How can I make it so I can just get in start it up and go with a carb?

[WH23G3G]

This Edlebrock #1400 is still giving me trouble. Back at the end of the summer a hot rod guy came over and adjusted the mixture, revving it up high, then readjusting. He did that several times til it was good. We drove it around and he said it should be fine to drive but the carb was too small and the 4bbl wasn't kicking in unless you manually shift. He was able to get it the rear end sliding when he had it in first without the carb stalling like it did before. I started it a few weeks ago after adding some fuel stabilizer for 10-15 mins. Then added 4.5 gallons of 93 octane yesterday before we drove it around but it was in the 40s. I could tell it was too rich or lean because I smelled the fumes pretty bad. So I know it needs another adjustment. It took a bit to get it started and running, but we went ahead and drove it around the block a few times. I didn't sit there and let it warm up for 5 mins, I just wanted to go. It surged every once and awhile like it wasn't getting fuel, especially when slowing down to turn. Then doing a turn and up a slight incline it stalled and took probably 10 mins of cranking to get it going again. Then when it did start it smoked for less than a minute, then actually hauled pretty good. Getting up to 50+ for just a few seconds. Then when we turned again it cut off and started back up without as much trouble. I've been meaning to swap this Edlebrock out for a 750 Street Demon with the phenolic bowl or swapping back to the original 73 intake, choke, and Thermoquad. What's it going to take to make this a reliable get in and go motor? Not an Edelbrock I know. Good thing is I didn't feel that violent vibration anymore after I fixed my u-joint, was actually pretty smooth.

[Dino]

I've been struggling with finding an answer for this as well and for a modern type get in and go the answer is EFI.  The closest to get with a carb would be having a good choke.  My thermoquad did not like being without a choke but now starts up fine, even though I need to crank it a few seconds to get the fuel back to the carb if it sits for a while.  I still need to wait for it to warm up though as it will stall if I take off too soon.  Thats just how it is with these things in the cold.  I still take off after having it run for  minute or so, I just need to put it in neutral when I take my foot off the gas.  Once I'm out of the sub and onto the main road it warms up pretty quick and it'll idle in drive again.

A bigger carb will probably help.  My 1406 seems fine for the 440,  but the TQ is better.

[69wannabe]

What engine, ignition system and fuel pump are you running in it??? I hate to tell you but when it's cold outside say 45 and under if it is has a carb it's gonna have to warm up a little bit before you take off. I have had a few of the 1406 electric choke edelbrock carbs work good. Had a real good one on a 383. My buddy has a holley 750 vacuum secondary on his 440 with electric choke that works pretty good too. I don't have a working choke at all on my charger and starts up and runs good when it's warmer outside and when it's cold like lately I have to let it warm up a few mins before I drive it down the road. If you want to just jump in and go in winter weather you better save some cash and fuel inject it!!!

[XH29N0G]

There are big changes going to cold weather, and I end up warming up my car for 20 minutes or so ( well after the choke stops, until the temperature gauge comes up and then drops and comes up again after the thermostat opens).  I run it at 1200-1500 rpm.  Even then, it does not run right until it is driven a little.  The issue is in part (I think) no thermal crossover on my manifold.  Unfortunately, I do not have an edelbrock carburetor so won't be able to help.  Just wanted to put in my 2 cents about the impact of colder weather.

[69wannabe]

A good working and properly adjusted choke will start and run pretty nicely. I really hate to admit this but the best choke set up's that I have ever worked with is the quadrajet carbs. I have had couple of oldsmobile's with the Q-jet carbs and the choke set up's on them carbs worked great. You could pretty much jump in start it up and go. I have rebuilt several Q-jets and for a stock type of engine these are hard to beat but sure don't look good sitting on top of a mopar engine!!

[Firetodd]

You have asked the million dollar question. I am not thrilled with my Edelbrock 1406. I will be getting a Proform carb soon.

[WH23G3G]

I'm running stock distributor,mopar wires, orange ignition module, and stock fuel pump. It has the weiand action plus intake. I know efi would be nice but don't know if the car is worth it. I figured the best the car ever ran was when it was new. So stock intake and carb is what I want but this Demon 750 would be easiest to swap out now without changing intakes again. Would perform as good as the Thermoquad? I might go get it today.

[c00nhunterjoe]

Total combination and tuning determines how it will be mannered.
I have a respectable cam(1300 rpm choppy idle), single plane intake, 750 holley with no choke. In the warmer months it fires up and will idle after a few seconds of running. Duri g the cold months before salt hits, it fires right up and will idle on its own after about 30 seconds and i can take off and drive. Cant run it hard till it warms up due to high oil pressure readings.
   All it takes is the right parts, time, and patience.

[Ghoste]

And do not expect it to be like your late model fuel injected car.

[c00nhunterjoe]

And do not expect it to be like your late model fuel injected car.

You cant just throw different heads, intake, big cam, gearing, exhaust...etc etc etc on the late model cars without custom tuning. The stock programming doesnt like it. Its no different then a carb. You just manually change your timing, ignition curve, and jetting.....

[1974dodgecharger]

I think i got mine down pretty darn good, but i have a manual.  I can now start car, rev between 1k and 1500 a min, and it will idle and go...i think having a electric fan helped also it lets it warm up faster vs mechanical where its blowing at idle.

Last year this time, it took me 5mins or so i wasted more gas revving at 1500 to 2k so it could idle freely to drive home from work.  I had a mech. Fan past year also.....

[WH23G3G]

I thought I needed a electric fan too but my mechanic said I don't that it's not overheating. When I drove it the one time in the 90 degree summer I know it shut off do to heat boiling the gas in this Edelbrock. They make an insulator gasket 9266 does anyone know if it actually helps? It gets really hot under this hood even though it's not overheating. Anyway I bought the Demon 750 last night but I want the shop to install it. What do I do with the vapor canister purge hose? There is no connection for it on the street demon.

[Brass]

I have a double pumper 4778 with an electric choke kit.  Two slow pumps to the floor, turn the key, and it lights right up.  I put it in neutral for a few seconds if it has been sitting to fill the torque converter, then into gear and I'm gone.  No warm up time - but I also don't lay on it hard until its at full operating temperature.  No EFI, no fuss, no cab fumes. 

[ws23rt]

How to make a car with a carb start and go?
I don't recall having any starting problems with my cars back when they were new--so what is different now?
My C500 and my hemi coronet (both all stock) start just fine with the exception that on both cars the carbs (on a hot engine) tend to boil themselves dry as the engine cools. I read that this is the current normal.
---An experiment with starting both and shutting them down before they warm up.--- After a couple of weeks they both start instantly.
Some folks have added electric fuel pumps to their cars so the starter motor is relieved from that duty at initial (empty carb)start.
I am tempted to do the same to my cars.

Just a hairball thought----The overflow cans for the cooling system catch and return coolant that is expelled when the engine is shut off (because of boiling) and is returned by a vacuum created when the engine cools.

[WH23G3G]

Well I definitely need to at least redo the mixture adjustment before I drive it to the shop I have it worked on regularly. But as of today I'm not sure I can even do the mixture procedure right eventhough it seemed pretty straightforward to me. I've done it over and over on my Slant Six Valiant with a remanufactured Holley 1920 and it's only got the one mixture screw and I can't seem to get it right at all. It idles fine and smooth and no fumes or smoke. Then when I put into drive and take off it spits and smokes like it's too lean or rich. No vacuum leaks, timing is at specs 2.5 degrees BTC, dwell is 42.5, new choke thermostat, and idle is 550rpm. Before today it was running a lot better but not perfect so I decided to redo the procedure. Now it's worse. So now I'm scared to touch the mixture screws on this Edelbrock on my Charger before I drive it 20 miles to the shop. What's the trick on doing it with a vacuum gauge? Just keep turning the screw in and out until the highest reading shows up? I was almost tempted to buy a gas analyzer to help me but then I looked at how to use it and figured it would make it worse. But at least then I could have it close to the ideal ratio and see how it behaves then. Can you do the same with a vacuum gauge? I got this Demon 750 I want to get put on here and I don't want it to just sit in the box for months because I can't get the car to the shop with the Edelbrock carb on there now set up the way it is. If I can the mixture on this Edelbrock back correctly I think I could get it over to the shop and let an expert install this Demon carb the right way.

[Dino]

Idle at 550?  Did you mean 850?

Set both idle mixture screws 2 turns out to start.  Hook the vacuum gauge up to manifold vacuum and turn one screw to find the highest vacuum reading, then do the other side.  Both should be set pretty much the same.

[WH23G3G]

Yeah the 550RPM was the idle speed on my 65 Valiant I tried to adjust the mixture on today it's a 170 Slant Six with a 1bbl Holley. That's the factory recommended idle speed. But that's another good question for my 73 Charger on idle speed. My 73 Charger 400 4bbl says 850RPM on the VECI label under the hood but I think under the fuel specs section in the 73 Chassis manual it says 750RPM. Having an aftermarket Edelbrock 4bbl carb should I put it at 750RPM or 850RPM or even lower? Is it going to make it easier to adjust using a vacuum gauge instead of just watching the rpms move up when I turn in one screw? Do I just plug in the vacuum gauge to my intake manifold port like where the a/c switch hose goes since I'm not using it or do I have to plug it somewhere on the carburetor? 

[Dino]

I'd use the vacuum gauge to get a clear reading and use the port on the intake manifold you have plugged.  Set the idle to how you like it but set it while it's in drive.  Don't set it so low that it nearly dies though.  I think mine's around 750 in drive but I haven't checked it in a while.

[69wannabe]

Timing is at 2.5 BTC??? Dude the timing atleast needs to read around 12 or 14 BTC. Like Dino said above idiling should be around 850 rpm's in park and maybe 650 in drive. Even if your engine is stock it will still like the timing advanced and a higher idle will be better for it too... I don't think my car would even start with the timing that low!! Mine is set at 18 BTC initial. I know what the service manual says but these day's it's going with what works!!

[WH23G3G]

No the 2.5 degrees and 550 rpm is for my 65 Valiant. I'm experiencing similar problems with it too but it's easier to mess with since it's a 1bbl. But the most important issue is getting my 73 Charger running more reliable so I can have fun driving it and not be worried that it's going to stall in the middle of the road in the traffic. It's never light traffic where I am. When I drove it home in the summer it cut off in the intersection, no overheating, a thermostat was replaced a few days before which was the overheating cause. The shop said he let it idle for an hour and it never overheated. It just got excessively hot under the hood. I was told by this mechanic who is a Mopar fan who works on old Mopars regularly at his shop that it does get hot under the hood especially in the summer because it's such a big motor. I never realized because I'm use to driving a 4 cylinder truck now driving a 4.0 92 Ranger which I can feel the dramatic difference in underhood heat compared to my 4 Cylinder Ranger so I guess it makes sense. But I think that time my Charger heat soaked or vapor locked which I've read is expected on an Edelbrock. Even in the manual it has a section Excessive Underhood Temperatures use divided heat insulator gasket #9266. I don't think mine has one. I just went out and looked over the carb and didn't see a thick spacer like that, also the ported vacuum switch isn't hooked up to the carb anymore. He's just got the vacuum advance on the distributor going straight to the carb and the ported vacuum switch port open where it should be hooked to the vacuum advance. Do I need to hook up the OSAC valve, ported vacuum switch, and pre-heater hose? I know that vacuum switch aids in engine overheating, sounds like a good thing to have working. I'm trying to make this Edelbrock work good enough for me to drive back to the shop and have him install this Demon 750 I've got sitting here!

[WH23G3G]

So I'm going to try and make this Edelbrock 1400 work. My mechanic told me not to put the Demon 750 on my 400 because it was too big and I would have fuel problems. So I'm going to take the Edelbrock off install the 9266 heat insulator gasket, new fuel filter, and try to hook up all the original vacuum hoses on the car. Can anyone tell me where to hook up the OSAC valve hose, heated air inlet hose, and purge canister hose? I've got 3 ports on the front of this 1400 Edelbrock one is timed vacuum, one is pcv, one is manifold vacuum, and there is one in the rear that can be added for power brake port. I think I know where the OSAC hose would go on the timed vacuum port, pcv obviously to pcv port, and maybe the heated inlet air hose to the manifold vacuum port on the carb? What about the one hose on my evaporation canister that's marked PURGE? Can I put it on the back port which says it's for a power brake port? I don't know if the purge hose needs full vacuum or what? Only the 1400 has a connection on the top of the bowl for the big 3/8" evaporation canister hose. But the other one coming off of the evap canister is marked PURGE and I don't know where I should install it?

[HANDM]

Both the 69 Charger 383 and now sold 73 Cuda 440, both have new or rebuilt 1406 edelbrock carbs. I can every time without fail, winter or summer, hop in and fire them up give them two light revs followed by three to four longer and increasingly hard revs up to 4000 or so.
Of course when they haven't been started in weeks or more, and the carbs are empty, I use fresh gas down the throat for initial fire up.
Once done, the will run and drive as though they are at normal operating temperature.

No choke hooked up to either

70 Challenger 318, same carb, one pump, set the choke and it has to warm all the way up to run properly

[WH23G3G]

So I called Demon tech line today and even they said the 750 is too big. How could an original 800 CFM Thermoquad work back when a 73 Charger 400-4bbl was new and be fine? But now it's too big unless you're racing. The guy said as long as you're not drag racing the 750 is overkill. So I guess I'm going to try and make this Edelbrock 1400 work. If it doesn't I can always go back original. I just have to figure out why in the summer when I drove it all the way home from work, about 15 miles and it cut off with no warning 1 mile from home. It was hot, 95 degrees that day, and a couple people had messed with the mixture at work. Then when it cut off on the way home, I was able to restarting, very hard to start then, but then went a few more yards and pulled it in a shop and left it. Then another guy tried to help me get it restarted he jammed the mixture screws all the way in while I was starting it, blew one muffler apart when it backfired. Quit and came back a few hours later, a friend again ran the mixture screws in and 2 1/2 out, it started right up and drove it home, no problem. So the mechanic I wanted to take it to now said there's nothing wrong with that Edelbrock even if he hasn't looked at it. He said I need to find out why it cut off like that in the summer. Keeping in mind, he's certain he's got the timing correct and no vacuum leaks, and choke is hooked up and working. Now I need to know what to begin to check? I'm going to take the carb off for sure and add this 9266 adapter plate just for added insurance of too much underhood heat.

[c00nhunterjoe]

Sounds to me like you have way too many hands in the mix. I was never a big fan of the edlebrock carbs but there is nothing wrong with them. A little harder to tune then a holley but in the end, if done right, they will accomplish the same thing.
      There is ALOT more to it then just turning the idle screws in and out...... if that is all your "mechanic" does to tune it then you need a new mechanic, one who is good with carbs. Ideally, you need another car guy, not a shop. A shop is not going to want to spend the needed time to tune a carb. It can take hours of driving through various scenarios to do it right, including pulling plugs on the side of the road. A shop isnt going to make money on your job, and if they quoted you a price to do it right, you wouldnt want to pay it.
      If your 400 is bone stock, then that demon is a tad large, but it can be jetted and tuned to run very well. There is alot more adjustability in that style carb, but thats a whole nother topic of discussion.
     Your description of the summer problem is vague, but sounds like a fuel boiling problem.

[1974dodgecharger]

EXACTLY!!! 

Also I would rather have a big carb than a small carb at least with a large one you can jet it down.

Sounds to me like you have way too many hands in the mix. I was never a big fan of the edlebrock carbs but there is nothing wrong with them. A little harder to tune then a holley but in the end, if done right, they will accomplish the same thing.
      There is ALOT more to it then just turning the idle screws in and out...... if that is all your "mechanic" does to tune it then you need a new mechanic, one who is good with carbs. Ideally, you need another car guy, not a shop. A shop is not going to want to spend the needed time to tune a carb. It can take hours of driving through various scenarios to do it right, including pulling plugs on the side of the road. A shop isnt going to make money on your job, and if they quoted you a price to do it right, you wouldnt want to pay it.
      If your 400 is bone stock, then that demon is a tad large, but it can be jetted and tuned to run very well. There is alot more adjustability in that style carb, but thats a whole nother topic of discussion.
     Your description of the summer problem is vague, but sounds like a fuel boiling problem.