Choosing a carburator

[chinusta]

I have an 87 C-10 with a 350 in it. It however doesn't have the original quadrajet that came with it. It has a metal plate that serves as an adapter and on top of that it has a 302 2-barrel motorcraft carburator. it was originally added because it would save gas. But I'm getting like 8 or 9 mpg. It also has a 4speed manual transmission. I floored it a couple of times and it sounds like dry explosions and I get no power what so ever. Im hoping its because of the carburator. I would like to get another one, but not sure which way to go. some say quadrajet, other holly and others edelbrock. I'm in college and not looking for anything too expensive. I would buy used and rebuilt if possible too.

What I would like to do is get a 4 barrel carb in it and get an automatic transmission as well. I know I have to change the differential, but what is it that I need? Its only a 4x2. I read a little and supposedly I should be good getting a 700r transmission. as far as the differential, I dont know what model to get. and do I need any sensors?... I know I could ask my mechanic, but I dont want to purchase anything I dont need.

[75chev4x4]

I had an edelbrock and put a quadrajet on mine and love the quadrajet. Once you get them dialed in they are great. Might be a timing issue with the noise you are hearing.

[chinusta]

Originally Posted by 75chev4x4

I had an edelbrock and put a quadrajet on mine and love the quadrajet. Once you get them dialed in they are great. Might be a timing issue with the noise you are hearing.

How do I know if its timing or lack of gasoline?


also do you have an auto transmission and what is your MPG?

[75chev4x4]

From what you describe it sounds like early detonation. I have a turbo 400 with a small block 350 and I get about 9-10 truck is 4wd also.

[chinusta]

Originally Posted by 75chev4x4

From what you describe it sounds like early detonation. I have a turbo 400 with a small block 350 and I get about 9-10 truck is 4wd also.

Ok thank you. I guess I need a tune up. Considering I have a 2barrel carb 2WD and a manual transmission I should be getting higher mpg.

[INSIDIOUS '86]

Originally Posted by chinusta

Ok thank you. I guess I need a tune up. Considering I have a 2barrel carb 2WD and a manual transmission I should be getting higher mpg.

The two barrels will save on the highway but you don't save gas when you floor it almost to keep up with normal traffic.

Your manual trans is prob not overdrive. Your rear gearing prob is sub par and manual trans use a lil more city mileage. That and it shouldn't spit and sputter period. So your engine needs a tune

Carbs. Edelbrocks just dump fuel and work no matter what. Quadrajet a take a month and a half of tuning and reading just to get them to work great and holleys are beat up and usually toyed with by people who think carbs are just bolt on affairs and don't set float level so they flood or are over tightened and destroyed.

Sounds like your intake is stock so only the quadrajet will work for you if you get a new carb. Good thing too cause you can buy a bucket of them for ten bucks on Craigslist
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[sierra4x4]

I would recomend that you find a virgin Quadrajet and rebuild it. Quadrajets are capably of excellent fuel economy. Just try to get one off a similar vehicle their are a ton of different calibrations.

[wraprail]

Where the hell is hermoslo senora? I doubt you have to worry about smog inspections so you may want to start by pulling all those vacuum hoses and emission crap off and plugging the unused hoses. How do you have a FORD carb on your GM? What kind of adapter? Check for vacuum leaks. Go to your local Pick-A-Part yard (if you have one) and see what you can find.. I just removed an Eledbrock 1406 cuz my mileage sucked and put on a Holley 4160 (i just rebuilt kit was $21.00) which is a great carb. Both I used with an adapter on my stock Q Jet intake and both carbs I got at pic a part for $40 each.
Heres my junk yard Holley I have $61 in total:

[Redcap]

Originally Posted by INSIDIOUS '86

The two barrels will save on the highway but you don't save gas when you floor it almost to keep up with normal traffic.

Your manual trans is prob not overdrive. Your rear gearing prob is sub par and manual trans use a lil more city mileage. That and it shouldn't spit and sputter period. So your engine needs a tune

Carbs. Edelbrocks just dump fuel and work no matter what. Quadrajet a take a month and a half of tuning and reading just to get them to work great and holleys are beat up and usually toyed with by people who think carbs are just bolt on affairs and don't set float level so they flood or are over tightened and destroyed.

Sounds like your intake is stock so only the quadrajet will work for you if you get a new carb. Good thing too cause you can buy a bucket of them for ten bucks on Craigslist
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This is an extremely fitting description of carbs! I like it!

[86c20]

tell us what trans and rear end gears you have. i have an 86 c20 with 350 sm 465 trans and 3.42 gears and i get 14 mpg on the island that i live on (top speed is 45) but i get 20-22 on the highy way at 70. also other things come in to fator like timing tire size and pressure shift times brake adjustment ask me how i know that one. vacuum is the next big thing. make god damn sure that you have no leaks at all. any rubber caps that are craked replace and if you have a ford carb i will bet that it is leaking there too. the last thing is if the carb is leand out to much you will get bad mpg do to haveing your foot in it to get going. holding wide open for 30 sec as apposed to 15 if you have the right fuel in there in the first place. makes it more like it is way under powered all the time so you floor it to make the diff up. but if you had the power you can just cruise it along. when i went from a 305 in my monte to a 350 i gaind about 3 mpg over all.

[chinusta]

Wow guys, lots of replies, thanks!
Hermosillo Sonora is 5 hours south of AZ.

I have no Idea what transmission I have. Nor what rear differential. I know the differential is not stock as it was changed before. (my dad had all this done years ago and now doesn't remember.)

I do have the stock intake, so I will have to go for a quadrajet.

I will be going to Tucson for the thanksgiving weekend so I'll try and go to a junk yard there, hopefully I can find one open.

Also, no there are no emissions testing here so I already have some vacuum lines sealed off.

[Firebirdjones]

Go for the Quadrajet. The primaries on the quadrajet are smaller than most of your 2 barrel carbs, so as long as you keep your foot out of it, 9 out of 10 times the quadrajet will get better mpg for you if tuned properly than any 2 barrel out there.

Not to mention the quadrajet has a much more finite fuel metering system than that old Motorcraft 2 barrel does. Once proper power piston spring is chosen and correct front jet and meter rod combo, you can have part throttle lean cruising for excellent light throttle MPG and still have a safe WOT AFR for performance.