What is Weakest Link on Edelbrock Carbs?

[hotrodmtodd]

I have been buying these Edelbrock carbs for years with great success, but I finally had one give me all kinds of fits. I even took it apart and put the 4x4 needle and seat in it and reset the floats but it didnt help. This one would only run at WOT and would stall like somebody flipped a switch instead of sputtering out. I replaced it with the one on my Blazer, and it ran like a charm. It ran great forever, but I let it sit for a few months, and thats when it started acting up. Is this something I can fix with some Sea Foam, or do I need to replace a certain part. I hate to spend another $300 if I can fix this one. Let me know what you think. Thanks, Mike

[treveiger]

You could try running powerfoam from ams oil into the carb, it cleaned out my intake on my car and made it run better, and weve aslo put it in a 04 gmc truck to clean out the engine. The link below tells you about it.

http://www.amsoil.com/storefront/apf.aspx

[dznucks]

if you let it sit for a few months and now its started acting up, you got a passage or air bleed trashed or gunked up.

I would use some pin drills or some wire to make sure all passages and bleeds are clear.

[hotrodmtodd]

Well, I am not sure what those are, but they sound like they are inside the carb. I would be happy to do that if someone can pinpoint their location.

[gonzo6869]

I had a similar problem with one of my new Edelbrocks, after taking the top of and cleaning it out I still had the same problem. I finally ended up taking the whole thing apart and found that one of the small gaskets inside had a hole in it, a defect from factory (the gasket was not lined up properly and a screw cut through the gasket). After replacing all the gaskets reinstalled and it’s running great for now. "These" carbs are very easy to take apart and reassemble.

[jhwkns]

Get a rebuild kit, and some carb cleaner. It's a lot easier than you think. DIY!

[hotrodmtodd]

Yes, I was surprised at how simple they look inside compared to a Q-jet or Holley. Being that I a run a parts store, getting a kit will be no sweat, as long as it comes with instructions. Or do I need to find a Carter/Edelbrock book? I got over my fear of distributors last year, I guess this year is carbophobia time. Cripe, by next year I will be tearing down a few of my Muncies and T-10s I will be so brave. Somebody please stop me before I start ripping into TH-400s and 700R4s...........hehe. Thanks guys.

[OhOneWS6]

Those carbs are well documented on Edelbrock's site. You should have no problem rebuilding it with the kit's exploded view and the documentation on their site.

[jhwkns]

good info here
These are easy to rebuild, and tune. The biggest setback is that they are notoriously rich at idle which can make them hard to pass a smog check. Carter makes a good performance/strip kit for them.

[piecesparts]

The Carter and the Edelbrock AFB design carbs are the EXACT same carbs. They are made by a company called Magnetti-Marelli and sold to the different outlets to market under their names. The parts from a Carter will bolt into an Edelbrock and vice-versa. I found the parts for an Edelbrock was slightly cheaper and with that in mind I purchased a complete rebuild set and also a lot of needles and jets for my carbs. I keep a plastic file box with all of those in them on hand, just so I can do a rebuild, if needed.

I have found that the air bleed ports in the primaries do tend to plug if the carb sets for awhile and also the needles will stick shut if you end up with a fuel mix of too much alcohol. Taking apart an Edelbrock is easy, I use a magnetic parts tray and lay the parts in the order that I took them off of the carb, so that I do not loose them. The hardest thing to deal with will be the little clips on the rods. I finally purchased a tool from snap-on to handle those clips, so that I did not send one sailing off into infinity and beyond. Did that and grumbled for an hour till I went and dug up an old carb for the replacement clip. Be sure to take everything out, os that you can flush and clean the entire body and orifices. If you have a good camera, take pics at different stages, so that you can make your own assembly book.

[ChevLoRay]

1400-series carbs are the subject. I had one on my '69 and replaced it with an Edelbrock 1901 (Q-Jet). I don't regret it, although Edelbrock no longer markets them. My problem with the 1405, was that it ran so rich (.100 main jets) that it gas-fouled plugs and the oil was diluted by the excess gas getting into the cylinders and washing past the rings. The exhaust gas odor would bring tears to your eyes, too. None of this has occured with the Q-Jet version.

[dznucks]

first you will have to remove the upper plate from the carb by removing the 8 torx screws and by removing the clips from the linkages. While you have the top off the carb you may want to check the float rise and drop, per the instructions edelbrock provides in the owners manual.

once the top is off you will notice the boosters that dump the fuel into each barrell. The air bleeds will be the copper/brass tubes that are sticking out from behind the boosters. you can remove each of these bosters and blow/clear them out. while you have the carb apart you may want to remove the jets and blow all the passages out thoroughly.

you can also remove the accel pump squirters and blow that out too. iff you do be careful of the little bearing ant weight that are in there.

[Jman03]

i had this same problem my air bleeds or some passageway was blocked cleaned it out with some small wire and it's great now

[70BLAZERX2]

you can order a carb kit for a 1969 NEW YORKER 440 ..same carb ,carter afb..and the kit is alot cheaper..I have done a few rebuilds with those kits..around $20 instead of $45 that edelbrock wants..

[ChevLoRay]

Or....order a kit for a '67 Buick Skylark, 340. That's what mine had....an AFB. So did my '64 Pontiac Bonneville 389, 303-horse engine.

Lots and lots of GM vehicles had AFB's. Carter ThermoQuad was on a lot of Chryslers. Similar to an AFB....but different.

[hotrodmtodd]

Wow, thanks guys. This might be a good time to say "virtual plethera" hehe. No that you mention it, I just realized that this is the carb I had on my Blazer originally, and it drained a whole tank full of gas into my oil while I had it sitting downhill. Totally forgot about it until now. I wandered why gas was coming out the hole in the block in front of the fuel pump (not supposed to come out there.) Didnt realize the crankcase was full of gas until it was too late. Was driving and started losing oil pressure in the brand new 400 small block. Found I was 3 qts low and only had one. Not sure if I should rebuild this carb, or BURN IT. Thanks again guys, will put this info to good use.

[ChevLoRay]

I mentioned the Carter ThermoQuad in an earlier post, but I believe I should have said Carter AVS. There are differences, fo sho.

[Wrenchbender Ret]

The only complaint I have had with the AFB style carbs is hard to start after setting awhile. I put an electric fuel pump with a spring loaded switch on one of my freinds Buick. I would pull the metering rod's out before removeing the top.