I just recently put a new intake(elderbrock performer) and carb(carter competition series) on my 87 302 with is in a 76 ford f-100. My question is ... when i unhooked everything (gas & vacuum hoses) I couldn't figure out how and where to attach them on the new carb... If anyone knows where to atach the fuel line and varios vacuum hoses on a carter or elderbrock carb or can refere me to a diagram..it would be greatly apprieciated!!

Thanks Tattoo Matt

 

The fuel line goes to the left rear (facing the carb front), there should be a piece sticking out where the fuel line slides over. If the carter is identical to the performer which it probably is. There are three vacuum ports in the front of the carb. The left one is where you connect the vacuum line from the distributor. The larger middle one is where the pcv valve goes. cap the right one off. Hope this helps.

 

Thanks this does help!! there was also a line coming out of the back of the carb..there a steel line coming out ..then it's cut off..not shure what it's for. I also have lines coming off the intake..I know ones for the brake,one for the tranny...and maybe the other one goes into the back of the carb(where the steel line is) not shure...Also after I got the truck running and took it for a drive ..The trans would not shift out of 1st gear...now the radiator fluid was realy low...but i don't think that could cause this... Thanks again Tattoo Matt

 

after talking w/a friend ..he said that maybe i'm not getting enough vacuum to the tranny to enable it to shift..maybe I need to block off some more lines..and run the distributor vacc. line to the right spot...do you think this could be the problem...I also have a problem when I hit the throttle it hesitates a bit...could need better jet tuning..not shure..

 

make sure your vacuum modulator is running off the manifold vacuum or the bottom of the carb, your dist vac should be on acc, sounds like u got that, and then run your other accessories off main vac from your orig setup and plug the rest of the ports on the carb if there r extra. if it is bogging down on acc...i had this problem once, check that your accelerator pump squirts down there when you move the throttle, as much i know about these, i know there r metering rods and ways to adjust the float also but start elsewhere. if u r having questions about vacuum simply put a gauge on it. u might have confused the line and put it on the upper vac port on top of the carb.

 

thanks for the reply...do you think i may not have enough vaccuum to shift the transmission out of 1st gear?

 

check to make sure that u r using the vacuum from the lower carb or straight off the manifold for the lower part of the dist. make sure u r usin vac that sucks on acceleration for the dist.. also check that the accelerator pump is squirting fuel.

 

i forgot to hook it up once and it wouldnt shift it was acting like it was slipping.

 

Tatoomatt

If your running the vacuum directly off the back of the manifold to the tranny, you should be fine, just make sure the line is not cracked. (On the back of the manifold there should be a tree with many vacuum ports there, if not take it off your old stock manifold and put it there, cap off what you don't use). Otherwise, you need to run the brake booster vacumm line to the manifold as well (previously mentioned tree). That thing on the back of the carb on the spacer was an emissions tube make sure it is plugged. Check for manifold gasket leaks if you continue to have problems. When setting up your carb you should draw zero vacuum off the left port this will ensure your vacuum advance and everything else works right, this is were the distributor should be connected unless your were previously running full advance. If you have access hook a vacuum gauge up to the manifold and see what kinda vacuum your getting at idle. Later

 

thanks for the advice j.w...I talked to a guy at a performance supplier and he said that the tube coming off of my carb spacer is for the brakes...is he full of it??and I'm not to familiar w/the vaccuum advance..maybe you could go into more detail on that..also I wonder if my transmission modulator needs to be adjusted...I'm hoping I don't have a leak in my intake...I say that becouse when I swiched intakes I reused the front and back gaskets..they were cork..but seemed to be in good shape..well thanks for the help!!

 

I wouldn't use the cork gasket ever, IMO. I always use a RTV sylicone sealer. I always seem to have problems with the cork gasket breaking or squeezing out under proper torque when I install an aluminum intake.
Is the carb you have standard or spreadbore flange. If standard you can get rid of that egr spacer under the carb, if your emissions system is otherwise gone.
Well on the back of my carb egr spacer that line went to an egr system, either way should work, if you hook the brakes to the manifold directly they will function correctly. If your distributor is stock and you haven't or no one else has touched it then it requires timed vacuum. The left port on your carb is timed meaning at idle it should draw zero vacuum, as you accelerate the vacuum will increase and cause your timing to advance. Sometimes I have noticed setting up an edelbrock you can skip this step and run into some problems with your timing and everything else. First step, turn the idle mixture screws in (two screws in the front of the carb, side by side), count how may revolutions it takes to turn them all the way in. IF it is between one and two then turn them both out 1 1/2 turns. Hook a vacuum gauge up to the left port and turn the truck on, if it is drawing vacuum then turn the air screw in until it doesn't, next turn your distributor (clockwise) until the engine is running at 650 rpm. Turn off truck, Then remove vacuum gauge, connect the vacuum line from distributor to the carb (left port where vacuum gauge was). Next start truck, turn one idle mixuture screw out until the rpms on the tachometer stops moving up, it will be a subtle minimal movement so you have to really pay attention. Once it stops climbing (rpm) then you stop, readjust the throttle air screw until the rpm is back down to 650 rpm. Do the other idle mixture screw the same way, readjust the rpm of the engine back down to 650 rpm. At this point you should be running fairly strong at and off idle. Hook the vacuum gauge up to the manifold directly and see what kinda vacuum reading your getting. Go for a drive and see how it feels. Later hope this is helping you some

 

i noticed three types of vacuum coming off my engine, , main vac with the bigger of these tubes going to brakes and pcv, full vac at throttle usually a port off the bottom side of carb or main manifold,, the other is vac advance that sucks on acceleration. the third is the little bit that comes off the top usually not used except for emissions or to the air cleaner junk or choke. it shouldnt be too hard to figure from there, vacuum is vacuum.

 

Thanks for the info. J.W...I ended up finding out the problem w/the tranny...The line came out of the tranny..Duh..lol..So that works fine now..I'm wondering how the high idle works.. I start the truck in the morning and can't keep it running, I think a high idle would help..I also have a hard time getting any torque in low rpm's. Maybe I need to adjust my idle mixture screws..well thanks again!!

 

Is the chock automatic or manual? Sounds like the choke isn't operable. There is a fast idle cam that you adjust with a screw on the left side of the carb (facing it). The screw with be pointing up with the head facing down. Try and shoot for the engine to operate at 1500 when cold (automatic choke closes or you initially pull the manual choke). Hope this helps and glad you found the problem to be something simple. later