In reply to Cousin_Eddie (Forum Supporter) :
I've read that about recessing the radiator before. If I have issues with my current setup it may be something I make happen in the future.
Not a lot to show for tonight. I changed the oil, bled the clutch, topped the coolant, and actually clamped the muffler in. Started it and set the timing. 6 degrees btdc, at least until I know how it acts. Then I sat in the truck and fired it up for a proper test drive, and it just died.
Lost ignition somehow. I have 12v at the coil, so I either lost the coil or the module, but I'm way too pooped to test it today so I packed up for the weekend. Maybe back at it tomorrow afternoon if I'm feeling peppy.
Also noticed #8 still has paint on the header, so I'll need to figure out why I'm running on 7.
At this point it should be ready to go. Just hit a couple snags. But I'm tired and sore.
Onwards.
Replaced the ICM and it fired right up. Laser thermometer verified fire in all 8, double witnessed by my ears. Took a drive. Got it into third gear.
It's not quite there. I've got some stumbling and surging. Even so, about half throttle is enough to tell me this is a tire discarding giggle factory.
the clutch still seems to have air in the lines, but way better than before. It'll need bled again.
And the fans kicked on from the temp switch, which is good. Still need to run a manual switch into the cab.
But, I think this carb is toast. Surging and stumbling so I thought I'd test for vacuum leaks and I found them with the quickness. Both throttle shafts are loose. I don't know why I didn't catch that when I rebuilt the thing, maybe they were just gummed up and I didn't clean them well enough. Doesn't matter, I don't have the equipment/experience to bush the shafts in house. So I need to think on my options:
1- send this carb out for a pro job. Not sure $$$
2- buy new/reman from a reputable source. Summit or the like. $500+
3- buy an Amazon "genuine Rochester" $180
4- swallow my pride and use an AFB dad has on the shelf. Needs cleaned, but known good. My manifold is spread bore, and I'm already pushing hood clearance so a .75" adapter might be iffy.
Open to suggestions. I think I need to sleep on it.
https://a.co/d/gkReced
Flat steel carb adapter for edelbrock manifolds.
Id go with known good for now, and send the rodchester to stampies carb people that do such great work when you can afford to.
Perfect is the enemy of finished as nohome likes to say.
In reply to Dusterbd13 :
I have one of those kicking around somewhere*. I'll likely just clean the AFB and strap in on. If it works, it works. And I really don't have the budget for anything else anyway.
*edit. Found it!
Oh but I just found an Amazon gem.
MAXPEEDINGRODS Q-JET!!!!
im seriously thinking about it just for the lolz
In reply to AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) :
My man, I'm not sure if you're being a good or a bad wingman. On one hand, I'm out here feeling a little deflated, but on the other, it's probably for my own protection. I'm sure I'll thank you in the morning.
barefootcyborg5000 said:
...about half throttle is enough to tell me this is a tire discarding giggle factory.
This quote got me going pretty good.
I love this project so much
barefootcyborg5000 said:
In reply to AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) :
My man, I'm not sure if you're being a good or a bad wingman. On one hand, I'm out here feeling a little deflated, but on the other, it's probably for my own protection. I'm sure I'll thank you in the morning.
I mean, it worked, but then he rebuilt a OG quad jet, and it worked better
In reply to AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) :
I think my long term plan is to actually "rebuild" this QJ, bushings and all. Will require some not-usually-replaced pieces, likely from a donor or two. But in the short, I have dads AFB (edelbrock, electric choke) and just picked up a nearly free Carter (manual) from a coworker, so I'll see which is better, cleaner, bigger, whatev, and run that for now.
Game plan. I picked up a 625cfm AFB, it seems to be complete and in great shape, but all the same I have another 625 for possible spare parts. Dads carb is a 600cfm edelbrock that will be backup. But it is dirtier and likely needs more attention.
I don't know if 625 means that much more than 600, but this unit clearly offers 2 more horses right out of the box, so I'm gonna take that and run.
Those are exceptional carburetors. Really the only thing worth mentioning is that they often suffer hot start problems unless you run some sort of insulated spacer between the carb and manifold. The float bowl being there in the center of the carb, the engine heat rises up and evaporates the fuel in the bowl. So when you go to restart it requires extended cranking to refill the bowl. Holley types of carbs didn't have this issues near as bad since their float bowls hover in space hanging off of the carb body. And quadrajets used those thick base gasket insulators. Usually a thin phenolic spacer under a Carter or Edelbrock carb will alleviate any issues.
In reply to Cousin_Eddie (Forum Supporter) :
They work well. Not my favorite, but most of that is because I dislike conformity and I really dislike the autozone-speedshop, "edelbrock beats all" preachy, know-nothing, car show hang around, "I had one in my IROC in 1994" dickheads.
I have had a couple fail in really odd fuel-leaky manners, but I've had Qjets fail too.
Not worried about the heat soak issues because I'll be running an insulator and I have an electric pump.
Got this one all cleaned up and ready for fuel, hoping to get it on and running this evening. If it's good, I should be driving the truck home tonight.
Got it installed and all the things attached. Different bolts, throttle linkage, ...
Air cleaner doesn't fit. And I had hoped to get away without buying any parts, but the accelerator pump is shot. It gives a feeble little shot if you wail on the throttle, but that's it. Flaps carries all the parts for these, so that's a point for AFBs. I have Monday off, more to come.
pics because internet.
I couldn't remove that front vacuum port fitting from any of the donor carbs, so I made one from some 3/8 fuel line. It went in tight. Should work fine. There was a smaller fitting on the side that had been cut or snapped off so I had to improvise. I should have taken pics in the truck but I didn't.
ready for the first real drive. It's 5 miles to town, so that should be a good test. So far I've had it around the neighborhood for about ten minutes. Fans haven't kicked so I think the rad is up to it. Clutch line may still have some air, but I'll see about doing that at work with proper tools and a lift.
Throttle return spring could be stiffer. It does the job, but the pedal is super light. Easy to give too much.
Fans and relay:
And the big drop base cleaner I got won't sit on the AFB, so I have this 10" job, and I was worried it wouldn't clear the hood
but it does. Barely.
Happy to report the AFB just works. Fires right up and idles well. Haven't taken it past half throttle, but it seems good so far.
I cleaned up the mess in the bed. Gonna go deposit the stuff in a dumpster and scrap the old metal. May hang onto the two spare radiators and t5 bellhousing... not sure there's a market for a GM v6 bolt pattern, but maybe someone wants it.
And video for proof:
So far I've taken my mom and my 8yo for rides. It makes smiles so far.
Made it.
it's not quite there yet. Needs some adjustment. Might have to actually rebuild this carb. The timing is about 12* initial, and that may be correct, but idk. I didn't adjust anything on the carb, just baseline settings and idle speed. Anyway, it drives. Freeway speeds haven't changed from the old powertrain, but it has torque everywhere and pulls harder in 4th than the Duke did in first.
Congrats! Idle sounds nice and smooth. My only carb experience is with Holley, so I'm intrigued by this unknown (to me) equipment. Thanks for keeping us updated!
AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) said:
In reply to barefootcyborg5000 :
Just remember what my Dad told me:
"a ring don't plug a hole."
Depending on the ring you're simultaneously right and wrong. 💍
In reply to barefootcyborg5000 :
I was all excited to see a Q-Jet car on the forum. We used to run those 750cfm (I think) Q-Jets on our circle track car(s). I've rebuilt dozens and dozens of them. Pain in the ass to tune, and hard to find tuning parts for but they certainly carry a lot of nostalgia for me.
I've only ever been through one Carter, but I went through it probably a half a dozen times. Lived in a Model A phaeton that was stored at our shop for over a decade, but never saw the light of day. Owner would want to come see it run around the holidays and we'd have to clean everything out and replace the filters every other year or so.
In reply to Crackers (Forum Supporter) :
I'd prefer to be running one, for sure. But sometimes the budget makes the decision for us.
Driving a couple days now. Still teething. I need to get under it and tighten all the exhaust hardware.
The jam nut on the clutch slave wasn't jammed enough and I almost lost it. But it's gonna stay put now.
I've also been having issues at higher engine speeds. Anything other than very light throttle at more than about 2k results in bad misfiring and a not good time. I feels like it's going lean in a bad way, but I can't find any reason it would. I can give it a full boot at low rpm and it just cooks, but then I hit that bad spot. I've triple checked for any vacuum leaks, carb blockage, and fuel supply issues. Well this evening I thought I'd check my total timing. I'd backed it off a couple times thinking maybe that was part of my issue... so I plugged off the vacuum port and set the light for 35*. Two observations. 1-I was about ten degrees shy, but conservative timing shouldn't be dangerous. 2-before I even got to full mechanical advance, the ignition signal went very intermittent. This is a new "accel" distributor I bought from the jungle site. I have already had the ICM fail, and I'm thinking I got either a lemon or a fake. I'm well past my return window, so I'll chalk that up as a lesson learned. I'll be replacing it with one of dads spares. Maybe.
One of the reasons I bought this unit was the drive gear is advertised as melonized. If it is a phony, does anyone know a way to verify the material?
Ok. Switched carbs and still have the same issue. Definitely the dizzy.
I don't trust that it is a genuine part, therefor I don't trust that the drive gear is correct. I'm going to have to buy new from a more reliable source. Anyone have any input?
I need a melonized or hardened steel drive gear. Summit shows options from about $85 for Blueprint branded units, $195 for Proform "GM licensed" or about $400 for anything from MSD or Mallory. Definitely open to suggestions.
Theoretically I can put a drive gear on this one, but I've already replaced the ICM, I'm looking at the pickup as suspect now, and adding a gear puts me into the same sort of pricing. Most expedient to just buy.
I've used the Summit RTR and been happy with it. Doesn't look like they still offer it with a melonized gear any more though.
I've also got this one which does have a melonized gear. It's not given any issues either. I've got an MSD box on it but you could just wire a 4 pin HEI module to it instead to save money
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/sum-850055/make/chevrolet
+1 for Blueprint. Couple hundred miles on the clock for the unit that came with my 383, and it is rock solid. It's a stroker, so it doesn't rev to the moon or anything, but I've kept my foot in it pretty deep many times now and the firing is crisp all the way up.
THE BLUEPRINT SITE CLAIMS ITS MELONIZED
Since the factory vortec sbc had roller cams, wouldn't the dizzy gear be melonized? If so, a junkyard distributor, yank the gear, put on distributor of your choice.
Right? Because that's my plan with my tbi/vortec hybrid in my truck....
