Bullnose Enthusiasts Forum

Ok, now I need some carb tuning advice (Holley 4160 600CFM)

Classic

List

Threaded

134 messages Options

1 ... 4567

Gary Lewis

Re: Ok, now I need some carb tuning advice (Holley 4160 600CFM)

Administrator

Jim - Some un-named person needs an apology?

Cory - I hope the start-up goes very well. I'm betting it will with all the layers of the onion you've removed.
Time for a Bloomin' Onion!

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Dad's: '81 F150 Ranger XLT 4x4: Down for restomod: Full-roller "stroked 351M" w/Trick Flow heads & intake, EEC-V SEFI/E4OD/3.50 gears w/Kevlar clutches
Blue: 2015 F150 Platinum 4x4 SuperCrew wearing Blue Jeans & sporting a 3.5L EB & Max Tow
Big Blue: 1985 F250HD 4x4: 460/ZF5/3.55's, D60 w/Ox locker & 10.25 Sterling/Trutrac, Blue Top & Borgeson, & EEC-V MAF/SEFI

85lebaront2

Re: Ok, now I need some carb tuning advice (Holley 4160 600CFM)

Administrator

This post was updated on .

In reply to this post by ArdWrknTrk

Jim, if that is a "normal" Holley, not the 4180 emission style, the mixture screws should be on the side of the primary metering block. He may still need the tool to reach them with the air cleaner installed though.

Bill AKA "LOBO" Profile

"Getting old is inevitable, growing up is optional" Darth Vader 1986 F350 460 converted to MAF/SEFI, E4OD 12X3 1/2 rear brakes, traction loc 3:55 gear, 160 amp 3G alternator Wife's 2011 Flex Limited Daily Driver 2009 Flex Limited with factory tow package Project car 1986 Chrysler LeBaron convertible 2.2L Turbo II, modified A413

ArdWrknTrk

Re: Ok, now I need some carb tuning advice (Holley 4160 600CFM)

Administrator

4180??
With the mixture screws in the base flange.

4160 does have the idle jets in the metering block.

Jim,
Lil'Red is a '87 F250 HD, 4.10's, 1356 4x4, Zf-5, 3G, PMGR, Saginaw PS, desmogged with a Holley 80508 and Performer intake.
Too much other stuff to mention.

Rembrant

Re: Ok, now I need some carb tuning advice (Holley 4160 600CFM)

In reply to this post by Gary Lewis

Gary Lewis wrote

Cory - I hope the start-up goes very well. I'm betting it will with all the layers of the onion you've removed.
Time for a Bloomin' Onion!

Ok, so I stuck the distributor back in. Once the gas flowed back up to the carb it fired right up.

Up to temp now, here are the readings:

Base timing is at 10 degrees BTDC.
RPM is 1100.
Engine vacuum is 18.5"
AFR is approx 11.2

So what do I start adjusting first?

Idle speed, idle mix, or timing?

1994 F150 4x2 Flareside. 5.0 w/MAF, 4R70W, stock.
1984 F150 4X2 Flareside. Mild 302 w/ 5spd. Sold.
1980 F150 4X4 Flareside. 300i6 w/ 5spd. Sold in 2021.
1980 F100 4X2 Flareside. 351w/2bbl w/NP435. Sold in 1995

Gary Lewis

Re: Ok, now I need some carb tuning advice (Holley 4160 600CFM)

Administrator

Bring the idle down first. Then adjust the idle mix and readjust the RPM.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Rembrant

Re: Ok, now I need some carb tuning advice (Holley 4160 600CFM)

Gary Lewis wrote

Bring the idle down first. Then adjust the idle mix and readjust the RPM.

Ok, that was all very easy.

The 1100 RPM idle was due to the choke plate linkage being hung up on the carb spacer, because I had it positioned wrong. Once that was fixed, idle dropped to 600 RPM.
I've played around with it for a bit, and got the AFR at 14.5 at an idle of 750 RPM. Best vacuum I can get in this scenario is 17.5".

Question though...
The idle mix screws. I assume they need to be adjusted equally left and right? Each has to be the same number of turns?

I'll have to play with it some more. The 14.5 AFR was with the right hand idle mix screw at 3/4 turn out, and the left hand screw at 1.0 full turn out. Once I evened them both up to 1.0 turns, the AFR dropped to 13.2-ish.

I'm on the right path at least. It's idling nice and smooth. Can't drive it until the roads clear up though, bugger.

Gary Lewis

Re: Ok, now I need some carb tuning advice (Holley 4160 600CFM)

Administrator

Where is your O2 sensor located?

Anyway, it isn’t necessary to adjust the idle screws the same. Adjust for best idle and don’t sweat the AFR.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Rembrant

Re: Ok, now I need some carb tuning advice (Holley 4160 600CFM)

Gary Lewis wrote

Where is your O2 sensor located?

Anyway, it isn’t necessary to adjust the idle screws the same. Adjust for best idle and don’t sweat the AFR.

O2 sensor is monitoring the right hand bank of the 302, and it's pretty close to the engine...probably a bit too close, but it works fine. I'm noticing that the AFR reading is much smoother now that I have the vacuum leak fixed...it was on that same bank, so the AFR was swinging quite a bit previously.

We had to run out this evening, so I didn't do much more with it today. I'll spend some time on it tomorrow and see if I can get it dialed in a little better. I can tell that it's already running much better than it was before.

Gary Lewis

Re: Ok, now I need some carb tuning advice (Holley 4160 600CFM)

Administrator

With the O2 sensor on one side you'll get a false reading of the overall AFR at idle 'cause you can easily create an imbalance via the idle screws. So I'd just go for max vacuum or RPM and not worry 'bout the AFR.

In any event, you've turned the corner on the problems. Hope you get to take it out this winter to test it out.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Rembrant

Re: Ok, now I need some carb tuning advice (Holley 4160 600CFM)

Gary Lewis wrote

In any event, you've turned the corner on the problems. Hope you get to take it out this winter to test it out.

So I got the old Bull out for a Christmas Day shakedown run! It was -3C out..or about 26F, but the roads were nice and dry. I made one final little tweak of the idle mix screws, and it's running MUCH better now! The big difference is between 1500-2000 RPM where it never really ran well previously. I can now cruise along at 1500 RPM in 4th gear and accelerate smoothly to 2000, which was never the case before. The AFR seems to be really good as well. Cruising along at light throttle at 2000 RPM, the gauge is reading 14.5-14.7 pretty consistently. I'm a happy guy today. Merry Christmas guys, and thank for all the assistance in getting the old Bull running better;).

Gary Lewis

Re: Ok, now I need some carb tuning advice (Holley 4160 600CFM)

Administrator

Congrat’s!!! Yes, another layer of the onion. Time for a celebration and then turn to another aspect of the truck?

And Merry Christmas!!!

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Rembrant

Re: Ok, now I need some carb tuning advice (Holley 4160 600CFM)

Gary Lewis wrote

Time for a celebration and then turn to another aspect of the truck?

Gary, yes on to other tasks...

Right now I'm painting the metal bars of my new-to-me sliding rear window! Going with semi-gloss black in hopes that it looks as close to original as possible. I'm between coats right now, but if all goes well I'll try to get the SRW all reassembled tomorrow. I painted some test pieces and the semi-gloss seems to look pretty good. Not too bright, and not too dull.

Gary Lewis

Re: Ok, now I need some carb tuning advice (Holley 4160 600CFM)

Administrator

What did you decide on tinting?

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Rembrant

Re: Ok, now I need some carb tuning advice (Holley 4160 600CFM)

Gary Lewis wrote

What did you decide on tinting?

Well, for the time being I've decided to leave it as it is Gary. For 2020, I might just grab one of those cheap retractable shades that I can pull down when it's bothersome. I might check and see what tint is available off the shelf locally, but that won't be until Friday as everything will be closed until then.

I probably won't install the window until the spring anyway, so I have lots of time to change my mind (and I do that, a lot...lol).

1 ... 4567