it cause it is kinda not in the right area.


And after i got the carb on. I misplaced the fuel line and still have to work out the main vacuum. I used a spring and a wiring harness tie down to set the spring. The throttle is still way easy and smooth which is a little concerning but i will deal with it once i run it.


I also don't yet have a place for the kickdown to go cause it won't reach anywhere. I figure i can just let it hang there till i can figured out something


And lastly i also haven't put the choke thermostat on yet and i still have to make the linkage.


It was quite a pain to do this, i went to lay a bead for the front and rear gasket and it turns out, i didn't use enough. So i had to pull the intake, and this time i laid a thick bead on the block and it still wasn't enough. After pulling it again i ended up with 2 thick beads one on the block and one on the intake. Other than that it seemed like everything else went pretty smooth.

 

Heh, so right now your engine is working like crap but looking like a champ?. It does look real nice, good job!.