After Market Carb for 1962 .327

[wjw1741]

I am having issues with my original carb on the .327 250 HP. Every once in a while the engine will cut out, usually 3500 or above RPM. NOw, I have had the carb rebuilt twice in two years and the same problem is there. The engine was rebuilt at the same time, so I am still thinking its a carb issue, especially since it only happens at certain RPM's. Now someone told me it could be the butterfly chokes not opening precisely when they should, so rather than spend another bunch of money to fix the original, I was hoping to get an affordable after market edelbrock, but it says that it requires a 5 1/4" air cleaner center hole, and I do not want to do any MOD to the engine block at all, so is there an affordable alternative? Any suggestions are appreciated.

Once I find out the carb is the issue, in the future, I could spend the $800 and have it totally rebuilt at Paragon, but until then, I was hoping for a cheaper and quicker fix.

Warren

 

[Tom Bryant]

Does this happen warm or cold? When the engine is warm is the choke butterfly wide open? Does it happen at part throttle or full throttle?

When using aftermarket carbs that use the larger air cleaner hole you can use an adapter for the air cleaner but that will raise your air cleaner height. You don't have a lot of room for that. Plus an Edelbrock/AFB type carb or Holley won't bolt to a WCFB manifold without an adapter that will also add height.

I had a 1967 Holley rebuilt by Bob Kunz in St. Louis. He is well respected as the guy to go to for NCRS level carb restoration. He also does a street remanufacturer (not just a rebuild) for the guy that doesn't need all of the correct colors and coatings. Then he sets up the carb on a running test engine before returning it to you. All you have to do is install it and drive. He has done C1 WCFB carbs for several guys I know.

I had him do the street reman on mine and even with having to locate a new metering block and other problems he ran into, the cost was about the same as buying a new Edelbrock or Holly. But I still have the original correct carb. A full on NCRS level restoration would obviously be more money but if you don't need that, don't do it. You might give him a call before you get involved with a carb swap. It may be something simple to fix that your rebuilder missed.

Bob Kunz Automotive
314-845-2566

Tom

 

[wjw1741]

Does this happen warm or cold? When the engine is warm is the choke butterfly wide open? Does it happen at part throttle or full throttle?

It typically happens when it was hot, but yesterday it went to extremes. I actually broke down on the side of the road and had to wait for about 40 minutes.

Usually it only happens when I go full throttle. Anything above 3500 rpm, but yesterday, it was a very warm day here, a touch over 90. I was driving and it started skipping. The engine temp never got over 190 which I consider normal for the car.

Anyway, it got so bad, the car would run, but when I tried to give it enough gas to move in first, it would just bog down and stall completely. It would start back up, idle fine, I could even give it some gas, but when trying to engage in any gear, it would stall. When I pulled over, I noticed the gas filter. It almost looked as though the gas was boiling over in the filter, not sure if that is typical or not, but this was the first time I noticed it. I also noticed that it appears that I am losing some gas on the side of the carb itself, like a small, but noticeable leak.

In any even, after 40 minutes, I managed to get it started and was able to drive it home, and now it is sitting in the garage, as now I am worried about driving anywhere, so I am looking for direction. I was hoping the quickest and easiest way would be to just buy a new carb, keeping this one until I had the extra cash to have it properly redone, but it sounds that that is not the case. I may give that gentleman a call and see what he says. Does he do this as a hobby, or as a profession?

Thanks.

 

[Tom Bryant]

It's his business. This almost sounds like you are getting some vapor lock.