Julesva5
Member
Guys any recommendations on carburetors for my 383 four barrel engine? It’s a 68 Town & Country wagon. Is there an Edelbrock that fits that that’s an upgrade? Appreciate any of your thoughts here on this.
Carb for 383 4bbl
- Thread starter Julesva5
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Old Man with a Hat
What is on the engine now?
Julesva5
Member
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Old Man with a Hat
Send your carburetor to Dana at:
Carburetor Restoration in Youngstown, OH | Woodruff Carburetor Specialties
He has done three Carter carburetors for me, and they all performed flawlessly. In my opinion, it is always best to stay with stock pieces - especially since your carb looks complete and probably only needs a competent rebuild.
In addition: I see your carb is an AVS model. Excellent carb!
Carburetor Restoration in Youngstown, OH | Woodruff Carburetor Specialties
He has done three Carter carburetors for me, and they all performed flawlessly. In my opinion, it is always best to stay with stock pieces - especially since your carb looks complete and probably only needs a competent rebuild.
In addition: I see your carb is an AVS model. Excellent carb!
redchihuahua2004
New Member
Looks like a Carter AVS
Why not just rebuild it?
(My guess is that carb is what the car came with from the factory.)
Why not just rebuild it?
(My guess is that carb is what the car came with from the factory.)
Looking at the pics, you have a Carter AVS.
If you buy the better Edelbrock carb, it's a clone of the Carter AVS. So no real upgrade by doing that. In fact, I could make a pretty good argument that what you have is better than a new one.
As already mentioned, send the original to Woodruff Carbs as mentioned. (He's a member here @Dana ).
Julesva5
Member
Thanks guys. I will look into that. Is there any advantage to having the electronic choke with the Edelbrock?
No advantage.
The electric coil heats the choke thermostatic coil rather than engine heat from the exhaust crossover. They started using them in later cars so the choke came off a little earlier to meet emission standards.
The only advantage for you would be if the exhaust crossover was blocked. Then there isn't as much heat in the manifold.
If you feel you need one, you can buy just the electric choke. Welcome to Mike's Carburetor & Injector Parts - Your Number 1 Carburetor Parts Store (I'll let you figure out which one LOL) I have one of these on my Thermoquad carb on my '70 and it works well... My crossover is blocked and the regular choke didn't do the job. If you don't need one, don't buy one... Again, no real upgrade, just a work around for the original choke.
Julesva5
Member
great thanks guys
To me, the newer Edelbrock AVS2 would be a "lateral upgrade" rather than not. A new one would have internal passages which are completely clean and new, as there are some hard deposits from fuels which a normal carb soak can not remove. It can be possible, too, that the carb venturis (other than the annular discharge venturis on the current AVS2) might not have a shape tweaked to make it more efficient and responsive, but that is unknown to me. The electric choke can be adjusted and tweaked to get it off sooner with no drivability issues.
Personally, I like the original AVS three-step rods rather than the two-step AFB-style rods in the current Edelbrocks. Throttle linkage adapter is a minor deal, to me. PLUSSSS, you know the carb works as is, probably just needs a good rebuild to make it as great as it ever was or a bit better.
So, you might contact @Dana to get things going.
Enjoy!
CBODY67
Personally, I like the original AVS three-step rods rather than the two-step AFB-style rods in the current Edelbrocks. Throttle linkage adapter is a minor deal, to me. PLUSSSS, you know the carb works as is, probably just needs a good rebuild to make it as great as it ever was or a bit better.
So, you might contact @Dana to get things going.
Enjoy!
CBODY67
Ripinator
Old Man with a Hat
Late to the party huh?
Julesva5
Member
Thanks - helpful! Seems like a rebuild is in my future here.
Just Carbs
Well-Known Member
How does it run right now? What symptoms does it exhibit? Are the throttle shafts loose or worn and leaking air? Do you suspect corrosion on the inside of the carb?
It's a very easy carb to rebuild. If you take on the rebuild yourself, I suggest you get 5 plastic wash basins just big enough to put the separated top or bottom of the carb in. One for soaking the base, one for the top, one for holding the bit parts, and two more just because.
The white ones from Dollar Tree ($1) are just the right size.
I've been soaking them in three 100-ounce bottles of straight Pine Sol ($7 each Dollar General) for about four days. But there will not be any paint left when it comes out. I left one in there for three weeks and there was no apparent damage to the metal. I don't soak the rubber parts longer than needed to get them clean. I bet it wouldn't hurt them if I did.
The Pine Sol goes back in the bottles when the cleanings done.
It's a very easy carb to rebuild. If you take on the rebuild yourself, I suggest you get 5 plastic wash basins just big enough to put the separated top or bottom of the carb in. One for soaking the base, one for the top, one for holding the bit parts, and two more just because.
The white ones from Dollar Tree ($1) are just the right size.
I've been soaking them in three 100-ounce bottles of straight Pine Sol ($7 each Dollar General) for about four days. But there will not be any paint left when it comes out. I left one in there for three weeks and there was no apparent damage to the metal. I don't soak the rubber parts longer than needed to get them clean. I bet it wouldn't hurt them if I did.
The Pine Sol goes back in the bottles when the cleanings done.
Julesva5
Member
Good questions. The genesis of all of this is a periodic "hesitation" that happens while I'm driving the car. I've replaced the fuel pump, had the accelerator pump looked at and worked on, and insulated the fuel line from the fuel pump to the carb and this still keeps happening. I'm driving along and it's like the car just wants to stall - really bucks - then smooths out. Sometimes it doesn't happen at all but it's happening with more frequency. I actually have an auxiliary fuel pump that I can switch on. When I turn that on mid-bucking if you will it seems to solve it. So I don't think this is electrical, and my next stop on this particular wonderful journey is the Carb.
Just Carbs
Well-Known Member
Sounds like it's time for a fuel pressure gauge seen from the driver's seat.
Just Carbs
Well-Known Member
Is the auxiliary pump in line with the stock pump?
It sounds like a fuel delivery issue.
What I've done is to disconnect the fuel line up by the carb and disconnect the coil wire so the engine doesn't fire. Run a hose to a 16oz. soda bottle and crank the engine over. There should be a good pulse of gas into the bottle. It should fill that bottle halfway or more in 10 seconds of cranking. This is a real simple test that can tell you a lot.
If it doesn't, you have some sort of issue with fuel getting to the carb. It could be a number of things, bad pump, worn pump pushrod, or even a pin hole in the rubber hose back by the tank.
If it fills, I would look at float height in the carb.
On one of my cars, after I got it I had it idling one afternoon. Without notice or any fanfare, the rpms started to taper off all by itself. I rushed around to the driver's seat and pumped the accel pedal several times and the rpms came back. No more problems at that time.
Later, when driving it, same thing on the freeway. I'd immediately head for the shoulder and pump the throttle quickly. Sometimes, it died anyway. It took lots of pumping to get it to restart and stay running. I made sure one rear wheel was on dirt for when I put it in gear at about 2000rpm or so. I got it to my shadetree shop and IN the shop. I let it reside there for several days ro so. I pondered the situation and finally got a new fuel pump for it. I had the pump arm which directly contacted the cam lobe, so an easy install.
Obviously, this issue had gone on for a while. The previous owner had cut the fuel line going to the carb, obviously for a fuel gauge or something. Yet the issue still existed.
After putting the new fuel pump on, the engine started immediately and sounded better than it ever had. Obviously, it was an intermittent fuel pump internal valve issue.
Did you consider a new quality fuel pump pushrod with hardened ends?
Just my experiences.
CBODY67
Later, when driving it, same thing on the freeway. I'd immediately head for the shoulder and pump the throttle quickly. Sometimes, it died anyway. It took lots of pumping to get it to restart and stay running. I made sure one rear wheel was on dirt for when I put it in gear at about 2000rpm or so. I got it to my shadetree shop and IN the shop. I let it reside there for several days ro so. I pondered the situation and finally got a new fuel pump for it. I had the pump arm which directly contacted the cam lobe, so an easy install.
Obviously, this issue had gone on for a while. The previous owner had cut the fuel line going to the carb, obviously for a fuel gauge or something. Yet the issue still existed.
After putting the new fuel pump on, the engine started immediately and sounded better than it ever had. Obviously, it was an intermittent fuel pump internal valve issue.
Did you consider a new quality fuel pump pushrod with hardened ends?
Just my experiences.
CBODY67
Ripinator
Old Man with a Hat
Funny. . . I'm in the middle of a rebuild for myself right now. . .
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