View Poll Results: 390 vs 460 What to do?
Voters: 31. You may not vote on this poll
390 vs. 460
Old School Hot Rodder
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 6,472
Likes: 11
From: Exmore, VA
I just saw this thread, but I will stick a few things in. First, I didn't vote because I don't like AFBs on Fords, I prefer Holleys, in particular the 1969 428 CJ 735cfm carb. It will light up either engine, either stock or mildly modified. I had a 390 4V camper special engine in a 1977 F-150. Running a 3.25 9" rear, it was damn fast and got 15-16mpg consistantly on the highway and even got 17 with my son driving it. My current truck, an 86 F-350 has a 460 in it, non-catalyst. It gets a steady 10mpg unless I really load it, then it will get around 7.5mpg. With a 3.55 rear and dual wheels, the 460 can light all 4 tires, yes, the 460 has more torque, but it weighs more and is bigger. Both engines had or have C6 trannys. I had a custom set of dual exhausts on the 77 that I designed to clear the dual tanks and work with a slide in camper, the 86 has the factory 2.5" dual pipes to the mufler followed by the huge single tail pipe with the screens knocked out.
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Senior User
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 453
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From: Royse City TX
AFB? The engines already have the Edelbrocks on them or I would go with a Holley. The Carb I just put on the 390 is a 750 cfm (but i cant get the engine to start now). Anyways I'm leaning towards keeping the 390 now but I'm still not sure.
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 6,056
Likes: 8
From: Union, Washington
All the Edelbrock carbs are is the old AFBs prettied up and marketed as something new. They are very old technoogy, older than the Holley 4150/4160 and at least twice as hard to tune properly. Holleys are KISS to tune and once you learn you will never go back.
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Senior User
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 453
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From: Royse City TX
So AFB is like Carter? I'm Lost and still relatively new to workin on these things. I just always saw my niehbors truck with an Edelbrock and bought one of my own (which I'm probably going to return cause it don't work)
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 6,056
Likes: 8
From: Union, Washington
Carter = AFB = Edelbrock. Edelbrock bought Carter and made them pretty and now market them as Edelbrock. They are nothing new.
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 6,056
Likes: 8
From: Union, Washington
AFB was a series of Carter carbs. Lots of dual 4 barrel set ups like the Chrysler Hemis sported them.
Old School Hot Rodder
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 6,472
Likes: 11
From: Exmore, VA
AFB = Aluminum Four Barrel, replacing the Carter WCFB starting in 1957, the Holley 4150 also started in 1957 replacing the 4000. Carter AFBs or Edelbrocks are tuned by changing either or both metering rods and jets, they have mechanical secondaries and once you finally get them set up, they usually hold a tune pretty well. Holley uses jets, metering bodies on the 4160 series and different value power valves. They can be more tempermental, but most have vacuum secondaries, which tuned right never bog. I have messed with all of them, Rochester, Holley, Carter, Weber, Stromberg, SU, Zenith, Hitachi, Aisan, Keihin, Nikki, Solex, FoMoCo, Autolite, Motorcraft, Marvel-Shebler and a few I can't even remember the names of. They all have good and bad points and idiosyncrasies. Some work better on some engines than others, I just prefer Holleys on Fords.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 6,056
Likes: 8
From: Union, Washington
AFB = Aluminum Four Barrel, replacing the Carter WCFB starting in 1957, the Holley 4150 also started in 1957 replacing the 4000. Carter AFBs or Edelbrocks are tuned by changing either or both metering rods and jets, they have mechanical secondaries and once you finally get them set up, they usually hold a tune pretty well. Holley uses jets, metering bodies on the 4160 series and different value power valves. They can be more tempermental, but most have vacuum secondaries, which tuned right never bog. I have messed with all of them, Rochester, Holley, Carter, Weber, Stromberg, SU, Zenith, Hitachi, Aisan, Keihin, Nikki, Solex, FoMoCo, Autolite, Motorcraft, Marvel-Shebler and a few I can't even remember the names of. They all have good and bad points and idiosyncrasies. Some work better on some engines than others, I just prefer Holleys on Fords.
Old School Hot Rodder
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 6,472
Likes: 11
From: Exmore, VA
Hey, Bear, I didn't use the nickname of those. The only people I have found who like them are some of the off-road guys. When they work, you can damn near stand them on their side and they will still deliver fuel properly due to the central location of the metering parts in the circular float bowl.
Last edited by 85lebaront2; Jul 30, 2008 at 07:50 AM. Reason: typo
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Senior User
Joined: May 2008
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From: Royse City TX
So what Holley do y'all recomend for the 390? http://www.jegs.com/p/Holley/743853/10002/-1/10271
Old School Hot Rodder
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 6,472
Likes: 11
From: Exmore, VA
That one is actually larger than I would use on a truck engine. Ford only used a 600cfm carb on the 390 GT Mustang engine, the 1969 428 CJ 735cfm would really light one of those up. I used the stock 1976 camper special Holley on mine. It was 600cfm. The "old" Holley number for a good 600cfm carb was R-1850, which was OEM on the 1958 Lincoln 430 engine. The current version is, I think, O-1850-3 and is now a hand choke version, but can be converted. Keep in mind you are dealing with a relatively heavy vehicle, so you want low end power (torque) which a 390 is very good at producing even in a low compression version. According to Archion, it ran something like 13 flat in a 1/4 mile with the 3.25 gear and 235/75R15 tires. BTW, josh, I have seen Chevy Ambulances, a number of rescue squads around here have them.
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Senior User
Joined: May 2008
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From: Royse City TX
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Senior User
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 453
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From: Royse City TX
I have too, (once) but whose side are you on? I put that up after the only Chevy ambulance I've ever seen broke down on the way to the hospital with my dad in it. (true story)
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Senior User
Joined: May 2008
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From: Royse City TX