Upgrade to 4bbl, what about throttle cable bracket?

[findinghomer]

Upgrading my engine from 5.7 SBC 2BBL non vortec , to 97 and up vortec. , the 8 bolt manifold just got here today that fits 4bbl carb bc I wanted to upgrade from 2bbl. My question, is how will my throttle cable bracket with my circuit breaker and solenoid mount to the new carb? The bracket slid right over the to bbl mounting studs which are going to be much more narrow than the four BBL. Does it just not and I have to get a new bracket, or do I have to modify something? Appreciate your feedback, just putting together my plan for when my engine gets here, thanks

 

[Scott Danforth]

get the mercruiser 4-barrel bracket or one of the much much much less expensive generic 4-barrel throttle brackets and make up a new bracket to mount the circuit breaker.

 

[findinghomer]

get the mercruiser 4-barrel bracket or one of the much much much less expensive generic 4-barrel throttle brackets and make up a new bracket to mount the circuit breaker.

Is this it? Part number 805359T
Or is there one that looks like my bracket, but it's wider to fit the four barrel?

 

[Scott06]

Is this it? Part number 805359T
Or is there one that looks like my bracket, but it's wider to fit the four barrel?

yes that is it I used it for the same thing when converting from 2 bbl mercarb to a edelbrock 1409. the solenoid and Cb mounted perfectly.

What carb are you running?

I was able to take the parts (stud) off the throttle arm on the old carb to mesh with the throttle cable , just had to adjust the cable a touch (make sure it closes the throttle fully). I also used the throttle return spring that merc uses on the 357 alpha crate engines -

https://www.marineengine.com/parts/mercruiser-sterndrive-parts/357-alpha-4v/1g400000-up/carburetor-and-throttle-linkage

Made for a nice clean factory type installation

 

[findinghomer]

yes that is it I used it for the same thing when converting from 2 bbl mercarb to a edelbrock 1409. the solenoid and Cb mounted perfectly.

What carb are you running?

I was able to take the parts (stud) off the throttle arm on the old carb to mesh with the throttle cable , just had to adjust the cable a touch (make sure it closes the throttle fully). I also used the throttle return spring that merc uses on the 357 alpha crate engines -

https://www.marineengine.com/parts/mercruiser-sterndrive-parts/357-alpha-4v/1g400000-up/carburetor-and-throttle-linkage

Made for a nice clean factory type installation

Great! Thanks for your help and advice, but I don't have the carb yet but I'm thinking I'll get the 1409

 

[Scott06]

Great! Thanks for your help and advice, but I don't have the carb yet but I'm thinking I'll get the 1409

That would be my choice will bolt up nicely and work well out of the box.

The eddelbrock is the same as the webber carb Merc used from the factory and the same carb as shown in the parts breakdown I linked, so it will bolt in and look factory. Only difference will be the OEM carb is $1200 and the eddy is much less.

 

[Bondo]

Great! Thanks for your help and advice, but I don't have the carb yet but I'm thinking I'll get the 1409

Ayuh,.... A wise choice,.....

 

[Pmt133]

I also was going to do the 1409 on my 4.3. I did luck out and got a 4.3 carb from a friend off his V6 in a fair trade for a bottle of wine. One calibration kit and one tank and rebuild later and all is well. The 1409 is the better choice if you don't have that option for sure.

 

[Scott Danforth]

I'm sitting here looking at my pile of holley carbs..... I'm not a fan of Edelbrock carbs

 

[Scott06]

I'm sitting here looking at my pile of holley carbs..... I'm not a fan of Edelbrock carbs

the fact that you can use factory throttle bracket etc for a clean install makes sense for the OP.

A lot of guys like holleys but if they were so great why is there a pile of them not on engines... just poking fun as eddy carbs seem to elicit a response from holley guys... the three I have used ( 2 cars and 1 boat) have all been great and are still installed

 

[Scott Danforth]

The pile is because I keep buying them for future engine builds and I swap a lot of parts

The HP-950 is ready for my 7500 rpm LS build. The HP830 is currently on the 468 and will most likely get a larger main body and throttle plate. The 4777 650 cfm is for the next V6 build. The 750 vac secondary is rebuilt and ready for the wife's jeep build

 

[Pmt133]

I'm sitting here looking at my pile of holley carbs..... I'm not a fan of Edelbrock carbs

I really like holleys, have them on performance stuff, but holy hell do they constantly need adjusting on what I have them on. The holley 4000 I have runs as well as efi, so thats a lie. For daily and mild stuff, hands down prefer the AFB. Set it and forget it. And holleys QC on their new stuff would lead me to think Helen Keller was their supervisor. Got a 650 double pumper I want to slap on something fun. Maybe a stroked 400 pontiac.

 

[Scott06]

I really like holleys, have them on performance stuff, but holy hell do they constantly need adjusting on what I have them on. The holley 4000 I have runs as well as efi, so thats a lie. For daily and mild stuff, hands down prefer the AFB. Set it and forget it. And holleys QC on their new stuff would lead me to think Helen Keller was their supervisor. Got a 650 double pumper I want to slap on something fun. Maybe a stroked 400 pontiac.

That’s why I made the comment seems like on the GTO forum the Holley guys are always tweaking them. I cut my carb teeth on the AFB on my 65 GTO. Later swaped a Edelbrock on it and when I repowered the boat used a 1409. I have had none of the issues guys who seem to hate eddys have had.

the gto now has a tripower but that’s no slight to the edlebrock. A 650 is prob a little small for a stroker. I had to modify the idle circuit on the center carb when I stroked my 389=> 447 but otherwise really is a nice setup. End carbs are essentially like the secondaries on a 4 bbl

 

[Pmt133]

That’s why I made the comment seems like on the GTO forum the Holley guys are always tweaking them. I cut my carb teeth on the AFB on my 65 GTO. Later swaped a Edelbrock on it and when I repowered the boat used a 1409. I have had none of the issues guys who seem to hate eddys have had.

the gto now has a tripower but that’s no slight to the edlebrock. A 650 is prob a little small for a stroker. I had to modify the idle circuit on the center carb when I stroked my 389=> 447 but otherwise really is a nice setup. End carbs are essentially like the secondaries on a 4 bbl

With how bad most poncho intakes are, the 650 is probably fine. Got a street avenger 770 on a 409 Pontiac and it's a little too much for a driver. Always fighting the secondaries for good driver habits vs all out. That had the 650 on it but anything cooler than 65 with the amount of cam it has in it and you really missed having a choke. Once it eventually got some heat in it it was fine... but my aunt driving it I prefer it to be "easy" to use.

Against my better judgement I want to slap an eddy on that. If I could find a qjet from a ram air IV car, I'd use that but finding anything serviceable is like finding an honest politician.

 

[jimmbo]

I have never had to continuously 'tweak' a Holley Carb, or a Q-jet. Those Carter/Weber/Edelbrock, they are a different story altogether.

 

[Scott Danforth]

The only reason I tweak a holley is when I first get it to dial it in. I will swap jets, bleeds, nozzles, cams, etc. sometimes main bodies, metering plates, vents, etc

Just like setting up an Edelbrock with a calibration kit. It has to be tuned because every carb and motor is slightly different and requires tuning. No such thing as tuned out of the box

Once tuned, I don't touch em for years if ever unless they sit and need to be cleaned (like every fuel system)

I just never liked Edelbrocks, or Q-jets or mercs redheaded weber.

@Scott06 , you mentioned the AFB..... Staple of mopars in the 60s. Dad and I had a pair on a tunnel ram in top a 383 for years, motor went into a buds brothers 72 duster for a short time, then the motor went into his 68 dart

 

[Pmt133]

Yeah I don't understand it. I can have the thing perfect in June and then by beginning of August it's like swapping the metering blocks, jets, floats, power valve, pump shot, cam and nozzles never happened. Ive never in my life had a carb go from being tuned perfect to like I just slapped it on an engine out of the box like that one.

It goes from near perfect... well as perfect as a large cam and carb goes, to undriveable is the easiest way to describe it. I've had friends who do this professionally also mess about with it, arrive at the same tune up and then me call them a few weeks later that it's all out of wack again. Holley already replaced one under warranty because it was warped bad and the accelerator pump circuit... well didn't work at all. Maybe something was wrong with this one too.

I don't know at this point but if anyone else wants to try and prove me wrong, I'll supply the beer.

 

[Lou C]

I tried a brand new 4160 on my 4.3 about 8 years ago (the one Holley says is calibrated for the 4.3 that they still sell for about a grand) and it never ran right despite trying all the tricks that Holley techs advised and everything I read about Holleys running too rich which is what this one was doing. Finally gave up and rebuilt the Quadrajet which was fine for a long time. But out of curiosity I took it all apart after rebuilding the QJet. The only thing I found that was off was that all the clutch bolts holding on the rear metering plate were only hand tight. Not sure if that was the cause or not because I didn’t try it again, put it back together carefully and it’s been on a shelf in my garage ever since! But I am curious. Apparently on Holleys a small amount of fuel is metered from the secondary bowl even when the engine is only running on the primaries. Maybe that was the cause?

The problem with Quadrajet is they are all so old and unless you have an original unmolested one it can be hell to get it to run right; the reman ones sold can be a real headache. The one I have was original to the boat so that’s not an issue. I had one on a 1975 Olds when those cars were current and it was an excellent running carb. No problems with it at all over 15 years of driving.

The Edelbrock I have no experience but would be willing to try one if I cant get the Qjet running right.

 

[Scott06]

Must be that all of these manufacturers have a lot of QC variance. Every carb thread ends up like this- polar opposite experience with same carb manufacturers/styles.

On a good note the carb threads make the oil threads look interesting...

 

[Lou C]

Agreed I think that explains the variety of experiences/opinions as much as herd mentality lol.