New motor weak performance feeling

[2High4U]

i just swapped a 87-95 350 remanufactured motor in my 73 blazer and I really cant tell any gains as far as acceleration or performance i know that it isnt broke in yet but shouldnt they be noticable right away.. would a better carb give me the acceleration im looking for? i hear that the one i have is a sh*tbox

i got to thinking i have the timing set to 6* any suggestions

1406 edelbog carb
edelbrock performer intake man
stock insides
cast iron heads

i have the splitfire plugs in it im am going to soon run the ac's man were they expensive plugs

 

[sled_dog]

not sure I get what you are asking.

87-95 are pretty darn low performance motors. THe heads flow fairly badly in comparison to other factory setups and are just not good for performance applications. Is the motor a roller cam one? That would the only improvement over an older style engine(that and being fresh of course) that you'd get. Even then a stock roller cam won't feel like anything.

Stock carb? If so its a QJet, best carb ever? No, but if in good working order they can be a lot of fun(BIG secondaries are nice ). Headers, intake, and new carb would certainly make a seat of the pants improvement.

Splitfire or the Quad tipped plugs are a waste of money.

 

[2High4U]

this is whats on the motor

edelbrock 1406 carb
performer intake manifold
headers
non roller cam...

so heads would be a good investment in the future i just raised this question because i have 4:10 gears and it doesnt have the umph i thought it would with a fresh motor o well you get what you pay for i guess...

 

[Cornfield creations]

I'd put either a good tuned quadrajet on there or a holley 650. The edelbrock 1406 carb is a 600 cfm and tuned for economy. First I would make sure the timing chain is set dead on, and timed to 8*. After the timing is set perfect, then play with the carb, maybe ask around if anyone has some laying around you can try (my buddy has about 4 laying around at all times and others on trucks we pull off to try). If still you don't have hardly nothing to be excited about I would consider putting some vortec heads on there. Thats what I am gonna be doing this winter on mine. I think they are around 270.00 each. Not bad for what they give you. Just my $.02

 

[Jagged]

Heads... If you've got a good intake, good exhaust, stock heads will only do so much, especially non-vortec.

The 206 CC (intake runner) vortec heads are really nice if you can find a set cheap. IIRC their valves are 2.02/1.94, and would be a great step up... but then you'd need the special intake manifold to match them.

Next best thing to vortecs, while retaining your intake, is a set of camel-hump (a.k.a. double-hump) heads. Casting number 1492

 

[PhoenixZorn]

I found that the Holley 650 is too much carb for most low end 350s... Unless you find a spreadbore Holley, just go with the Quadrajet, which I think is better for our big ass trucks anyway... If you are going for performance, then go ahead and get the Holley, but make sure it's tuned right and make sure your engine is up to the task of pulling that much fuel. It made a HUGE difference when I had the Holley on my 356 and then changed it to a Quadrajet. Instant power gain, and I had the Holley carb tuned for the motor. Still couldn't hold a candle to the QJet on response time on a pedal crunch.

 

[2High4U]

thanks for all of the input i will see what i can do the only prob is that its a daily driver and need limited downtime but who knows anything can happen

 

[Thunder]

Your biggest problem with that engine is your heads and cam. Both are designed for fuel injection(TBI). Not a carb. As said in previous posts The TBI heads flow like crap. They build great torque when used with FI. But they do not flow Not near enough for a carb. They are designed to work with a Throttle body that flows 480 CFM. Not a 650 CFM+ carb. The cam is also built around those flow numbers and designed to work with computer controled ignition. Not old syle HEI otr Points.
Get a good set of heads and a cam. You have dished low compression pistons in that engine so your best bet is to get some heads that boost compression. Vortecs would be good. If you get vortecs.You will also need a manifold too. But you are lucky vortec head to carb manifold are pretty cheap. Or you can use older style Bo-tie performance heads and use the manifold you have.