'65 390 4bbl carb rebuild guide?

[Breadfan]

Is the autolite 4bbl carb on a 390FE (1965) rebuildable?

If so, are there any good online guides on the rebuild steps?

How about tuning guides?

Got one that's running rich and hesitates off the line...can't have that!

[Dragcity]

Hi Breadfan,

Yes, theya re rebuildable. If yours is still original, like mine. And has 1/2 million miles on it, like mine. Then you will need more than a re-build.

I rebuilt mine and it worked a bit better. What the problem is with these old used carbs is the needles and seats get wore out really bad. Remember, in the old days, you had to adjust the fuel mix at the change of every season.

I have pretty much the same poblem you have. There is a fine line between too rich / and NO FUEL through the primary adjustment.

I have been playing with timing and such on my '65 T-Bird. There is only so much you can do while running points and condenser. I am probably going to get a Mallory point elimination kit for $60 to solve that problem.

I think I am going to sent my carb out to be re-conditioned. A fellow down the street from my had his done on his 67 Mustang 289. It was expensive, very expensive. I can't remember the name of the company, but he had to send it off for 8 weeks. I guess they repair all original casting inperfections and set YOUR original carb up to be CONQUEROUS.

It's too bad he died three years ago. I need to search it out for myself.

If you are not concerned with keeping things OEM, it would probably be easier and cheaper to go get a new Holley carb. They have some that will bolt right up...

Good luck....

P.S.- Advance the timing and ensure you are getting a good strong spark at each cylinder. Also, ensure you have fresh 93 octane fuel on board....

Check This out---

http://carbs.partschoice.com/ Poke around "Technical Information" and manuals. Nice site. Give actual copy of the Ford Service Manuals. I think you'll find what you are looking for....

[TooManyFords]

I think I am going to sent my carb out to be re-conditioned. A fellow down the street from my had his done on his 67 Mustang 289. It was expensive, very expensive. I can't remember the name of the company, but he had to send it off for 8 weeks. I guess they repair all original casting inperfections and set YOUR original carb up to be CONQUEROUS.


Concours Replacements :

http://mysite.verizon.net/vze2gsgu/index.html

They look nice!

John

[Dragcity]

Yeah, Yeah.....CONCOURS, So my spelling really sucks some times.....

It is indeed Pony that the guy down the street used.

http://www.ponycarburetors.com/default.asp?page=carburetors

[Breadfan]

If you are not concerned with keeping things OEM, it would probably be easier and cheaper to go get a new Holley carb. They have some that will bolt right up...

Cool thanks for the info! We had talked about moving to a Holley, which model, a 4150 holley? A 600 of 750cfm for a 390FE?

Thanks for the link too, I found a rebuild kit for the Ford carb, we may try to rebuild it and see how that works, for $28 for the rebuild kit it can't hurt...

[RCSignals]

If you are thinking about a different carb, why a Holley?

Try a Carter AFB or an Edelbrock Performer, which is really a Carter AFB. You'll love it.

[TooManyFords]

I second the Edelbrock carb upgrade. Holleys are nothing but metered leaks, in my not-so-humble opinion.

For your 390, go with the 650 CFM model and it should be good to go right out of the box.

And it's shiney too!

John

[Dragcity]

Funny, My Holley 860 Double pump, dual feel carb leaked like friggin crazy. Right down all four barrels and into the intake!

I never had problem in 5 years of racing, with that carb....Still sitting atop the Performer Intake in my rafters (covered with oily rags.)

[TooManyFords]

Still sitting atop the Performer Intake in my rafters (covered with oily rags.)

LOL! Right where it belongs!

:D

[RCSignals]

a little trivia side note. all three of these common today 4bbls, the Ford/Autolite, the Holley, and Carter AFB were developed for Ford for the 1957 model year when Ford introduced it's new 4bbl base pattern (later becoming an industry standard used by all the manufacturers)

[Dragcity]

Ouch! That hurts.:bigcry:

Been retired for oh, um, let's see. I've been married for 19 years.....Yup 19 years since I last raced...What a co-ink-e-dink

[TooManyFords]

Been retired for oh, um, let's see. I've been married for 19 years.....Yup 19 years since I last raced...What a co-ink-e-dink

you've got some serious catching up to do!

Get that dusted off and out on the track.

;)

[Dragcity]

Now that I am out of warrenty....My 14 year old Son wants to go really bad.... That's about when I started going with my Brother and his 4 speed, dual quad, posi traction ---------.........^^^^^^ 427 Mach 1 (1969)


I bet you thought I would say "409"

[Breadfan]

I thought you were going to say '78 Mustang II 4cyl with an open diff...I was WAY OFF! ;)

j/k

Thanks for the tips, for us carter/edelbrocks were on the list too I'm glad they got a strong vote of confidence here.

I looked at the Pony Carb site, that guy sure seems to love the Autolite 4100 though! The carb itself looks to be in good shape and the car will cruise and idle OK it's just it will bog on take-off.

We plan to recheck the timing which I bleieve was set to factory specs but I believe it could be advanced some, and yep good 93 in the tank.

[TooManyFords]

I thought you were going to say '78 Mustang II 4cyl with an open diff...I was WAY OFF! ;)

j/k

Thanks for the tips, for us carter/edelbrocks were on the list too I'm glad they got a strong vote of confidence here.

I looked at the Pony Carb site, that guy sure seems to love the Autolite 4100 though! The carb itself looks to be in good shape and the car will cruise and idle OK it's just it will bog on take-off.

We plan to recheck the timing which I bleieve was set to factory specs but I believe it could be advanced some, and yep good 93 in the tank.

If I had to guess, I would save the power valve is shot. Get the carb rebuild kit and see if that fixes it. They aren't kidding when they say the 4100 is the best made. A good cleaning and spray out all the passages and the kit and you might save yourself a lot of money.

John

[TooManyFords]

And where's my calendar?!?

[Dragcity]

These old 390's will take quite a bit of advancement from book/light settings. I use the PING test....

You seem to be in good shape. Do the $30 clean and rebuild. Advance the timing, set up the idle, and I bet you will be fine.

Do remember, these old cars are really heavy, and the gearing was pretty sad. You may have 2.75:1 gears in that beast. I think my Bird has 3.00:1

After a good cleaning of the carb, points, cap, rotor, plugs; and advancing the timing, I am able to get a little chirp. Poor old Bird loved it....

Too bad I'm not closer, I'd be by with some beers and we could play....

[Breadfan]

Thanks John, we will go for that route first!

[RCSignals]

before you put time in installing a rebuild kit, check the throttle shaft for wear

If there is any slop you will need a new shaft and likely have to have it re bushed and reamed as well

[Breadfan]

Cool, yeah too bad you aren't closer we could race Tbird against Park Lane... ;) Yeah it's a heavy beast, no chirp as of yet maybe this will change that, I'd have to research what gears are back there or count rotations...

If parts arrive in time we may be doing a brake booster/master cylinder replace as well as a fluid flush, rest of the brakes look to have been replaced recently but it has virtually NO power assist.

Booster gets plenty of vacuum it appears to be toast, and every once in a while you get a bit of assist...

I've heard running rich can cause the booster to fail, presumably by gasses going through the vacuum lines? I'd assume it takes awhile but we don't know how long it's been running rich before we bought it.

[whd507]

Its one of the best carbs ever. the power valve is a weak link like in Holleys, I believe that the new anti-blow power valves will work in the ford carb. if you have plastic floats, see if you can get some brass ones.or new plastic ones. if your kit does not come with the secondary diaphram, you need one.

the carter/edelbrock will bolt up, and is great, but is wider, the linkage will have to be modified.

if Holley, I used a 750 double pumper, but jetted down a size or two for the 390.

I also second the accel or petronics electronic points replacement.

[RCSignals]

If you order the Ford throttle shaft with the Edelbrock the linkage should be fine

[whd507]

on a 65/66,I beleive the merc has a cable, and the bracket is bolted to the intake. the edelbrock kit has kickdown provision, but makes it even wider because it is added onto the existing linkage,it requires a new kickdown rod to the trans, and relocating the intake manifold bracket.

its easier with the rod-style linkage.

I love the AFB, but its easier in a truck

[RCSignals]

worked fine for me in a Cougar

[jerrym3]

I've been using Holleys for years on my 64 galaxie, 352-4v.

One day the car runs great, the next day it hardly idles.

I have a box of old Holleys in my garage. I've had this car since 1967, so that's a whole bunch of Holleys. (Used to get them for free.)

[GreekGod]

...beware of some poor advice in this thread. It is about 1/2 good and 1/2 poor.