Help with adjusting Carter aftermarket 4 barrel.

[bruce61]

This Carter four barrel came with the car ('61 Impala / 348) but was never installed. Visually, it looks like the Edlebrock manual choke base model. Edlebrock will not supply tech support because it is a Carter! My problem is this is the first carburetor I have installed, and there was no paperwork with the unit. It appears all linkage is working as intended and it starts with very little gas. It idles very rough and actually backfired the first time it was started. I opened up the idle mixture screws and started it again but it was still very rough. At this point, I have closed the idle mixture screws in nearly as far as they will go, and was going to start it and work my way to the rich side from there. Does anyone have any sugestions on a starting point with this carb and how I should proced dialing in?

[dq409]

Those carbs are identical to the Edelbrocks but use a different meter rod and jetting number system.
I would first check and see if the meter rods are stuck.
Those are the symptoms you state that would point me to the meter rods.
You can borrow a Edelbrock Carb manual or read it and save it from online.
http://www.edelbrock.com/automotive_new/mc/carbs_acc/pdf/carb_owners_manual.pdf

You can swap out the Carter, jets, meter rods and seats to Edelbrock if needed to use the specs in the manual.

I don`t think you will need to though.
I`ll bet your meter rods are stuck.
Just take the rods out and reinstall them., dq

[bruce61]

Thanks "dq", I'll give the metering rods a try.:)

[raymar58454]

Thanks "dq", I'll give the metering rods a try.:)

Bruce, Edelbrock tech sucks. I had one on my 454 and it wouldn't idle right either. I finally traced it down. When you pull out the metering rods measure the depth of the well where theybottom out when they are closed. My were .060 different so only one rod was closing under idle. I called edelbrock tech and could not get an answer as to the correct dimmensions. I build late model Holley carbs and every one I bolted on idled perfectly. I had a 5" cowl hood on the 66 and the engine would shake under cruise (high vaccum). But was smooth with the Holleys. Also Holley tech has been a great help to me. If someone I reached couldn't answer my question they said they didn't know and would get me to someone that could. Hope no one has a problem with the Edelbrock heads. I'll probably catch flack for this, but oh well.

Ray