Cold blooded Edelbrock.

[y5mgisi]

My 78 has a "stock" 350 with the exception of an edelbrock performer intake, edelbrock 1406 carb, and headers. Ever sense i got it a few years ago its been kinda cold blooded. It starts like a dream at any temp and stays running really well. The trouble is if its not all the way up to temp it runs sorta rough and feels like its missing. I assume its because of (alot of things really but mostly) the choke being kicked off pretty early and causing it to run leaner then it would like while cold. Would putting bigger main jets help with this issue? Any ideas?

 

[79rustyk10]

Sounds like the 1405 I had on my 79 when I didnt have the choke hooked up.

I wouldnt put bigger main jets in unless the current ones are too small for the engine, and I think they generally change metering rods first in the edelbrocks.

I would see about adjusting the choke, but I cant help you there as Ive only had manual choke edelbrock carbs so far.

I would see about replacing it with a Qjet if possible.

 

[y5mgisi]

Ive been thinking about it. Thing is, i have never had a q-jet that started properly in the mornings. The edelbrock lights right up and is good to go! Also, i have never had a q-jet that didnt have the quadrabog symptom when the secondaries open. The edelbrock has none of that! I do favor the q-jets though. They are overall my favorite carb. Its just that the edelbrock shines where the q-jet fails and thats what keeps me from going back just yet.

 

[Bowtie85]

Had a 1406 on my 83, thing was junk. Would not cold start worth a damn, or run right till it was up to temp. Threw it in the bush and put a Holley street avenger on it and havent looked back since. Starts like a champ when cold or sitting for lengthy amounts of time.

Have you tried adjusting the idle mixture screws? Adjusting the choke may be another thing to try like said above as well.

Thats my 2 cents.

 

[y5mgisi]

Im good with the starting. Its just driving it before its warm thats the problem. And its not like it runs like crap, it just doesn't run quite right.

 

[y5mgisi]

Oh yea, another thing, when its cold, the more gas i give it, the better it likes it.

 

[COCHEV]

I don't think any carb runs awesome untill it kicks off the idle cam

 

[diesel4me]

I had carb icing troubles with an Edelbrock --worst in cool damp weather between 32-55 degrees--it would start up fine,run good while the choke was closed some ,then once it started to open,it would want to stall at idle,or run rough,until the engine got good and fully warmed up--often if I got out and opened the hood,I'd see FROST on the outside of the carb!...once it got hot enough to de-frost it,it ran sweet..but some days it didn't ever get that warm!..

What I did to cure that was to connect the vacuum hose on the EFE valve (aka as a heat riser that is on the passenger side exhaust manifold pipe) so it would stay closed all the time--that sends the exhaust from the right bank up under the intake manifiold ,which pre-heats the fuel and makes it vaporize better)--many trucks had this heat riser "deleted" ,along with the stock air cleaner that has the hot air pipe from the "stove" on the exhaust manifold and a flapper door to close and keep the cold air out of the carb till it warms up,and opens..

Once all this factory stuff is tossed,these types of troubles start...the only way to avoid them is to get the carb to "heat up" more by not using a thick insulator gasket or any thick metal spacers that prevent heat transfer to the carb,or to richen up the mixture somehow ,and thats not conductive to good fuel mileage or preventing carbon build up...

Your carb may benifit from an adjustment of the accelerator pump,try moving the linkage to the other holes to incerese the length of stroke,so it'll squirt more gas when you step on the pedal..also be sure there are no vacuum leaks at the base gasket or any other hoses,brake booster,etc,as they will cause poor running until it warms up all the way,when it wont be as noticeable..I spray carb cleaner on any suspected leaky areas,being careful not to get any on the distributor or plug wires,which could cause a flash fire!..the RPM's will change if there is a leak..