Respectfully request what to look for when shopping for a used carb

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greymouser7 said:
i am looking at avs2 Edelbrock carbs on Facebook marketplace
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That model has not been out long so the odds are in your favor. I would ask the seller why he is selling it, if it had problems ect. You can download the tuning chart from the Edelbrock website and parts are plentiful.
I know they have a 500, a 650 and I think they just came out with an 800. You will like the carburetor. If you don't have a fuel pressure regulator plan in installing one with the install.
Good Luck.
 
Pretty hard if you cannot take it apart. I have a VERY nice (externally) Ed AFB that is a mess internally. Doubt I will ever get it straightened out.
 
greymouser7 said:
i am looking at avs2 Edelbrock carbs on Facebook marketplace
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you wanted to be pretty much stock the way it came or nothing Beyond a jet change.... and very important here, that the throttle shaft is not loose and wobbling in it's bushings. That will give a lean spike to the nearest cylinder and under wot as it climbs the rpm....blamo...things break.
 
Edelbrock carbs=garbage!!!..much better carbs out there to buy!!
 
What are your expectations for a used carburetor? To bolt on and go? How much are they asking?
 
I am going to be assembling & breaking in some 360’s over the next year, sense I have some time to work my project cars & collection of parts.

I bought a running ( I watched on test stand $250) 1978? 360 engine to test my wiring, and carbs, etc. on for these roller project cars so I don’t test a prepped engine build with break-in with unreliable, parts-achieving that 20 minutes, variable > 2000RPM break in without interruption.

Which is how I would test the carb, but I don’t have any experience tuning. Will probably buy O2 sensors and anything else (how expensive is a wide band??? Sensor) needed against reasonable cost.

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RustyRatRod said:
What are your expectations for a used carburetor? To bolt on and go? How much are they asking?
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$200, bolt on and adjust I guess, but without any adjusting experience. Thanks

Am looking at the Edelbrocks as a low maintenance, all around carb, living under the often suggested gossip: “Holley’s need more adjusting.”

DesertRat said:
If you don't have a fuel pressure regulator plan in installing one with the install.
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-thanks I actually forgot about that.
Isn’t there 2 different ways to setup/buy the pressure regulators? With or without return line-the first being much more expensive?
6 psi correct?

stroked340 said:
Edelbrock carbs=garbage!!!..much better carbs out there to buy!!
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I have followed your posts here along with others on FABO and assume you would recommend a 750 double pumper, either Holley, Quick Fuel, Holley-based Demon, or something along those lines.
A double pumper would go alright with the manual transmission cars I have, but I have no experience tuning, and only one car will be all out performance-the others will be freeway drivers, in hot traffic- stop and go 80, stop and go...
I did get a 3310 or is it 3311 and will try it out to, but want to try one of the new Edelbrocks.
 
That's a lot to pay for a used carburetor when you could put half again with it and buy new. DO it smart.
 
Rebuild what ever you buy and run it.

You need to know what you're doing before start.
There are guidelines.
If you're going to have a 4 Corner idle then the idle screws are going to want to be 1/2 to 3/4 turn out on all four idle mixture screws. If you're going to run a vacuum secondary Holley it's going to want to be about 1 and 1/2 turns out on the idle screws. If you're going to run a Edelbrock or AFB style carburetor they're going to want to be one and a half to two turns out.
Based on ootb specs.
Theres no need for testing if it's got new gaskets in it, no load break in... you're good.
What are you doing?
 
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stroked340 said:
Edelbrock carbs=garbage!!!..much better carbs out there to buy!!
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Sorry; gotta disagree. I have had big problems with a few Holleys, and have had amazing good luck with Eddys. My modified 340 runs like a top with the 650 Thunder series and will roast the tires.

RustyRatRod said:
That's a lot to pay for a used carburetor when you could put half again with it and buy new. DO it smart.
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I totally agree. New ones are not all the expensive. Plus think about this. If you are going to use it to test and tune engines, I would want to start with a known good carb.
 
greymouser7 said:
I am going to be assembling & breaking in some 360’s over the next year, sense I have some time to work my project cars & collection of parts.

I bought a running ( I watched on test stand $250) 1978? 360 engine to test my wiring, and carbs, etc. on for these roller project cars so I don’t test a prepped engine build with break-in with unreliable, parts-achieving that 20 minutes, variable > 2000RPM break in without interruption.

Which is how I would test the carb, but I don’t have any experience tuning. Will probably buy O2 sensors and anything else (how expensive is a wide band??? Sensor) needed against reasonable cost.

——————————————————————


$200, bolt on and adjust I guess, but without any adjusting experience. Thanks

Am looking at the Edelbrocks as a low maintenance, all around carb, living under the often suggested gossip: “Holley’s need more adjusting.”

-thanks I actually forgot about that.
Isn’t there 2 different ways to setup/buy the pressure regulators? With or without return line-the first being much more expensive?
6 psi correct?


I have followed your posts here along with others on FABO and assume you would recommend a 750 double pumper, either Holley, Quick Fuel, Holley-based Demon, or something along those lines.
A double pumper would go alright with the manual transmission cars I have, but I have no experience tuning, and only one car will be all out performance-the others will be freeway drivers, in hot traffic- stop and go 80, stop and go...
I did get a 3310 or is it 3311 and will try it out to, but want to try one of the new Edelbrocks.
Click to expand...
For what you are doing an AVS2 would be the perfect carburetor. You would want the 650 or 800 for the size of your engine. Don't waste your time buying used, just buy a new one. Don't forget to buy the insulating gasket that goes between the carburetor and the intake to prevent vapor lock and other negative issues. You don't need a return line for this type of install, just a good regulator. I set mine at 4.5#'s then moved it to 5#'s for my street motor. I think I paid about $200 for my wide band and if your are setting up an engine run test stand it will be the cherry on top for knowing what your motor is doing with respect to air/fuel. The Edelbrock support is pretty good and there are lots of videos to help. Your build sounds interesting, good luck!
 
I have seen new quick fuel carbs and refurbished carbs of multiple brands for cheaper than that. I'd rather buy a refurb for 180 and know what your getting than pay 200 for an unknown carb just my opinion! I will find a link and send it to you Ebay had refurbished street demons for 249 at one time
 
After reading the post about the car with unexpected rust on the front end I would be more concerned about finding an absolute stand up guy to buy a carb from instead of just finding a carb. That way you dont spend good money on a bad used carb that you could have spent on a new carb. See if one of the well known guys on here has a woking carb they would be willing to ship you for a reasonable price.
 
Just build your own holley design.
Buy a quick fuel or proform main body, meter block kit and throttle plate...then score some used bowls.
Probably gonna be my next carb, Frankenstein.
 
greymouser7 said:
I bought a running ( I watched on test stand $250) 1978? 360 engine to test my wiring, and carbs, etc. on for these roller project cars so I don’t test a prepped engine build with break-in with unreliable, parts-achieving that 20 minutes, variable > 2000RPM break in without interruption.
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Here's the thing - there is no load on the engine when run on a test stand. To do what you are asking just needs a carb that works from 0 (idle) to maybe 20% throttle opening. You need a 4 bbl mostly cause it will match the intake - might as well be the same configuration.
greymouser7 said:
Which is how I would test the carb, but I don’t have any experience tuning. Will probably buy O2 sensors and anything else (how expensive is a wide band??? Sensor) needed against reasonable cost.
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No. Test the carb on a something else. Break in is not the time to find float stuck or gasket leaking.

greymouser7 said:
$200, bolt on and adjust I guess, but without any adjusting experience. Thanks
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I'm not old but old enough to think 200 is a lot for a used carb.
You will have to do some adjusting when firing up - but basically they're all the same for what you need; enough idle speed to keep it running, get the choke off before it starts to die (you'll hear it and see it on a tach) then turn down the idle and if need be slightly adjust the mixture screws. Jets and rods aren't going to matter when running it in neutral. More important, check the ignition timing.

greymouser7 said:
Isn’t there 2 different ways to setup/buy the pressure regulators? With or without return line-the first being much more expensive?
6 psi correct?
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6 would be good, 5 would be good, 3 would be OK but at idle low for a mechanical pump.
If you're using a mechanical pump, get one that has the correct return spring and then a second regulator isn't needed.

Yes there are two ways. The cheapest way is a restricting regulator in the feed line (between pump and carb). A variation on that has a return from the regulator to the tank.
The other way a regulator after the carburetor inlets - it opens when pressure is exceed and the fuel goes to a return line to the tank.

greymouser7 said:
I did get a 3310 or is it 3311 and will try it out to, but want to try one of the new Edelbrocks.
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Probably a List 3310. You could use it.

greymouser7 said:
No sir
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First investment should be to buy a cheap (used) copy of Urich & Fisher.
Amazon.com: Buying Choices: Holley Carburetors & Manifolds: HPBooks-339
Read the first sections about how a downdraft carb works.
Carter's work about the same way - just some differences in execution.
Much of which is explained in the Chrysler Tech books and films.
like this one: Carburetion Fundamentals & Facts (Session 273) from the Master Technician's Service Conference
1970 Carburetion Fundamentals and Facts from The Master Technician Service Conference Series (Session 273)
 
stroked340 said:
Do you know how to tune a Holley properly???
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I am pretty good with carburetors. It wasn't a matter of tuning. I just had mechanical problems with them. It's kind of like when I paid through the nose for Michelin tires on a Jeep Grand Cherokee several years ago. The vehicle went from riding like a dream to riding like a lumber wagon. Plus, they didn't last nearly as long as the Goodyears they replaced. And with a considerably higher treadware number, I expected (and was promised) better. And before anyone wants to tell me that you cannot specifically compare exact treadware numbers between brands, I know that. But I went from about a 400 to about a 520, so I should have seen an increase in tread life. To this day I would not even consider Michelins, and I know a lot of people really like them. If a person has more than their fair share of problems with any specific brand of a given item, they will not like it no matter how many others swear by it.
 
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