hello I am struggling with carb issues 1941 aba flathead I have now two carbs (Stromberg's) that have been sent to a reputable gentleman and still have issues with them leaking running lean. so my question is will a holly or edelbrock 4barrel fit with an alternator mounted on the front of the intake how they mount on there?? and what carb is better. seems I am done with the two carb set up it just is not what I was hopping for. your suggestion's PLEASE just want to drive the car and enjoy it. the motor is fresh with a cam in it auto trans 9 inch rear thanks mike
Can not answer your question about alternator mount but I can tell you my experience with the Holley 390 4bbl. I have had two flathead motors and both were and are the 390. I really like the look of the multiple carb setup and there are those that can dial them in and not have them leak........I did not want to mess about with all of that. For me the 390 was an install, minor adjust and go. Yes, it's more a modern look but was the best way to go for me.
Unless you can find a good used manifold (made by Edelbrock, Offenhauser, Fenton, Edmunds, Sharp, and probably a few others), it looks like the cheapest one out there is Speedway's own manifold. (I think they're $399.95, which is about as good as it gets these days.) No matter which one you get, you'll have to run an adapter if you want to run a Holley or Edelbrock carburetor. If you don't want to use an adapter, you'll have to find an old "square-bore" carburetor. A Carter WCFB, Early Rochester4 Jet, a Holley "Teapot", or maybe even a very early Stromberg. These carbs are hard to find and expensive. I persnally ran a Holley 390 on an Offenhauser manifold on a 276" Merc in a '36 3-window for several years and it worked very well. But then again, that car had a hood. If I were going to do it again, I'd find an old manifold (I have heard that Fenton made the best one) and a WCFB or Rochester (I have all of this on the shelf). Unfortuneatley, I'm building a "T" tub without a hood, so I'm using a Navarro Universal dual. I had a problem with my Sharp 4 BBL manifold as it was missing a few bolt holes that were on the block. There were three bosses on the manifold that had no tapped holes in the block, and two in the block that had none in the manifold.
Performance aside, 4 barrels on a flathead look as good as a bow tie on a nudist IMHO. I don't have a lot of drive time on my flathead (about 500 miles so far) but the 97's don't leak a drip and they perform well.
As to the alternator, I ran a GM one-wire on one of those "slingshot" mounts and there was plenty of room and it fit fine.
Strombergs are kinda like a Harley , they all leak sooner or later , they are 40s technology, they look like tits , they work but are they the best ... Hell no the 390 CFM is your best bang for the buck .
that's what I have now with the alternator so that should work. I am just sick of the two carbs it runs really lean and there's no vac leaks the synchronizer won't work right it bogs down and just sucks
If you want to be trouble free, go with the 4bbl. If you want "the look", fight the Stromberegs for who knows how long. Certainly there will guys who have the Strombergs and no trouble, but you (and I) may never be one of them. Keep the hood down and smile going down the road. You have enough other things to worry about driving a flathead.
Since you already have the 2x manifold and the linkage. Just get two newly made Strombergs or maybe the new Edelbrock 94s. I would not fool around with 9super7s and knock offs like that. Counting intake, gaskets and a new 4 bbl, it's about the same money maybe less going with brand new Strombergs. The vintage items.....are a better part of a century old and show it.
well the strombergs are new this is the point they have been back to the guy to fix them and come back the same way! I do like the look of two on there maybe just go back to one carb and be done cant believe I get more or at least a lot more HP from two carbs
Not sure I understand your analogy, anyway for the OP “leaks”from where? “ running lean” tune it , make whatever changes your engine needs. Checked for manifold vac leaks ?
Strombergs running lean?? Are All cylinders running lean?? What intake are you running?? Have you synchronized the carbs?? Exactly where are they leaking. Shaft area or other area?? Reputable carb rebuilder. If it’s Uncle Max or Dickster27 I would find it hard to believe they weren’t correct. These carbs aren’t that complicated.
May seem like heresy on this forum, however: The design of the Stromberg "97" (the Ford version of the type EE-1) is such that eventually it WILL leak. The E series was Stromberg's second attempt at downdraft carburetor design (and it was a huge improvement over their first attempt, the D series). Stromberg used only 5 screws to hold the airhorn to the bowl. Over time, the "ears" on the end of the airhorn with the single screw would warp upward, and the carburetor would leak. Stromberg freely admitted this error, and when the A series came out (experimentally in 1937, full production in 1939) Stromberg used 8 screws to fix the airhorn to the bowl, and eliminated the leak. While the vast majority of early hotrodders looked for either the Stromberg EE series or the later Holley AA series (because the yards were full of V-8 Fords, and the carbs were cheap), other "3-bolt" carbs were available, just not so cheap. Carbs that fit in this category include Carter WD-0, WCD, and later WGD, as well as the Stromberg AA. So, the "look" can be accomplished by using the better carburetors without leaks. Or, a 4-barrel can be used. Depending on the year of one's "look"; Carter, Rochester, and Stromberg all issued the "square" base 4-barrels in 1952, and Holley followed in 1953. Of modern carbs (requiring an adapter if a "square" intake is used), one has the 390 Holley, and the Carter AFB models 9400s and 9410s, both of which were 400 CFM. These were sold aftermarket, and are, depending on ones definition, reasonable in price. Carter also offered some additional AFB's that were 400 CFM for O.E. application, but all of them were low production, definately in demand today, and expensive! Example would be the 4-barrel option for the MoPar "Lancer" 6-cylinder. Rochester also offered a 4-barrel in the 400-CFM size (approximate, no published rating). Like the Carter, low production, in demand, and expensive. Example Pontiac Tempest 4-cylinder 4-barrel option. If going the O.E. 4-barrel route, be aware of physics. Have a number of past would be customers that wanted me to make the 625 that they had under their workbench work on a basically stock flathead when they couldn't. Not a good option. See the second line in my signature block below! Jon.
well I hope I can answer all the response's and thank you for them. there is no leaks on the manifold or carbs..its a offenhauser manifold... fuel pressure is 1.5 ----2lbs and it seems that the front cylinders seem to run lean??? tried to synchronize the carbs but it seems to bog down when I try this. more on the back carb then the front?? leaking from the accelerator hole. max did look at these three times. Carbking what would be a (good Carb) or just go back to the single carb set up? can I block one carb off??? thanks for the input mike
I've looked over the entire thread, and I don't see where you said what kind of a manifold or linkage you have. I think we should establish this first. Since you seem to indicate that you have a problem with mounting a generator, I assume that you are using a "Super" dual manifold (with the carbs spaced far apart over the intake ports). If you are trying to usen progressive linkage with a "super" it will never work, and the front cylinders will run lean. Some say a "regular" will run OK with progressive linkage, I am not one of them. We need specifics on the manifold and linkage types.
I may have missed this because I'm reading on my phone but your last post begs to ask, is the throttle linkage progressive or are the two tied together? They don't run well progressive unless they ate over an open plenum.
tubman its in the first paragraph of the last post I sent( offenhauser 9010 ) and they are tied together. and I was asking if a 4 barrel intake would allow me still to use the alt that I have now and I did see a response that said yes it would
Two items which may be of issue: (1) The carbs are new? New to you, but rebuilt originals? New repops? If so, manufacturer? No offense to you, but not going to spend time trying to debug speedway carbs. (2) 1.5-2 pounds fuel pressure? By actual reading on fuel pressure gauge? By setting a dial type $34.95 regulator? These dial type inline regulators are about as reliable as a politician's promise The Stromberg recommendation for fuel pressure is 3 1/2 psi WITH FACTORY FUEL VALVES! Some folks seem to feel a racing fuel valve (larger orifice) is the cat's meow. Maybe, but not on the street! Hang in there. Lots of folks have made dual carbs work; you can also. Lots of really talented folks on this forum. Have patience, and try to be as specific as you can with everything. The more variables (unanswered questions), the more difficult to attempt to diagnose your problem. Jon.
Sorry, I don't know what an "Offenhauser 9010" is off the top of my head. Is it a "Regular" (carbs biased towards the back) or a "Super" (carbs evenly spaced over the intake ports)? Also, does "tied together" mean straight linkage or progressive? (They are both "tied together"). We need some definitive information here.
Funny, I've looked this thread over and the only reference I find to an "Offenhauser 9010" is in your last post. I have searched the web, and can't find any reference to an "Offenhauser 9010". I did find an "Offenhauser 1090", which appears to be a "regular"; perhaps that is what you have?
That looks pretty good. However, if it were mine, I'd mill the ribs of the air cleaner top and polish it. Then, I would loose the "Edelbrock" script oil filler cap and replace it with a chromed stocker. Plus, it does look like that car has a hood. You have to remember, this is the "H.A.M.B.".
No hood!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have the hood, but never, ever have had it on the car. Where do I find a "chrome stocker" oil fill cap? I bought an aftermarket chrome round cap. It fit like shit so this Edelbrock cap is all I could find that fit snug.
This HRM article might be a good read for you: https://www.hotrod.com/articles/hrdp-1301-flathead-ford-intake-manifold-smackdown/ If you don't want to read, they decided (based on their test engine on a dyno) the Best Single Four-Barrel Intake was the Offenhauser Single Carburetor Four-Throat (I believe the 1078) which is still being produced and you can get it online.
You mentioned syncing the carbs bogged down the engine. Please be aware to sync carbs you remove your linkage and adjust each carb separately. You then readjust your linkage stroke to meet your setting. If the front cylinders are running lean AFTER properly syncing them then your manifold is at fault. Meaning the runners aren’t supplying proper flow to the front cylinders.
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