Carburetor question

[Zandoz]

I have an 89 Camaro 2.8 with MPFI that I am going to use for a little T bucket econo-rod. I am going to de-electronics it...doing away with the bowl of spaghetti wiring and hoses...and the MPFI. I know doing away with the MPFI is a step backwards, but it's want I want. Towards that end, I've gotten one of the Edelbrock Torker II manifolds with the 4bbl top, and a Mallory dual point distributor. The only other mods this motor will have is a set of either zoomie or lake style headers with baffles. The piece of the puzzle I do not have is the carburetor. I know the recommended carb is the Holley 390cfm 4bbl, but to me it seems like it would be overkill for this little motor. The number of used 4bbl tops I see on ebay seems to confirm that. Since I do not know of any smaller 4bbls, I'm thinking of going with a good sized 2bbl...probably a rebuilt, set up for manual choke. The 350 cfm version of the Holley 2300 comes to mind, but I'm not finding rebuilts for reasonable money.

The other candidate that comes to mind is the 300cfm version of the Motorcraft 2100. The 2100 seems to be the go-to choice of the offroaders running 6 cylinder motors. It's simple, relable, and easy to rebuild.

If they were not so complicated, and I could find an adapter, I'd go with a Weber DG. And if I has the $$$ I'd go for either dual Stromberg 97s or dual side draft DCOE40s

Does anyone have any opinions on using a 2300 or a 2100? Any ideas on alternatives?

Thanks!

[geoffinbc]

Any small 4bbl will work and as long as it does not have mechanical secondaries it should work very well on the street. But your other choices are also good. Going with one you are familiar with and that is reliable is a great idea. So long as the carb provides all the air flow the engine can use then you wont limit power production.

Did you really find a dual points distributor to work on the 660? I have never herd of one.

[dskopek]

The 4bbl 390 CFM carb has smaller bores then the 300 or 350 CFM 2 barrels and on a stock 2.8 that would be a good thing for street use.

[Zandoz]

Any small 4bbl will work and as long as it does not have mechanical secondaries it should work very well on the street. But your other choices are also good. Going with one you are familiar with and that is reliable is a great idea. So long as the carb provides all the air flow the engine can use then you wont limit power production.

Did you really find a dual points distributor to work on the 660? I have never herd of one.

I got the distributor just the other day from another member here. It's a Mallory unit with both vacuum and mechanical advance. Last I knew Summit carried them.

[Zandoz]

The 4bbl 390 CFM carb has smaller bores then the 300 or 350 CFM 2 barrels and on a stock 2.8 that would be a good thing for street use.

Hmmmm....I did not know that. I guess I'll keep the 390 4bbl on the short list.

I did a bit more research, the venturi size of the 390 cfm 4bbl has 1.06", the 2300 350 cfm 1.19", the 300 cfm 2100 1.14", and the 287 cfm 2100 1.08". It sounds like if I go with the 2100, I'd probably want the 287 cfm version.

[geoffinbc]

I got the distributor just the other day from another member here. It's a Mallory unit with both vacuum and mechanical advance. Last I knew Summit carried them.

Yea I looked it up. Wow points! I wonder why they make it when the OEM distributor is HEI? Personally I would be going with HEI because it is more reliable and maintenance free. Hope it all works out.

[Zandoz]

Yea I looked it up. Wow points! I wonder why they make it when the OEM distributor is HEI? Personally I would be going with HEI because it is more reliable and maintenance free. Hope it all works out.

The reason I went with it was that it is a new unit for less money than I could get a rebuilt non HEI unit...and I've never seen a rebuilt HEI for sale. Points don't worry me...I was setting points before I was out of grade school. And there are reasonably priced kits to go electronic if I decide I want to. This is going in a fair weather use hot rod, that's not likely to have enough use to make points maintenance a PITA.

[Ghosteh]

All I know is that you got a hell of a deal on those parts! I feel sorry for the guy you bought them from!

Let me check my paperwork & see what size carb I had for that setup. Of course, it never was finished, but all the parts bolted up together nicely.

[Zandoz]

Actually, I kind of envy the guy I got them from....what he's replacing them with is way cool.

[Mad Max]

Actually, I kind of envy the guy I got them from....what he's replacing them with is way cool.

I have a 5 speed S10 with a 3.4 from a 1995 Camaro. I went with the Eddy intake and the Holley 390. I also have the Mallory dual point dizzy on the same motor. It has a HUGE cam and a bunch of other stuff (headers, big exhaust etc), It runs high 14s in the 1320 and is completely reliable.
BTW, I have put over 30 K miles on the points and have not touched them.
Points you say?? As long as you have a decent condenser, points last a hell of a long time!
And as far as the carb goes? The 390 has smaller primary venturis than most Holley 2 barrels. I get about 21 MPG at 70 MPH (!!!!) on the hiway with this engine. Don't know why, but I have checked it many times between Baton Rouge and Syracuse, NY. Around town, it sux, but I drive pretty hard.

Ok, bang for the buck, 2.8, cam, timing chain, dual point Mallory, Eddy and Holley 390, headers and big exhaust. You will be surprised in a light chassis.

Do it... do it... do it!!

An fer gawd's sek, post pics

[Zandoz]

I have a 5 speed S10 with a 3.4 from a 1995 Camaro. I went with the Eddy intake and the Holley 390. I also have the Mallory dual point dizzy on the same motor. It has a HUGE cam and a bunch of other stuff (headers, big exhaust etc), It runs high 14s in the 1320 and is completely reliable.
BTW, I have put over 30 K miles on the points and have not touched them.
Points you say?? As long as you have a decent condenser, points last a hell of a long time!
And as far as the carb goes? The 390 has smaller primary venturis than most Holley 2 barrels. I get about 21 MPG at 70 MPH (!!!!) on the hiway with this engine. Don't know why, but I have checked it many times between Baton Rouge and Syracuse, NY. Around town, it sux, but I drive pretty hard.

Ok, bang for the buck, 2.8, cam, timing chain, dual point Mallory, Eddy and Holley 390, headers and big exhaust. You will be surprised in a light chassis.

Do it... do it... do it!!

An fer gawd's sek, post pics

All sounds good to me. In my case, I won't be going farther than the intake, the distributor, either lake or zoomie style headers, Fiero valve covers, and a Model T green paint job. Right now I'm leaning towards the Motorcraft 1.08 venturi, 287 cfm, 2100/2150 to start with...mostly as a matter of cost and simplicity. Building this hot rod from the ground up, so I have to stretch the budget to the breaking point...LOL.

When I get to the point where there's something pic worthy, I'll start a build thread. Right now it's just parts scattered everywhere.

[Zandoz]

Wellllllll....more than a bit of a hitch in my 2100/2150 plans....hooking the 700R4 TV cable to it. I know the 700R4 is really finicky about the TV cable workings, and after several hours of of searching I've only found one off-hand mention of it being accomplished with a 2100/2150.

So now the question becomes what is a simple 700R4 friendly carb, that there's a chance of getting a reasonably priced rebuilt or usable condition used example.

[666Racing]

[Zandoz]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]8178[/ATTACH]

What Version of carb is that? Is it mounted on a TBI manifold?

[666Racing]

2.8L with Holley & TBI intake

4412 Holley 500cfm on a modified TBI intake
Crower mechanical cam 248@.050 .479lift Intake
Crane roller rockers & CD ignition
5spd 4WD 3.73 axels short bed pick-up

I did not have good luck with the edelbrock manifold for my hill climb truck.
The eddy is way down on WOT power compared to the modified TBI intake.
- 3 ports on the eddy are half-sized to boost towing torque
I needed WOT power, not towing mid-range for my application