Help needed
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 212
Likes: 0
Help needed
I have a driveability problem with my 48 with a 351W motor. I thought I had it all sorted out last year but yesterday the problems started again..I have an Edelbrock 600 cfm carb (previous history unknown) on this motor. The engine runs fine at speed and the plugs all look good (no fouling) but the engine stumbles when it accelerates off idle.Almost to the point that it stalls. Playing with the timing and also withthe carb mixture needles have not made much of a difference in the problem. Is it time to replace this carb or am I overlooking another problem? I just replaced the points and reset the timing and dwell but the problem still remains. It also smells like the motor is running rich no matter what rods I put in the metering rods in the carb.
Postmaster
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 2,958
Likes: 1
I had not touched a carb in 20 years until I bought my 56. It had a stumble or a dead spot on acceleration. Everything was new and checked out. Dad rebuilt the carb and that solved the problem. Its a 272 Y-block and a holly 2100 carb though.
Senior User
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 160
Likes: 0
From: Chino, Calif.
What type of intake are you running? Dual or single plane. What temp thermostat are you running? Does it do it always or only when not fully warmed up? I have an edelbrock 600 on my 292 that sat in the box for a couple years, ended up there was still a little petrol in it and it gummed it up. I would take it apart and clean the hell out of it, especially if you don't know it's history. If your changing things and adjusting and it still smells rich at idle it sounds as though somthing in the idle circuit is plugged not letting it get enough oxygen. Good luck, keep us updated. 
Lead Driver
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 8,813
Likes: 13
From: Littleton, New Hampshire
The accelerator pump may be bad. Holleys have an adjustment where you can adjust the amount of fuel that enters the carburetor when you pump the accelerator. I don't know if Edelbrocks have them or not. If so, you could try enriching it. Since you smell gas it might be too rich too. You could try leaning out the adjustment. The carb mixture screws only affects idle. 
Vern
Vern
Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 15,882
Likes: 88
From: Durham NC
Problem may be too much carb depending on other engine mods. Yes it's possible to have too much of a good thing. A vaccuum gauge you can watch when driving can tell you a lot about what's happening.
Postmaster
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 4,190
Likes: 2
From: Riverside, So Cal
I run a 600 cfm Edelbrock on my 351C. I think it is the perfect size for that motor. You can stop messing with the timing. It is the carb.
I too had some stumbling and also a flat spot thru the rpm range. Not being any kind of expert on carbs, I resisted the idea of messing with it. I took it to a "dyno guy" and all he did was screw up the settings. So, I bought an Edelbrock carb calibration kit. It comes with a variety of needle sizes and springs. The instructions are pretty good. It has charts that help explain the effect of various settings. After some fiddling around and trial putts around the neighborhood, I had it running perfectly in an afternoon. Well worth the time and (few) bucks.
BTW, you can stop messing with the adjustment screws. They only affect the idle, but if you richen them up, it will generally richen the mixture while running. Set them and leave them. Instructions for those are in the kit too. You'll be an Edelbrock expert in no time.
I too had some stumbling and also a flat spot thru the rpm range. Not being any kind of expert on carbs, I resisted the idea of messing with it. I took it to a "dyno guy" and all he did was screw up the settings. So, I bought an Edelbrock carb calibration kit. It comes with a variety of needle sizes and springs. The instructions are pretty good. It has charts that help explain the effect of various settings. After some fiddling around and trial putts around the neighborhood, I had it running perfectly in an afternoon. Well worth the time and (few) bucks.
BTW, you can stop messing with the adjustment screws. They only affect the idle, but if you richen them up, it will generally richen the mixture while running. Set them and leave them. Instructions for those are in the kit too. You'll be an Edelbrock expert in no time.
Trending Topics
Cargo Master
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,497
Likes: 5
From: Tucson AZ
FTE Stories
Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts
AEV FXL Super Duty - the Super Duty Raptor Ford Doesn't Make
Brett Foote
Lobo Vs Lobo: Proof the F-150 Lobo Should Be Even Lower!
Michael S. Palmer
Ford's 2001 Explorer Sportsman Concept Looks For a New Home
Verdad Gallardo
10 Best Ford Truck Engines We Miss the Most!
Joe Kucinski
2026 Shelby F-150 Off-Road: Better Than a Raptor R?
Brett Foote
2027 Super Duty Carhartt Package First Look: 12 Things You NEED to Know!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Most Surprising 2026 Ford Truck Features!
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 Ford Trucks Coming to Mecum Indy 2026
Brett Foote
5 Best / 5 Worst Ford Truck Wheels of All Time
Joe Kucinski
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 212
Likes: 0
Thanks for your suggestions on the problem. I just found a good deal locally on a new Edelbrock 1406 carb so I think I am going to replace it rather than fix the old one since the old one had alot of tinkering and who knows what else done to it. I'll try the new one out and let you know the results. Thanks again