What would you guys go with? Ford 390, Sanderson headers, Edlebrock performer intake(not the Performer RPM) elgin RV cam, the truck is almost exclusively used for towing and highway driving. I was thinking something in neighborhood of their 650. I like the manual choke, where I live it sometimes gets to -50F and is frequently -20F and the manual choke is just better for those situations I have found. Would I be going too small with the 650? should I consider the 600 cfm or the 750 cfm?
Thats good enough for me, It's not a hot rod, daily driver/work truck how vital is a pressure regulator on these carbs? I hear that more than 5psi they don't handle too well
Going to answer a question you did not ask, but still should be applicable. The genuine Carter aftermarket AFB carbs were NOT applicable to Ford engines, other than the 289/302! My 1968 Ford F-100 has a 390 with 390GT cam and heads, and the early 427 cast iron exhaust. Sitting of top is an Offy 2x4 intake. I started with two Carter Comp series AFB part number 4759s (no internal dashpot, and manual choke), and two 1965 460 Lincoln AFB's. The 4759s are 625 CFM. Removed from the Lincolns: throttle arms, primary and secondary venturi clusters, auxiliary air valves, main jets, and metering rods; and installed these in the comp series bodies. Also added the fast idle cam on the front carb. Run solid linkage (both carbs run simultaneously). Choke on both, idle on both. Would pull the world if I could get traction has excellent drivability, and gas mileage on the highway empty the Holley dudes don't believe, so will not post. Gas mileage pulling a 16' tandem axle trailer with (2) 400 series John Deere lawn and garden tractors around 15~16. Jon.
Oh I certainly believe the good milage statement, I have no idea where the "well known fact" came from that 390s get bad mileage because I have always gotten good fuel efficiency, pulling a loaded 25' gooseneck stock trailer from California to eastern Montana this summer I averaged 15mpg at 65mph, now what is so bad about that?!?! I however have always been quite anal about my tuning, and that was with the stock 1965 auto light carb that was on the 352, factory. I had everything on that carb set just right. then I went to that Holley Sniper EFI crap, what a bunch of crap, it started running great after about a week of fighting with it, then it ran great for a couple months or... Long story short, now I'm going back to a carburetor, I simply do not trust that cheep EFI stuff, not on a vehicle like this, this one needs to be dependable, would I use it on my weekend rig? sure, but this truck needs to be 100% as reliable as something thats brand new. As far as tuning goes on this carb, Where would you suggest I start? Im gonna go ahead & get their metering rod and jetting kit i think. Im certainly no expert with these types of carbs, I just recently put one on a different truck of mine, and I like it, a lot, so thats why I'm going with it on this one.
I think Edelbrock has some new carb numbers since I bought mine many years ago, a 1405 and a 1406. Just so you know; the 1406 is not just a 1405 with an electric choke added to it. The 1405 was more of a performance oriented carb, different internal orifice sizing and jet/needle combinations.
Sorry - cannot help you on this; don't think the needed clone parts are available to make the clone work well on a 390. You might re-read my comments on what I deemed it necessary to change on the genuine Carter carbs to make the aftermarket (Chevrolet) work on a 390. While ALL of those changes were necessary, the most important change was the auxiliary air valve. Using the aftermarket (Chevrolet) air valve on a 390 will definitely cause a significant hesitation when the secondary is opened. It cannot be done with rods/jets alone. Jon.
Can you still get the Carter Performance Series carburetors? I run a pair of the 625 cfm on my 409 and have some Eddy carburetors and the Carter sure do look better to me.
Depending on size (500, 625, 750), I know we have something available; maybe used, maybe rebuilt, maybe a few new old stock of the Competition series. They have not been made since the late 1970's. Should you wish to search elsewhere: 4758s - 500 CFM manual choke 4759s - 625 CFM manual choke 4760s - 750 CFM manual choke 4761s - 500 CFM chokeless 4762s - 750 CFM chokeless There was no factory 625 CFM chokeless Jon.
Well I put the edelbrock 1405 on there, started up and ran real smooth without any tuning, took it for a drive down the road, came back and got the idle dialed in. I picked up the spring & metering rod kit, & gonna work on getting that dialed in soon. only thing, is my electric fuel pump puts out I think 25 GPH, seems to run the float bowls dry when I'm WOT climbing a hill with the trailer, bout 10 seconds of climbing and it begins to studded, the answer may be a better fuel pump. I am using the 'Faucet Posi-flo' pump, for now since its all I had laying around.
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