2 barrel , 4 barrel, whose got the answer?

[junkyardhero]

As long as the go pedal isn’t pressed hard or often…… LOL

As 318WR said, tunning the set up is key to how it runs, so, the car was subject to constant tuning between the distributor timing and jetting of the carb. Also pay attention to the pump shot amount. Use only as much as the engine needs. Jet it on the lean side. (Lean for winter. It’ll richer up slightly for the summer. Air molecule expansion, and contraction due to the temperatures.)

Keeping your foot out of it will net good mileage results.
Sometimes, depending on the 2bbl, the 4bbl can have smaller primaries.

i'll brook no dissent, but again... results not typical because *nobody* puts the time and effort into tuning their set ups-- or has the skill and understanding to do so.

at any rate, a well thought out and tuned 4bbl set up can and will absolutely return fantastic results. but most people either cheap out or only go half measures here.

and as you note, driving style (and terrain) play a huge factor in the grand scheme of things.

also, he's got a van with 3.55's and massive tires. so eeking out a few mpg might be a moot point. not saying it's impossible, but just less likely is all.

 

[palani]

so much fun to try tho.

 

[palani]

This sounds like a fun project to play with. I hear ya on moving slow. While I am young at 58, persistent back problems are painful and limiting. Also, I’m no Rockefeller either.

3.55’s are tough to get great mileage from but for where I am at, mid Florida, speed limits around the area are normally + or - 10 mph of 45, 45 being the average. So my 3.55’s in my Magnum currently work out pretty good for around here. RPM’s are low due to the average posted speed limits.

And, I agree. I was a heavy mechanic for decades. Had a side biz as the neighborhood Mr. fix-it guy. Always in grease and oil. Everyone’s car runs and works great except mine. Too tired to do anything on it and I never wanted to since I was doing it all the dang time.

You MAY want to contact Dana a member here that rebuilds carbs with a good positive response from members here. IDK his prices but his work is often made a bunch here pretty happy.

He may perhaps have the carb you’re looking for. Ask him. Might have some luck. Who knows?

thanks for the advice, ill check in

 

[rumblefish360]

i'll brook no dissent, but again... results not typical because *nobody* puts the time and effort into tuning their set ups-- or has the skill and understanding to do so.

Ain’t that the truth brother!

at any rate, a well thought out and tuned 4bbl set up can and will absolutely return fantastic results. but most people either cheap out or only go half measures here.

That’s the problem.

and as you note, driving style (and terrain) play a huge factor in the grand scheme of things.

Yep! Living on an Island (the past) and traveling I-95. Close to sea level.
Now I’m in Florida with the water 3 miles away. The phone says I’m at a 45’ elevation.

I don’t know how the guys a mile high do it. I am amazed at some of the track times I see these guys run. When I see there combo, I’m just waiting for the day they can come down off the high plateau.

also, he's got a van with 3.55's and massive tires. so eeking out a few mpg might be a moot point. not saying it's impossible, but just less likely is all.

I just seen 3.55 gears. I didn’t notice it early on. There in my Magnum now. Between them and the 5.9 roller engine, I haven’t yet been able to really get down on a tune and mileage is a bit rough. Not so bad I don’t drive it but it’s a bit tough.

As I said earlier, traveling speeds are slow but generally open on the road. I think down the road some I’ll be making a change to an OD trans. A deeper first gear and a nice Hwy friendly OD ratio will open up the fun factor a bit.

thanks for the advice, ill check in

You bet! We are all here to help. We’re all MoPar nutz.

 

[66fs]

this is great! glad i found you all. so the plan right now is to find a good carter bbd, rebujild it and start changing stuff over. Ill try to keep you all in the loop but i move pretty slow now (74) so bear with me, i do want to track the mileage and doing it this way will allow me to do just that. i still want to find a thermoquad or quadra and a manifold, maybe try that after i get some numbers. wrenching is fun when its not your primary job, i like doing.
for the numbers people, this van has 3.55 rear, some of the widest tires front and back, which works against mei know. supposedly it has only 43000 miles but i think more like 143000. picked it up for 3500, tires blew after 100 miles (cause they were over 20 years old) anyway rebuilt the front suspension, rotoar , calipiers, shocks rear brake shoes, starter, all the vac hoses, et, etc. if i forgot anything you might want to know just ask
thanks you all

If you get a 73 ish BBD with the adjustable rod hanger (removable top plate) with ported vacuum you can really dial them in for mpg. We could get 25 mpg from "75" Cordobas with a 318 and standard 904 trans.

 

[furrystump]

I have the original 68 318 2 barrel that came on my 68 Barracuda. Bought it and didn’t care if it ran, so I have no idea its condition and don’t know 2 barrels at all. Sitting on the 318 collecting dust. Yours if you need it.

 

[DumpsterFire]

I just got a shitbox m body to be my primary shitbox. Just throwing a carter bbd on and calling it done. Don't care about any kind of performance

 

[palani]

I have the original 68 318 2 barrel that came on my 68 Barracuda. Bought it and didn’t care if it ran, so I have no idea its condition and don’t know 2 barrels at all. Sitting on the 318 collecting dust. Yours if you need it.

thanks! i got a line on one here local. i do app the offer

 

[Charrlie_S]

I didn't read through everything, but consider this. Use a stock nonlean burn electronic distributer (with vac and centrifugal advance). Keep the lean burn carb (might have to rejet), connect the dist vacuum advance to manifold vacuum. Use the GM hei 4 pin module and "E" coil setup with no ballast resister.

 

[67Dart273]

the problem of going with a mopar stock dizzy is that ballast resistor . by doing what
im doing i get rid of that (the resistor), can open the plug gap to around .045, better more complete burn (higher voltage). so right now i got the dizzy (vac advance) and the hei module, high power coil, etc. just missing the carb. from some of the folks on here ive found rebuilders from 15-35 dollars. like anyone who grew up on the muscle cars, those 4 barrels are soo nice. i do agree that it would be better to just do the 2 barrel . but i wouldnt mind having the manifold and carb on the shelf.(i got a 518 trans in the barn, which is from 87 (i think) has a overdrive). just thinking ahead.
but i did think like what your saying and KISS is much better. and in case anyone is interested, i did get the service manual and went thru the entire lean burn system, only thing that raised any flags was a 1/2 volt drop at the coil. which for some reason wouldnt alloqw the engine to start. wierd. but what it is.
thanks

It is not a "dizzy." But the type has nothing to do with ballast. You can run a Mopar dist if you find one and use a GM HEI module instead of the Mopar one. Those are easy and don't need a ballast.

the 1/2 v drop are you talking about starting? I'm not sure if the 83 would have the later start relay with a 5th contact. Older rigs, the coil resistor bypass is in the ignition switch, normally marked IGN2 on the diagram and many years (not always) brown in color. Some of the later years had the 5 terminal start relay and one of those was used for the coil bypass I believe. You want to measure coil voltage with key on in "run" and then again while cranking. The "run" voltage normally goes away in "start" and is fed only from the bypass circuit. Even if you use a big cap HEI you are going to have to work that out

 

[palani]

did all that, got a “new” old mopar single pickup. yes the service book said to do what you suggest. had 11.5 on pos side of coil, whether run or start. if i take a wire from battery to plus coil it will start great. i can take the wire off (switch) after starting and continues to run, no problem. changed coil, chaanged pickup modules, dist cap, wires rotor, starter bypass, everything other than lean burn computer (if you want to call it that). and thruout all this i had no power, bad mileage. without that bypass wire i put on engine cranks great, almost starts (know what i mean) but…. i dont want to be somewhere and have to trailer it home, gets expensiv e (already done that once)
ill be weiring this from the starter relay i beleive. 4 wires if i remember. and i only went thru all this cause another fellow on a different forum said what you are saying. you need to find out why. when i went thru all this he then agreed that i had wasted time and money (3 months and over 250 in parts)

 

[palani]

I didn't read through everything, but consider this. Use a stock nonlean burn electronic distributer (with vac and centrifugal advance). Keep the lean burn carb (might have to rejet), connect the dist vacuum advance to manifold vacuum. Use the GM hei 4 pin module and "E" coil setup with no ballast resister.

yep except im getting the right carb for the dist. and it will be a rebuilt carb so hopefully i eleminate future problems

 

[palani]

just wondering…could yiou take a dual four barrel manifold, using 4 to 2 plates, run dual 2 barrels with progressive linkage? just a thought. these two barrels are showing up everywhere now that im on here. which is super!
i hope to pick up a couple now, use the best one (best throttle bushings) to rebuild. i jheard /read to also check for warpage? to run them across the belt sander? or at least check for warpage. anything else? im used to doing 4 barrels not 2. ( did a 2 barrel on kids mustang tho, it came out ok but a pita)

 

[Charrlie_S]

My 88 diplomat had the lean burn. I converted to HEI many years ago. I did use a earlier carb with the ported vac connection, and an early single pickup vacuum distributor. The 4 pin module, and an "E" coil. The ballast resister is still in its stock location but bypassed with a short jumper lead with male spade connecters. The module and coil get the +12 from the original factory coil wire. Never had a problem with the system and picked up several MPG over the lean burn. My 64 Valant streetcar is the same, as is my 66 Valiant race car, except on the race car I run a "locked" distributer set at 20* advance (nitrous).
PS: On my street 64 Valiant, I do run manifold vacuum (as a "crutch"). I have too much advance in the distributer, and it will ping if I have the initial timing set where the engine will idle. So by using manifold vacuum I have vacuum at idle and can set the distributer initial timing al lot less. That way I can set the dist for less total advance, but the vacuum at idle gives me a good idle. I really need to recurve the distributer but haven't had the time.

 

[RustyRatRod]

Without fail the "right style" four barrel will be more efficient , get better mileage (as long as you keep your foot out of it) and make more power than a two barrel every time. Volumetric efficiency is what it's called. That said, I agree the two barrel would be easiest and cheapest.

 

[palani]

lets do both! ill start with the 2 barrel and maybe when no one is looking ill swap over to the 4 barrel!

 

[palani]

i'll brook no dissent, but again... results not typical because *nobody* puts the time and effort into tuning their set ups-- or has the skill and understanding to do so.

at any rate, a well thought out and tuned 4bbl set up can and will absolutely return fantastic results. but most people either cheap out or only go half measures here.

and as you note, driving style (and terrain) play a huge factor in the grand scheme of things.

also, he's got a van with 3.55's and massive tires. so eeking out a few mpg might be a moot point. not saying it's impossible, but just less likely is all.

i get that , it seems pointless but consider…right now im at 10 mpg, if i can increase that to 13 mpg that is a 30 % improvemt.. like a free gallon every 30 miles. increase to 15 mpg even better. my popint is improvemnts in mpg have a greater effect the loweer the starting mpg. if i was at 15mpg i most likely wouldnt consider any of this.

i am looking for just a few more mpg's

 

[Bewy]

The TQ & QJ are great carbs, but no longer available new or with a jetting kit.

I would use a dual plane 4 bbl intake such as the Performer [ not the RPM ] with the Edel 600 #1400. This has an elec choke & is jetted for max economy. It also has all the reqd ports: ported & man vacuum, PCV, brake booster.

To best utilise the features of HEI, use an E core coil such as MSD #8207, no bal res.

Use 0.060" plug gaps.

 

[RustyRatRod]

lets do both! ill start with the 2 barrel and maybe when no one is looking ill swap over to the 4 barrel!

In that case, run the four barrel a while, then go to a six pack. Run that a while and go to eight one barrels.