Easiest way to tune a carter/edlebrock afb carb

[texas charger 73]

What's the easiest way to adjust a carter/eldbrock afb carb with just basic tools?  Don't you just tune it with air/fuel mixture screws on front? Mine is running extremely rich

[Ghoste]

Yeah, the screws on the front set the idle mixture.  For cruise conditions you may have to change springs in the step up pistons.  Edelbrock has a real good primer on tuning these carbs on their website.

[texas charger 73]

Awesome thanks.  I have a 318 with a pretty aggressive can in it. 292 duration/.501 lift. I just need it to run a little better. 

[Ghoste]

Those step up pistons work off of vacuum so that could very likely be the culprit.  Low vacuum would let that thing run rich.

[HPP]

Download the manual from the Ebrock web site. Tuning these is a breeze. Step up springs, rods, jets, and squirters are all available to dial in the idle, part throttle, WOT, and cruise mixtures.

[myk]

Get the tuning kit for that 'carb while you're at it...

[Chryco Psycho]

I would replace it with a Proform but that is me , you need to know what manifold vacuum you have at idle in gear & use springs under the metering rods at least 1" less than the reading you get , I would also pull the top & check float level as ti is never right set by the factory .

[ODZKing]

My AFB on my 67 is one of the best running carbs I have ever had. Easy to tune and I get 17-18 with my 383, not that I bought the car for milage mind you.
In simple terms, turn the adjusters on the front one at a time all the way in. Then out until the RPM & idle is at peak. Back off 1/4 turn. Do the same with the other side, then check the RPMs and see if it is where it should be.  If not, adjust that then fine tune from there. That is just the "by ear" way to do it"

IF you'd like to do some reading see:
http://www.mymopar.com/downloads/Carter_AFB_AVS_Service_Manual.pdf
... but go to page 23 here and read about idle mixture:
http://www.mymopar.com/downloads/carterafbtuning.pdf