So I could never get the 7029207s I've been working on to tune/run correctly. The idle and off idle afrs would not stay stable. One was due to a soft casting material and the other had voids in the base plate. Just bad luck to have two defective carbs.
I have a 7044223 on the shelf that I decided to try. Its a holley "restored" carb so I was not planning on using it. Looks great but, as noted many times, the setup is all messed up. And it was.
The carb had UIAB in the air horn and in the body. The air horn IABs were plugged. The idle bypass in the body was plugged. The plugs were removed making the idle bypass functional. Other items that were suspect were a .169 idle bypass, a DCR at .063, MABs at .043, a LIAB at .052 (UIAB was .067).
First test with the stock 75 jet and 41 rod was very rich. In the high 9 - low 10 range. To be expected with a carb for a 454 on a 350. Next were 71 jets and then 69 jets with some improvements in cruze afrs (mid 11 to mid 12 afrs). The DCR was changed from .063 to .050. An improvement in the idle to off idle to the mid 12 to mid 13 ranges.
Still too rich. Started with changes to the IAB and MAB. Changes to the MAB were made (and tested) from .043 to .0465 to .052 to .063 and finally .067. LIAB changes (and tested) were .052 to .063 to .067. All air bleeds are now at .067.
The jets were changed to 67 and rods increased to 42. The secondary rods were change from DH to leaner AN. The secondary hanger was straighten to make them even.
After all of this, the carb has idle afrs in the 13.2 range. The off idle (1000 to 1300) afrs are in the high 13 low 14 range. Cruze (from 1300 to 2800) are in the high 13 to high 14 range. Light acceleration in the mid 14 to low 15 range. Heavy accelerationin high 11 to low 13 range.
Best of all were how stable the afrs are. Very consistent. The off idle afrs were right where I was trying to get to with the 7029207s. The idle afrs would fluctuate from 13.2 to 13.4. Not the random changes from low 13s to low 15s with the previous carb. Pickup has improved. Still need work on the secondaries.
Random thoughts, was concerned with the big idle bypass because they allowed the throttle to be almost closed. But it works fine. The 1974 choke mechanism sucks. The choke would come off way too quick (like as soon as the throttle was blimped). It was changed to a 1969 choke set up.
Its was 97 degrees today. The idle afr changed from 13.4 to 13.9 while sitting in traffic. The other carbs idle afr fluctuated form 13 to 15 in 70 degree weather.
Finally got a carb that works as it should.