Does anyone else use an Edlebrock 1404 Carb?

[firemanshort]

In the current heat wave attacking most of the eastern USA, my 'hot start' problems are amplified.

I have an Edelbrock 1404 carb that is really hard to start once it gets hot. I have done a lot of internet reading and the leading theory appears that the carb bowls "boil off" when the truck stops and the engine is hot.

The popular solution appears to be the insertion of a plastic carb spacer between the carb and the intake manifold. Its claimed purpose it to reduced heat transfer. I have seen a fair few internet posts on a variety of forums that say this works / and some more that say it doesn't.

Does anyone have any Land Rover specific experiences to relate?

[Alicerover]

Fuel vapourisation is quite an issue with the Rover engine on carbs. If you run with the stromberg or SU carb, the return flow back to the tank helps to cure this problem. Not sure if you can set up return flow with your carb?
My Series 3 Leightweight (3.9 on SU's) had fuel vapourisation issues until we had some louvres cut into the bonnet to allow the very hot air to escape. I will ask the question to my father in law tomorrow and see what he can suggest.
Spen

[firemanshort]

My old stromburgs had a return line. The edelbrock does not have a return line. I am not sure if I can plumb one in on this carb.

[Alicerover]

Sorry about the delay in getting back to you, have been a tad busy of late!!
I asked my father in law about this issue (he has been building Rover V8's for the past 30 odd years), and he said that the carb spacer will help to stop the fuel vapourisation. In very hot climate zones he did say that bonnet louvres would also help significantly. Just make sure that they are in an area of low pressure, otherwise they won't work. (To establish this, attach some small lenths of wool to the bonnet at various positions that you can fit the louvres, and go for a drive. Watch the wool tufts to establish the direction of airflow. It's not always in the direction you think it is )

[robertstr]

Question is for fireman,

I am getting ready to add the edlebrock intake and 1404 carb, I was talking to a guy at D and D here in the states, they seem to specialize in this Buick motor,
he was saying that the needles and Jets have to be replaced on the carb for that motor to purr right. But he wants a fortune to do the job. Did you have to do this? And if
so would you share the part numbers you had to add? He was the first person that had said this to me.

As usual any general advice is super appreciated, I will attempt to do this myself, see if I can get up the courage to move down into those high range gears later!!

Cheers
Robert,

Hay I sent you a PM here, as I could not find your email check it when you have a sec.

[firemanshort]

Carb tuning is half art and half science.

In order to do it "correctly", you need an Air / Fuel sensor (A/F Meter). This is the thing that you shove up the tail pipe and it messures the 02 and un-burnt fuel percentage in the exhuast. Once you get a reading (at idle and wide open throttle), you can adjust your needles and jets to provide you the type of performance that you want.

I have asked around to serveral folks - and nobody can give a single correct answer as to needle and jet choice. Without the A/F meter or any good advice - I just started making my best educated guess.

The Edelbrock Carb manual has some tuning giudelines in it. You can also buy a needle and jet kit for this carb from summit racing fairly cheap. I leaned my carb down as far as the parts in the kit would do it - and I feel prety good about it. Then I bent a carb needle while working on the carbs - ham-fisted and in a hurry. So I swapped up to the next larger size. I can not really say that I feel or see a large difference - but the difference in the needles are ever so slight.

Since the 1404 Carb is designed to work in 500 CFM engines and I think that is larger than the standard 3.5 - I went lean. I chose a jet 1422 (.083) and a needle 1463 (067 x 055). Again - this is my guess. I do not have a A/F Ratio meter.

Another way to check your mixture is to look at the condition of the spark plugs. That takes a while and is not precise or scientific.

I have been running this way for about 8K - 10K miles without any trouble but I still think there is some fuel economy tuning to be found in my carb that I have not discovered, yet.

Carb Calibration Kit http://www.summitracing.com/parts/edl-1486/overview/

[robertstr]

Thanks, that was my thought as well is it would have to run lean.
So few questions,

Did you have to get new throttle cable or mod its location to get the carbs full range ?
Did you have to get any special thermostat housing? I have seen a few kits that have those.
What did you end up having to blank out and did you need any bits and bobs you can recall?

I dont full get what to do with the vacuum and the gas return liens yet. I wish everybody would post awesome pdfs on their stuff like you did for that high range swap.
Note to self, I will try to do one for this...

What did you end up doing for the air filter , a low rise 14 Edlebrock? or the ten inch.

Cheers...