Project Austin street gasser.

[milner351]

FANTASTIC!

[1946Austin]

Been reeeal nice the last few days and expected to be better! Have fun driving that roller skate! ;))

FANTASTIC!

Thanks! Going out this morning to look at some CL parts. Good chance to drive the car and put some miles on the engine!

[1946Austin]

Well the changes I made appeared to be doing well, but after the engine warmed up the idle circuit was too lean, so had to pull the restrictors out. I still had issues with rich running at open throttle though, and my vacuum readings indicated the 6.5 power valves were possibly too large. I swapped out the PV to a 3.5 and it got better at idle, but still had plug readings that tell me the jet size is way too large! I've got #66 jets, and I ordered 4 #62 and 4 #58 jets, so I'll drop in the #58, and if it's too lean I'll step back up to the #62 jets.
I'm sneaking up on the tune, and getting closer, but it's still not spot on.

But on another note; I got suspension system for whatever my next project is! I picked up a complete Comp Eng. ladder bar setup, with Morrison coil over shocks, and all the brackets, shock mounts, ladder bars, panhard bar, etc. off CL for $160! Don't have a use for it yet, but when I do I'll be way ahead!

[1946Austin]

I ran into another strange issue on the carbs after some driving miles. It was loading up once again after a freeway cruise, and barely got home with it dying anytime I was at very low throttle position. I pulled the air cleaners once I got home, and saw a fuel vapor fog rising from both primaries, which usually means the floats or needles are leaking. Pulled the fuel bowls (for the umpteenth time!) and checked the float level. The Holleys don't have the external float adjustment that my old Holleys had. The floats looked just below level, and I figured they should be great. I turned the bowl upside down and checked the needles by blowing into the inlet and they sealed fine when lowered. Finally decided to set the floats down about 10 degrees from level, just to see what the result would be. Reinstalled the bowls and started the engine. It idled for 15 minutes, and about every 5 min. I shut it off to check for the vapor fog. Seems it's gone, and the floats are doing their job now. Not sure why they need to be lower than level, but if it works I guess that's all that matters.

[Deaf Bob]

You are getting 80*+ in the next few days (or so they say...) and will be able to drive that baby some more! ....

[SuperBuickGuy]

I had a terrible time setting the floats on my CR 500 af, I ended up setting the floats to just barely open at the bottom and that was the "correct" level. I think sometimes I set the float too high, really, the bowl is just a storage tank for, at most, WOT so setting the float lower than "level" would actually be beneficial

[milner351]

Good Trouble shooting work as always- check it again when things are HOT like they were after your long cruise. I usually set float levels with drill bits, in my limited experience, the site plugs were a sloppy crude method to set float levels... Strange cost saving move on Holley's part to eliminate the good old 5/8" wrench and big straight screwdriver external adjustment on your float bowls. Given the fact that you're feeding a small block with four float bowls, I think you can comfortably lower them and still be fine - I don't see this monster running out of fuel any time soon! I'm not sure I'd have the intestinal fortitude to stay at WOT long enough to find out!

[1946Austin]

Well after a short run the engine started loading up again, and barely got it home and into the garage. I removed the carbs again, and decided to swap bowls off the old 450's to make float adjustment easier. Got them swapped and set, and took it out for another drive. Same issues again! Just can't seem to get rid of the rich idle, and I'm beginning to think there's no way to make the 600 cfm Holleys work on this combo. So I swapped all the parts back onto the 450's, and installed them on the engine. Raining cats and dogs, so all I could do was let it idle in the garage for extended period. So far they seem nice and clean, and no vapor fog from the primaries after shutting it off, so I'm sure the floats are good now, but need a test drive to see if it's finally good. I've set the floats below normal as you suggested Aaron, but also tried it with the 600's and on them it didn't help. Hopefully it will on the 450's though!
One thing I did notice on the 600's that disturbs me. When turning on the electric pump prior to startup, I can hear a sound like air or fuel leaking from the rear carb. Looking down the venturis I don't see any wetness, but not sure where the sound was coming from. I suspected a bad float needle, but since it did the sound with both bowls, I'm stumped? Wondering if one of these carbs may be bad, and is causing much of my headache for the tuning issues?
Will update when I get dry weather and can take another run to see if it's fixed yet.

[SuperBuickGuy]

a lot of times it is one bowl that's making the noise, but it sounds like it's coming from both

[1946Austin]

a lot of times it is one bowl that's making the noise, but it sounds like it's coming from both

This one sounded like it was just coming from the rear carb. When I got my ear down close I could hear the sound coming from the primary side of that carb with the engine off, but fuel pump running at 5 lbs. pressure. Plenty low enough pressure to not create an issue, but something was amiss there.

[milner351]

I sure would be upset with brand new parts that don't work right... I'm guessing since they're now "used" you can get them swapped for another pair of new ones?
Really ticks me off when new parts don't work right - I understand things need to be adjusted and nothing works out of the box - but I'm starting to think you may have a porosity issue in the carburetor casting itself - or some other "manufacturing defect" that can't be tuned out.
Frustrating.

[1946Austin]

I sure would be upset with brand new parts that don't work right... I'm guessing since they're now "used" you can get them swapped for another pair of new ones?
Really ticks me off when new parts don't work right - I understand things need to be adjusted and nothing works out of the box - but I'm starting to think you may have a porosity issue in the carburetor casting itself - or some other "manufacturing defect" that can't be tuned out.
Frustrating.

I agree. There's nothing worse than chasing your tail because you think it's something you have missed! Then after all the frustration finding out it's a bad new part. Supposedly every carb gets bench flowed and set before leaving the factory, but I can't imagine how that's true if junk gets passed.

[DanStokes]

The issue is - it MAY have been tested but that test is only as good as the equipment and the person running it. If someone is sleepy after lunch (like me right now) all bets are off. Was the bench calibrated? And on and on. I appreciate that companies TRY to do the best they can but there are a lot of variables.

Dan

[1946Austin]

Waiting for ANOTHER set of plug wires! I like the Moroso Mag 40 plugs wires, as they're low resistance, and have real nickel spiral wrapped in the cores. So I get a $25 off sale price at Autozone, but they sent HEI wires for a '69 engine, and tell me the "sale" doesn't include Moroso products. Dorks! So I order a set from KMJ Performance. Always had good luck with them, but they call me the next day to cancel my order and refund my credit card, as they're out of stock. Finally order them from Summit, and so far it appears they're in stock, and being shipped! I hope.

[milner351]

Bummer - I recently had a real run around at autozone on a set of brake pads that didn't fit right and made noise right out of the box, still need to take them back for a refund.
As much as I like to support local brick and mortar store fronts - it sure is hard to beat Summit.