And too much pressure and the carb will bleed over and you will never get it to run right. 5# maximum is a good guideline if you don't have a manual. I have seen new stock mechanical pumps put out 11#.
BBD - 2 barrel - rebuild/replace - Need suggestions
- Thread starter 69MoparNC
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69MoparNC
New Member
I reached out to Vans for availability of a fuel tank. Did not see one listed on the site. Once out and emptied, I will know a lot more.
Gerald Morris
Senior Member
I ALWAYS run "premium" (91 octane w 10% moonshine here) to get a good run on these 1960s V8s. 87 octane gas w ethanol makes some sorry fuel for good ole Detroit Golden Iron.
Northern Australia
Member
Hi CBody, I agree, great looking car... And it sounds like it is being enjoyed, which is even better... In the case of my 383-2, would a new 4bbl make much, if any difference? I acknowledge it's not much bigger than a 318...
The 383 2bbls (whether BBD or Stromberg) have throttle bores the same size as a 600-625 cfm 4bbl. The 1971-spec 383 HP in a Super Bee uses a different Holley with 1.56" primaries, but 175" secondaries to ge to 750cfm.
With the primaries the same size as the BBD 1.5, that would mean the only power increases would come above 2700rpm or so, at WOT. Might get a bit better throttle response with different venturis and accel pump nozzles, but not WOT power, I suspect. Once the secondaries open, THEN more power, for sure.
Your judgment call,
CBODY67
Douglas Buckley
New Member
Gerald Morris
Senior Member
Wise observations regarding the primary venturi sizes notwithstanding, the most compelling rationale I found for ditching the venerable 2 bbl intake and either Carter BBD or Stromberg is the fact that these carburetors are OLD, often with distorted air horns which resulted from decades of air cleaners being even moderately screwed onto them, thus slowly, inexorably pulling the center of the air horn assembly UP to a point which makes them difficult to re-seal, even with an oven and a little downward pressure and doubled gaskets.
With that in mind after a fair bit of experience with 2 bbl carbs on my 383, I found a 4 bbl intake, and a recent Edelbrock 1405 (600 cfm w manual choke) to install, and that same 383 runs more efficiently in town, and with more ZOOT! when I punch the pedal to the metal.
Mind you, I liked the Stromberg particularly well, but my collection of those and my Carter BBDs ALL suffered the ravages of the 2nd Law of Thermo to a point I no longer had time to diddle with.
If Time is Money to you, get a 4 barrel intake, and a new carburetor. If you have plenty time, and patience, you can learn the Mysteries of 2 barrel Thaumaturgy. I keep mine, and the 2 barrel intakes, for the purpose of potentially getting a 2nd B block running.....
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Northern Australia
Member
Thanks CBODY67 - your explanation makes sense. To be honest, I haven't been disappointed by the power of the 69 383-2. The manufacturer probably found a good balance with the 383-2. I couldn't believe it when I drove to the next town 200 miles away at over 22 mpg. Thanks again from Daniel
Northern Australia
Member
Hi Gerald - thanks for your reply. The age bit is really why I am exploring carb options in the first place. I have an annoying flat spot at low throttle while the engine is cold. It disappears after about 5 mins in tropical ambient termperature. Time is money to me, and I thought I would just replace it with something that could even improve the performance of the vehicle. In your experience, would a Holley 750 cfm be overdoing it?
Northern Australia
Member
Thanks - looks like I can access ASV2 650 or 800 at about the same price. Sounds like you have found success with the 600. Appreciate your assistance.
Gerald Morris
Senior Member
Not overdoing, but without further modification, the top end of what you should do. Look at the new Edelbrock AVS2, 650 cfm. 'Brock has been doing more carburetor development this past 20 yrs, while Holley has focused more exclusively on EFI development. You should also consider your intake. Now, do you drive in a city, or a more rural environment? I certainly advise a dual plane intake. I made a mistake of using a venerable, early Mopar 4 bbl intake which, while it fit in very nicely with my otherwise stock, original environment, is otherwise a lazy dog intake. Had I to do it over, I would have shopped for one of the mid-late 1970s Thermoquad intakes, though I admit being VERY pleased that I was able to reuse the stock 2 bbl linkage and even fuel line for a Carter AVS carb to hook my rig up.
Start researching your materials, make a spreadsheet with prices, performance specifications and necessary parts. This will help guide you in a good decision.
Gerald Morris
Senior Member
I suspect an 800 might be a little large without a better cam. Go w a 650. I plan to when its upgrade time.
Northern Australia
Member
Hey Gerald - I was looking at a Edlebrock low deck intake. It will take some saving, but I will get there eventually.... It's good to hear from people such as yourself who have had good results.... My driving is rural and regional at 60 to 80 mph.... Daniel in Darwin
On the YouTube channel "318 Will Fun", he does a conversion of a later-model TQuad intake into a "normal" intake with a small chop saw. The bolt pattern is the same as the AVS2/1968 Holley-size bolt pattern, just the as-cast mounting flange is different. Mounting studs in the same place! The AVS2/Holley/large AFB pattern are all the same as the TQuad bolt pattern. Once he gets the mounting flange metal cut out, it is all very evident that the real difference is the mounting flange casting area. Which means . . . modern cast iron intakes (that nobody wants) that can work just as well as the aluminum intakes.
When you watch him "do his magic", it all makes sense! Just like they cast a 318-size BBD flange into the normal BBD 1.5/Holley 2210 intake for the 1980 model year. Using an existing casting that works well and changing the mounting flange casting as needed saves corp money.
Enjoy!
CBODY67
When you watch him "do his magic", it all makes sense! Just like they cast a 318-size BBD flange into the normal BBD 1.5/Holley 2210 intake for the 1980 model year. Using an existing casting that works well and changing the mounting flange casting as needed saves corp money.
Enjoy!
CBODY67
318willrun? 318willrun
Thanks for adding that link. One thing I like about this guy is his "driveway DIY" approach. A bit unconventional in some respects, but he gets good results for what he does. Seems that almost all of his projects relate to his 318 Dodge van, which tends to be his "test bed" of sorts.
FWIW, Eastwood used to sell a "paint roller" paint kit for repainting a whole vehicle. When I briefly looked at his channel just now, I didn't see the TQuad intake conversion, but it is possibly in his archives now?
Thanks,
CBODY67
FWIW, Eastwood used to sell a "paint roller" paint kit for repainting a whole vehicle. When I briefly looked at his channel just now, I didn't see the TQuad intake conversion, but it is possibly in his archives now?
Thanks,
CBODY67
He's a great guy and we have chatted a few times. He's a member on A Bodies and has done well with stock and low dollar parts, mechanical skills, and a lot of common sense.
Gerald Morris
Senior Member
For a rural driver, go for the Edelbrock Performer RPM! This one is optimized for 1500-6000 rpm, just slightly above the stock band, but excellent for the highway. As an urban driver, I'm constrained to stuff like the Edelbrock Performer, which is designed for 0-5500 rpm, stock, to wit. This is why I'd just as soon use a later 1970s intake, which is actually quite similar.
I have a perfect cam for the Performer RPM, though its not installed in anything just now. I don't think you should change cams just to correct a carburetor issue at present, so I'll sign off. MoPar stock cams were well designed for their machines. I NEED to replace what's in my running engine now, which is why I have "cam on the brain Syndrome." That being so, my approach is to prepare another ENGINE, to minimize downtime when the cam surgery must be done.
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