Short Introduction of myself and 1st question concering carburator model/typ

[rollo1504]

Hello Folks!

I am a completely new member to this forum and first I want to introduce myself a little bit before I start questioning...

I am from Austria (Center of Europe and we DO NOT have kangaroos :-) ...), am 35 years old and after 4 years of putting by money and searching the internet for a dodge charger finally a dream has come true...
I got my 1973 dodge charger SE, 400CUI bigblock 2bbl.... I am so happy to be an owner of such a machine I can't tell you guys... :-)

I am working as an IT guy..... so I am not a mechanic nor an electrician.... BUT for mechanical things my buddy Alex is always helping me out or teaches me many things about V8 motors and my knowledge is growing and growing....
I am also no electrician but I am very interested to this stuff and I am not afraid of measuring, change something..... :-)

Please don't blame me for questioning maybe stupid questions......

My charger is a restoration project but in a not too bad shape I would say. Nevertheless I don't know what all the guys did to the car before me but the wiring was just a huge mess... the spark plugs were connected the wrong way to the distributor and so on and so on....

So I am taking care of resolving all these issues to get the car running.... I already took out the complete engine bay harness and being installing right now a complete new wiring harness from classicindustries....

I have several questions about the wiring but for that I will read the electric section or create a new topic there....

OK lets start with my 1st question... I have a holley carburator installed and I don't know what type/model this is or if its stock or not....
The goal is to set up the carb in a good and proper way and meanwhile I want to learn how it works.... I already know that there are some screws and so on to adjust the carb but I would like to ask you guys how to do it and further
I want to read the manual of this part as well.....

I have attached some pictures and hopefully one of you great members may send me a link where I can get a manual or something.....

I am so happy to be part of the V8 charger family and I hope you guys will help an Austrian enthusiast a little bit to realize his dream to drive down the Austrian roads in his on charger......

Roland

[rollo1504]

... by the way.... here is the VIN of my car...

WP29M3G175316

W   CarLine      Dodge Charger B-Body
P   Price Class      Premium
29   Body Style      2 door sports hardtop
M   Engine      400 1-2 BBL 8-Cylinder "B" engine
3   Model Year      1973
G   Assembly Plant   St. Louis, Missouri

175316 Serial Number      

[rollo1504]

mmmm.... searched the internet....

I think I could find out that this is a 4 barrel carburetor.... but it seems to be "downgraded" to a 2-barrel carburetor.....

I have the intention that this is an old type marine carburetor.....

It would make sense that it has been downgraded as the charger was running on gas before and because of this the 2nd fuel inlet was "deactivated" as the gas "fuel" would not be able to handle two fuel inlets....

Just guessing around.... Would be nice if one of you guys could confirm this theory... :-)

Thanks

Roland

[alfaitalia]

Cant help you with the carb...sorry but someone will know. But just to say Hi from a fellow European (well at least for now...I voted to stay with you!) and best of luck with your build. I look forward to see it moving forward....in both meanings of the word! There are quite a few from this side of the pond who I'm sure will be looking forward to welcoming you and helping out where we can.

[rollo1504]

Thanks!

In the meantime I think I found more details....

It is a Holley 4bbl 1850-9 mechanical choke carburetor... 

Lets see if there is a manual somewhere in the web....

Great.... First question seems to be answered by myself..... just with the invisible support of this forum :-)

OK. So now I know what kind of carb I have to deal with...

Roland

[70 sublime]

Welcome to the club  

Looks like a different intake (the part the carb is bolted to ) is on your car making it into a 4 barrel motor now
Not factory original but not a bad upgrade either  

[Troy]

What you will find with Holley carbs is that they almost all look the same but there are several hundred variations! What I had to do with mine was to look around for stamped numbers on each of the components. These are mainly useful for determining the size of the various parts (including jets, squirters, and metering plates) and whether they were provisioned for something specific (dual inlet, annular boosters, 4 corner idle capability, etc.). Generally, the race oriented carbs have more adjustments.

Troy

[John_Kunkel]

Looking at your pics and assuming it is an automatic transmission car, the TP linkage for the transmission is missing. This is often the case with carb swaps when unknowing persons discard the linkage thinking it's only needed for "passing gear". In reality, the linkage is absolutely necessary and critical for the operation and survival of the transmission.

If it's a standard-shift car, ignore my rantings.

[rollo1504]

Hey John!

Thanks for the illustration!

My car is a 3-speed automatic....

OK the TP link is missing.... but I still do not get the point WHY this thing is so important....so

1. could you/someone explain what it exactly does?
2. can someone tell me where I can get one?

Thanks

Roland

[rollo1504]

OK meanwhile I have checked the holley techlibrary carb numerical list and looked for list number 1850-9

Looks like its a 4160 carb 600CFM --> Hope this one is not too bad for beginning....!??

.... Anyway... Enough info for now... there are several steps to be done right before I come to the carb adjustments :-)

Thanks everybody so far....

Will be back very soon in electric section :-)

Cheers

Roland

[Ryan.C]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FY9WTWayCC8

If you do not have your throttle pressure valve installed your internal pressures in the trans will be far to low. Its kinda like always riding your clutch in a manual trans car, it will burn up and destroy the clutch. In an automatic trans this kind of failure/damage involves rebuilding the trans $$$. Hook it up and adjust it properly IMMEDIATELY if not sooner. 

[XH29N0G]

Welcome and have fun with your car.

That carburetor is nothing special, but will work fine.  I suggest sticking with it until you have learned more.  I used one of the same models (with a manual choke) on my engine from 1983 until about 2008.  The rear bowl is fed by the tube on the side and the gas is fed from the front.  I would make sure the seals are good (does not leak) and that the accelerator pump works (you see gas squirt out of the nozzles when the throttle is turned). 

Tuning it should be pretty straightforward with a vacuum gauge.  It is probably easiest to do an internet search, but I'll outline a little here.

There are a limited number of adjustments.  They involve turning the various screws.  The two main ones will be the idle speed screw and the idle mixture adjustment screws.  A tip from my own experience learning...before you do anything with the carburetor, though, make sure your ignition is working correctly.  Then you tune the idle by setting the speed to something like 750 or 850 RPM.  Disconnect the vacuum advance tube to the distributor, and then adjust the idle mixture screws (there are two on this carburetor) for maximum vacuum.  Both screws should be set the same amount out, and this usually is something like 1 to 1.5 turns.  If you close these down, do not tighten them because they are conical at the end and this will damage them.  Once this is set, I usually back them out about 1/8 turn more to make it a little more rich. 

There are other adjustments, but I would leave those.  IF you find it hesitates or backfires on acceleration, then you man need to adjust the screw on the accelerator pump or change that.  If that comes up, send another note and people here will walk you through it. 

 

[rollo1504]

Thank you for the info XH29N0G!

Looks like this is sufficient information to start over with it....

BUT FOR NOW I am still working on installing the new wiring harness to fire it up....

Thank you so far...

Roland

[71 Bee Man]

Well......you may not have kangaroos in Austria, but we certainly do here in AUSTRALIA !!

Such a pity you weren't down here, because then I'd have another 3rd Gen owner to cruise with.......there's hardly any down here.
Seems you're getting all the carb info sorted with your internet searching....that's how I got the info in mine.

Keep posting pictures......good to see other guys 71-74 Charger projects.

Peter
Sydney, Australia.

[XH29N0G]

I like the Kangaroo comment(s).

[rollo1504]

Hey Guys!

Please find some pictures below of my dream which has come true..... :-)

Roland

[rollo1504]

...

More to come....soon 

Cheers

[alfaitalia]

I'm a second Gen bloke myself...but WOW...that looks great. Does not look like too much work to make her a driver either. Nice colour too!

[rollo1504]

The Body is in very good condition but for that the wiring was completely messed up.....

The biggest problem of all is TIME for me... beside job and family to get things done but my plan is to get my baby at least onto the road this year...

Will take care of dash etc later on....

Actual status:

-> Dash panel already removed
-> Old dash wiring harness is still inside but removed very soon
-> Engine bay wiring harness is done to 80%
-> Bypass Bulkhead connectors and install topedofuse :-)
-> Check basic wires and connectors if proper connected....
-> Then try to fire it up.... Want to hear/see how she goes... or not.... :-)

Will find it out soon.... :-)

[rollo1504]

@John: Took another picture of my carb....

I think you are really right concerning the missing TP linkage....

Looks like the "beginning" or some sort of linkage is mounted but NOT going to the tranny. Its also heading to the pedal....

See enclosed pictures....

Thanks

Roland

[John_Kunkel]

The red square surrounds the throttle cable only, no sign of any of the TP linkage or parts. Besides the linkage, the first thing you need is the correct 20-7 Mopar throttle lever extension for both the throttle cable and the TP linkage.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/hly-20-7

Replacement TP linkage (often called kickdown linkage) is expensive but, as I stated, without it your transmission will fail quickly.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mopar-big-block-440-kick-down-linkage-71-74-charger-r-t-road-runner-gtx-superbee-/122379807670?hash=item1c7e67abb6:g:5kUAAOSwuxFYuMsS&vxp=mtr

Another alternative for missing linkage is a cable setup like the Bouchillon.

http://bouchillonperformance.com/inc/sdetail/589

Resist the urge to use the cheaper Lokar cable setup, it's junk.

[rollo1504]

Hey John!

Placed an order right now for the replacment linkage.... :-)

If I order the 20-7 Mopar throttle lever extension will I also need the Carb throttle stud?

https://www.holley.com/products/fuel_systems/carburetor_components/brackets_and_linkage/parts/20-67

Thank you very much John!

Would have been already completely lost without your input and that just right after the beginning of my work with my new baby as a newbie.. I really really appreciate that....

Roland

[71 Bee Man]

Wow......are you sure you've got enough hoses and wiring in that engine bay ??

[rollo1504]

71 Bee Man...

As I already said... I don't know what former owners did to the car....

Everone was always extending/cutting/changing the original worn out wiring harness and all ended up like you can see on the pictures... 

So meanwhile I have removed the complete engine bay wires and I am installing a new wiring harness from classicindustries right now.... :-)

[XH29N0G]

Extending, cutting, fixing is an apt description.   I assume you have not found any that actually make the car work better.

Your car is very nice.