Summit Racing sells new Edelbrock #1406 carbs for $265.00.

Here is a used carb on Ebay now. It looks like a good buy if it doesn't get bid up any more.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...tem=7964496112

 

i am currently watching it and a few other carbs right now. but really if you think about it at its current bid 165 + around 30 rebuild kit (even though it may not need it but ya never know) it is going to be around the same as reconditioned carb from edelbrock.

 

Josh, I would go for the rebuild from edelbrock. If you buy a used one off ebay, you are going to throw $30 or so into a rebuild kit right away. And still no guaranteee of what you are getting.
You will probably want to get the jet/rod kit to help you tune it too.

 

I will most likely get the factor reconditioned carb for 199. I think it is a pretty good deal. Debating on whether i am going to get offroad needle and seat. Is there a book for tuning edelbrocks that i need to get or will there manual tell me what i need to know?

 

the manual tells you some...but its kinda of vague. Stuff like 'adjust it as lean as possible before drivability issues arise." "Enrich the power mode until your quarter mile eta's dont increase"

It does have a good chart that shows the different rod/jet settings.
This site has more techincal info on the rod/jets. Read sections 2&3 as well.
http://www.telusplanet.net/public/gi.../section_1.htm

I am using an O2 sensor/guage to tune mine. Works very well.

 

I have a 1980 F-350 4x4, 400, auto, 4.10, RV cam, Carter electric fuel pump and dual 2" exhaust and it just turned 86,000 miles. I live in Utah, and for high altitude performance, I installed an Edelbrock performer 4BB intake manifold and an Edelbrock 750 CFM, NOT a 600 CFM carb. An earlier post stated "Since a 400 will pull no more than 579 CFM at 5000 RPM, a 750 CFM carb is a poor choice for everyday use." My 400 has never passed the 4,000 RPM mark, but I can assure you - simple math based on displacement - that it is pulling considerably more than 579 CFM at full throttle with my vacuum guage riding on 0. Climbing an 8% slope with a load up Parleys Canyon east of Salt Lake City going from 6,000 feet to 7,900 feet makes me thankful that I went with the 750 CFM Edelbrock for my kind of every day driving.

 

400 cubic inches at 4000 RPM = 1,600000 cubic inches per minute.
Divide that by two since the motor fires 1/2 the cylinders on every revolution = 800,000 cubic inches per minute.
Divide that by 1728 cubic inches/cubic foot = 463 Cubic feet per minute (CFM).

A 750 CFM carb drops 1.5 " of Mercury in pressure at 750 CFM. At 463 CFM it will drop 463/750 X 1.5" Hg = 0.617" Hg.

A 600 CFM carb drops 1.5 " of Mercury in pressure at 600 CFM. At 463 CFM it will drop 463/600 X 1.5" Hg = 1.156" Hg.

This gives a gain of 1.156 - 0.617 = 0.539" Hg pressure. While not all this pressure increase will translate to increased VE, some will. Torque will be improved at this RPM, and probably at all other RPMs for the 750 CFM carb.

We can do this for a 1000 CFM Dominator carb and get better results. However the problem is what happens in a large carb at low RPM when the CFM is low.

400 cubic inches at 1200 RPM =138 CFM.
138/375 x 1.5 = 0.552" Hg if you consider that the primary venturis are 1/2 of the 750 CFM.

This low pressure drop across the venturis may not be enough to properly atomize the fuel. The result will be difficulty tuning the carb, poor mileage.

Another factor is venturi size. The 600 and 750 CFM Edelbrock carbs have exactly the same size secondary venturis. The 600 CFM Edelbrock has small primary venturis than the 750. This means that in the 600 the secondary will handle 375 CFM and the primary only 225.

Now our equation is:

138 CFM/225 x 1.5 = 0.92" Hg pressure drop.

This is much better pressure drop across the venturis.
The drivability and gas mileage will be better with the 600, than the 750. In fact it should be better than a 300 CFM two barrel carb.

However Edelbrock recommends a 750 CFM carb for 402 cubic inches and larger. So with a 400 we are right on the edge. I myself use a 750 CFM Edelbrock with no problem, but I might be paying at the pump.

 

You already have a new Holley 750? Given the choice of a Holley or a brick with 4 holes in it, and the Holley won out? Seriously, you are right, the Holley is too big.

The Edelbrock 1406 - such a fine carb. They give you the matrix to find the right tune for your elevation - it's so easy. Remanufactured for $199, or new for $244 - it's a no-brainer. Go with the new one.

 

No matter how fast you go up Parley's Canyon, there's always somebody going faster.

 

Spikedog:

Going up Parleys Canyon, the passing lane speed usually averages 80MPH. Coming down Parleys Canyon, the passing lane speed is just shy of the last Bonneville Salt Flats ground speed record.

 

First of all, Edelbrock recommends a 600cfm carb for engines up to a 400cid, so a 600 cfm would be just fine. A 750 is too much carb for the small block, but will work. Just a little big. 750 is good for the Ford 460 though.

I have a 600cfm Edelbrock on my '79 400M engine w/comp cam 268, and up'd the compression ratio to about 9.5:1, MSD ignition, stock exhaust manifolds on single stock exhaust (got headers and dual planned for the future), Performer intake, rocker rollers, and roller timing chain.

The question I have is about tuning the carb, and whether I should replace the jets and or metering rods. The car stumbles a little bit at part throttle, and when I pulled a spark plug, it looked to me like the engine is running a little on the lean side. Should I replace the jets and or metering rods with larger ones? If so, which ones should I use?

The stock #1406 Edelbrock jets are .098 for the primaries and .075 x .047 metering rods.

Any recommendations? Or should I just use the jets and rods that are in it now?

Thanks guys!

 

The #1406 is a bit on the lean side for economy puposes out-of-the-box. Try going one step rich on the calibrtion chart in the Cruise mode. This is only a metering rod change. There is no need to change jets. You can buy the calibration kit or just the metering rods that you need.

 

I'm sorry but I gotta stir the pot....welcome to Ford math:

4x4x4x.7854x8=402.124ci
4x4x3.5x.7854x8=351.8592ci

So, our 400's are 402 and our 351's are 352. I kinda wished Ford would have used the right displacement: 302, 352, 402. Of course we would have then had 4 different 352 ci engines.

Boy, I sure hijacked this post! Must be the beers.....

 

I screwed with a Holley for 6 months. I finally got it tuned perfect. I threw it on the bench and bought a Edelblah. That was the best darn thing I could have done with a Holley. Some people like Holleys, I never could get them to run right. I've bought books, jets, PV, nedle and seats, rebuild kits. I have enough Holley parts to open a carb shop. Put the Edelbla 1405 on, set with vacume gauge,8% leaner rods for the right color on the plugs, AND IT HAS RUN PERFACTLY EVER SINCE THEN. Can you tell I'm biased? Honestly unless you know Holley's in and out and have had good luck with them, buy and Edelblah. You won't be sorry.

P.S. the cfm rating should be based on cam and RPM range. For a mild 400 that sees less than 5000rpm on a daily bases, 600cfm is about perfect.

 

I'll buy the metering rod today, and will throw it in first chance. Thanks guys, this site rocks out loud!!

I bought a Holly 750. Once. Never again! Right out of the box, the vacuum secondaries would stick open during throttle open, making my idle jump to 3000 rpms, and when you shut it off, there would be an inexplicable puddle of gasoline in my intake manifold in a few hours. I never did find the problem, instead, I bought an Edelbrock and gave the Holly away.