Preferred carburetor for mild 360?

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Cal_gecko

Citron Yella!!
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I've got a 360 in my 71 Dart, Comp Cams XE268H, Edelbrock Performer intake, Pertronix ignition, MSD 6AL, headers, and it currently has an Edelbrock Peformer 600cfm carb (model 1405). From what I've heard, the Edelbrock carbs are NOT the preferred carbs. I've never had the car on the road, so I don't have any experience with how the carb works in real world driving.

Some of my friends who drive Chevys have been telling me that Holley's are easier to maintain and tune for performance...

What do you guys use? This will be a mild build for fun and occasional track use (just to see how it does).. I want something reliable and easy to tune..

Thanks
 
I run a 625 cfm. Carter on my 360 Magnum which is the same as an Edelbrock. It could probably use a bigger Holley for more power but this carb is great for the street; it is in fact VERY easy and forgiving to tune (it will stay in tune through changes in weather conditions and doesn't need to be fiddled with as much). Also tends to get better gas mileage than a Holley if that's any concern to you. You wouldn't hurt anything by running what you have for starters, but you may get more HP by swapping on something like a 750 cfm Holley vac. secondary (or mechanical if you got steep gears and/or stick-shift). What's the rest of your drivetrain setup like?

Oh and always take a Chevy guy's recommendations with a grain of salt LOL j/k
 
Cal_gecko said:
I've got a 360 in my 71 Dart, Comp Cams XE268H, Edelbrock Performer intake, Pertronix ignition, MSD 6AL, headers, and it currently has an Edelbrock Peformer 600cfm carb (model 1405). From what I've heard, the Edelbrock carbs are NOT the preferred carbs. I've never had the car on the road, so I don't have any experience with how the carb works in real world driving.

Some of my friends who drive Chevys have been telling me that Holley's are easier to maintain and tune for performance...

What do you guys use? This will be a mild build for fun and occasional track use (just to see how it does).. I want something reliable and easy to tune..

Thanks
Click to expand...

For everyday use the Eddy/Carter carb is just fine. I have a eddy 1406 on my 73 duster, been using it for 5 yrs or so...now the time I have taken it to the drags I put a holley 750 dp on it. But for everyday use the eddy gets the job done...nice to have an electric choke for the winter time also.

Use what you got for now...
 
I was into (friends, others) and ran Holleys for years "in a previous life." I've probably been into a couple hundred. "Back then" was before the "improved" power valve setup was out, and I've replaced a LOT of power valves.

I don't know why everybody loves to hate AFBs or AVS's I think they are great carbs. I run a 650 Edelbrock "for now" and it just runs great on a mild 360

Lots of guys preach Thermo Quads, but I don't know where to get jets/ parts / etc for 'em.

I've also run Quadrajets "back then" on my 71 340, stock factory spread bore manifold. The thing about QJ is that there were MILLIONS of em, used on every GM car and pickup for years and years and years.
 
Thanks guys... to be honest, I don't know carbs very well .. and part of the reason I went with the Edelbrock was because I heard that it was easy to keep tuned. However, several of my friends run Holley's on their cars that they frequently race at the track, and get into the 9's and 10's ... so I appreciate their insight but they're more adept when it comes to tuning cars than I am. I've got someone working on the car right now, trying to get it to idle smoothly, but he's having a tough time... just not as smooth as he'd like. He thinks that it may be something with the idle circuit in the carb... meaning I'll probably need to take it apart when I get the car back from him, and go through it (he's not familiar with Edelbrock carbs)... the car has been sitting for several years, and I've started it up every now and then during that time, but it never really ran all that smooth. We did put in an electric fuel pump (and set it to 6psi), so the carb is getting plenty of gas... I just don't know if I really want to deal with taking the carb apart to try to figure out what's wrong.. I don't know if I'd recognize "something wrong" if I saw it. I'm more of a paint/body guy than an engine tuning guy :(
 
Formerly Carter, now Edelbrock AFBs are one of the easiest carbs to service, bar NONE. You can go to the Edelbrock website and download a manual for your carb if you don't have one.

Last time I got dirt in the idle circuit, I didn't even pull the carb off the car. Just pulled the top, the venturi boosters, and the idle screws, and squirted carb cleaner with a snorkel through all the passages. I hadn't been into an AFB in YEARS, and after a quick look "at the book" took me all of 20 minutes start to finish.

And I'm 63, with arthritis. I'm not NEARLY as fast as I used to be.

Here:

https://www.google.com/search?num=2...5.35.1.4.4.0.282.3367.9j18j2.29.0.43ZKqhu3hO4
 
I run a 600 cfm Carter AFB on my Challenger. I had a 625 cfm Carter on it before that. I also set up my g/f's '55 Coronet (270 ci V8 ) with a 500 cfm Edelbrock, brand new out of the box. They're easy to tune, and seem to hold up just fine. I haven't touched the 600 Carter on my Challenger in well over a year. Now that I've had a couple of them apart, I feel pretty comfortable setting them up and tuning them.

Holley's are good carbs too though, you shouldn't have any trouble finding a holley (or several) that will work for you. I have a 770 Street Avenger for my built up 340 when I get it into my Challenger, I'm sure I'll have to spend some time figuring that one out too.

There are advantages and disadvantages for both of them. It really comes down to what you know, and what you like to work on better. If you're going to keep taking it to the same engine guy, find out which one he likes better. Otherwise, pick which one you want to work on and spend some time figuring it out.

As far as a rough idle goes, A LOT of things could cause that. While it definitely could be the carburator, it could also be the timing, or for that matter ANY part of the ignition system. I usually suspect ignition before I suspect the carb.

Also, if the car sat, the gas in the tank is probably junk. It might run on it, but it won't run well until you've run a few tanks of fresh stuff through it. If you haven't done that yet, I'd hold off on doing much of anything in the way of tuning until all the old fuel is long gone.
 
i would use a holley 3310, it'll run better have more power and its easier to tune my 2 cents
 
Might try turning the fuel pressure down to 5 to 5.5 psi on your carb and see it that helps.
Every AFB or Eldebrock I have had will idle smooth.
Check for vacuum leaks, dont overlook or assume anything here.
Put a fresh fuel filter in while you are at it.
Fresh gas is a must, especially if it has a couple of year old gas in it.
 
I've also read where a lot of guys bash the Eddy carbs and I've had one that I couldn't get working right but that's it. Had several that worked great. I've also ran several Holley's down through the yrs. and had one or two of them I couldn't get to run right but as for ease of tuning I'd have to give it to the AFB/Eddelbrock design since you can easily swap the primary rods to change air/fuel ratio (primary side). They don't like a lot of fuel pressure though so keep it down to 5~5.5 psi and you should be fine. If you do want to switch to a Holley the Avenger's are nice street carbs. I doubt anything larger than 670 cfm will be a benefit to your mild 360.
 
Carter/Eddy fan here. Plus no gaskets below the fuel level. Damn Holleys allways leaked on me. Had an AFB 625 on a 72 Charger and loved it. Putting an Eddy AVS 650 on my 360 in the 73 Duster.
 
bad440 said:
i would use a holley 3310, it'll run better have more power and its easier to tune my 2 cents
Click to expand...
x2. The 3310 is a great street carb and seemed to make my 360 run nice and have crisp throttle response. I've run several carbs and the holley runs the best to me.
 
OK.. we'll bump the pressure down to about 5-5.5 .. it's at 6 right now.. also, he set the total timing at 32 degrees last night.. I advised him to bump that up to 34 or 35, per some suggestions from "another" mopar forum :)
 
The initial timing is what's important at idle... total number doesn't mean squat.

Do you know how much mechanical advance is in the distributor? It makes a big difference in how the car will idle. It's a two piece equation, initial + mechanical = total before any vacuum advance. Not enough initial and it will not idle as well as it could.
 
crackedback said:
The initial timing is what's important at idle... total number doesn't mean squat.

Do you know how much mechanical advance is in the distributor? It makes a big difference in how the car will idle. It's a two piece equation, initial + mechanical = total before any vacuum advance. Not enough initial and it will not idle as well as it could.
Click to expand...

Not sure.. it's a Pertronix distributor with MSD 6AL...
 
Put a timing light on it at idle. If it doesn't have about 15-16* on it at idle, it's not close to being right.

The problem with total timing method is this. If you time it for 32* total and the distributor has 28* of timing in it, you will have 4* initial which is garbage for any chrysler unless it has to pass smog! If it's got 16* mechanical, it will have 16* initial... BIG difference. I don't even run 318 2 bbl cars with factory initial settings. They were timed for emission compliance, not performance. The factory settings are junk, especially if you have any kind of performance cam and add ons.. I heard your car running in the video when it was pulling into the paint shop, IMHO, the idle tune up isn't even close.

Here's a car with the same cam, 360 and it idles a bunch cleaner than yours... Notice any difference?

[ame=http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v655/crackedback/?action=view&current=DemonontheRoad009-1.mp4]
th_DemonontheRoad009-1.jpg
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16 initial on it.

My suggestion is read that article Abodyjoe posted over at the "other" site. Set fuel pressure to 5 psi and try tuning it. If ANYONE setting up your car ever tells you that initial timing doesn't matter, run like hell... They are WRONG!
 
Edelbrock AFB....1405 or 1406....depending on if you want Electric or Manual Choke.

(1) gasket.....
(2) metering rods
(4) Jets

Simple.

make sure you use an Isolator Gasket under the carb for less heat absorbtion...into the body of the carb.

Like said above....there are too many variables to diagnosing a "rough idle".

Ignition System:
Spark Plugs - gapped to .035"
Spark Plug Wires
Distributor Cap and Rotor

Then its just a matter of setting Initial Timing at where the engine likes to crank the best....I use a Vacuum Gauge and set the Initial wherever the HIGHEST and STEADIEST vacuum reading is....then..Set the Idle to around 800rpm-900rpm.....then the idle mixture screws need to be set....and you do that by baseline'ing the screws to 1.5 turns out from seated....and adjusted each side OUT till you hear a Raise in rpm, then IN till you hear a Drop and average the position between the two....ON EACH SIDE.

I would run a Edelbrock over a Holley on a "primarily street driven" vehicle.
They are SIMPLE'er.

You think tuning a Edelbrock is hard.....wait till you have to really dig into a HOLLEY.
My .02

Good Luck
 
I went from 0 expiernce with carbs and rebuilt an Eddie 750 afb style carb myself. Very simple once you get it apart. One thing I can see is that the design of the Eddie keeps it from leaking, the carb body is a giant bowl so there is nowhere for the fuel to leak. The Holleys all have a gasket sealing the fuel bowls shut, seems this would be prone to leaking over time.

Plus the adjustment is easy for new metering rods, just take the air cleaner off, two bolts hold down little doors and the rods pop right out. I think you have to take the Holley apart to rejet.

Plus if you are going for more of a stock "look" most mopars came with Carter AFB/AVS carbs, so the Eddies look more the part than a big ol' "double pumper."
 
crackedback said:
Put a timing light on it at idle. If it doesn't have about 15-16* on it at idle, it's not close to being right.

The problem with total timing method is this. If you time it for 32* total and the distributor has 28* of timing in it, you will have 4* initial which is garbage for any chrysler unless it has to pass smog! If it's got 16* mechanical, it will have 16* initial... BIG difference. I don't even run 318 2 bbl cars with factory initial settings. They were timed for emission compliance, not performance. The factory settings are junk, especially if you have any kind of performance cam and add ons.. I heard your car running in the video when it was pulling into the paint shop, IMHO, the idle tune up isn't even close.

Here's a car with the same cam, 360 and it idles a bunch cleaner than yours... Notice any difference?



16 initial on it.

My suggestion is read that article Abodyjoe posted over at the "other" site. Set fuel pressure to 5 psi and try tuning it. If ANYONE setting up your car ever tells you that initial timing doesn't matter, run like hell... They are WRONG!
Click to expand...

Wow.. that sounds WAY different. The video that I had posted was before ANY tuning, before putting an electric pump and regulator, before adjusting timing, etc.. it's coming home tomorrow, so I'll see how it's running then.. hopefully a bit smoother!
I do have the Pertronix ignitor conversion kit in it.. not sure if that would impact the timing advance or not... but when I get it back, I'll see if I can play with a few things too
Thanks for posting that video.. nice to hear how it's SUPPOSED to sound.
 
If you just installed the Pertronix ignitor conversion kit it didn't affect the timing at all. All it does is replace the points or factory electronic pickup. With that said if you do what crackedback said it'll make a world of difference in how it idles, cruises at low speed, and even help the fuel economy some. I've done it to numerous cars over the past 30 yrs. including Chevy's and Ford's too and always get the same result.
 
Thanks.. she came back home tonight... I'm gonna check the plugs tomorrow, and then see about the initial timing too. Still running a little rough at idle...

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DnnfExmGvE&feature=youtu.be"]My 1971 Dart comes home - YouTube[/ame]

This was when we pulled her in the garage tonight after coming home from 5 months at the body shop.
 
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