Author Topic: Need advice on carb selection  (Read 3470 times)

Offline Bob1966

  • Garage guy
  • **
  • Posts: 10
Need advice on carb selection
« on: January 16, 2012, 08:51:59 PM »
Hi all, just signed up and ordered Cliffs book.
I just picked up a 1973 Chevy Suburban 3/4 ton 4x4 from an auction. It apears to have a recently rebuilt stock 350 motor, turbo 350 and 4.10 gears. The carb is a 17057504 sitting on a stock late model cast iron manifold with EGR, I think it is from a 1977 truck. The motor has had all of the smog related items removed and I would like to keep it that way (less complicated).
I have a couple of questions,
Is this carb worthy of a rebuild or would I be better off looking for an older unit. If it is worth keeping how would you modify the choke setup when going to a aftermarket manifold setup?
IF I upgrade the motor with a rv cam, headers and aftermarket intake would this carb still be a good choice?
Any information would be greatly appreciated.
Sorry for the long first post.

Offline 429bbf

  • Qjet Hero
  • *****
  • Posts: 539
Re: Need advice on carb selection
« Reply #1 on: January 16, 2012, 09:11:28 PM »
bob. im sure the master (cliff )will reply  he's got all the parts to make that a good carb.i'd convert it  to electric choke if it hasn't been done .that way it does'nt matter what intake you put on.his book has tons of receipies to match any combination of engine parts u use. i prefer 1978 and later carbs .i use them on my fords (1970 429 and 1973 460. i threw the autolite carbs in the junk.the 429 with 17080213 makes 380 hp at 5200.and 480lbs of low end torque. dean

Offline Cliff Ruggles

  • Administrator
  • Qjet Hero
  • *****
  • Posts: 5418
Re: Need advice on carb selection
« Reply #2 on: January 17, 2012, 03:39:21 AM »
Keep the 17057504, it is an excellent carburetor for what you are doing.  I run a very similiar Pontiac model on my 455 making over 550hp, it is part number 17057274. 

The 504 is an California emissions carburetor, so it's going to need some help for the planned engine build.  Check the head casting numbers on your 350, hopefully they are 1973 vintage instead of the later "smog" heads.  The 73 castings will end in "993", they were, and are excellent cylinder heads.  They were the last castings to retain the same ports as the earlier pre-smog castings.  They did get a large combustion chamber and smaller spark plug like all the later heads.  The later 882 and 624 castings are not nearly as good, being very restrictive in port flow compared to earlier models.

The EGR intake is fine, don't waste any money on an aftermarket aluminum intake.  They woln't bring anything to the table for what you are doing.  The iron holds the heat better anyhow.

When you are ready to do the carb build, call the shop, we have everything required to get that carburetor up to par for this new fuel, and dial it in for your engine without a lot of guesswork.

Here's a video of my car back in August at the Tri Power Nationals in Norwalk.  My plain old 17047274 carburetor took me to the finals once again, it's never had a grinder or sanding roll touch it.  It uses one of our electric choke conversions, and is upgraded with the same parts used in our rebuild kits.....Cliff

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zVdoLR-VzM&context=C30b6750ADOEgsToPDskLN6xs9w6YNF-3XYco3MFqf

Offline Bob1966

  • Garage guy
  • **
  • Posts: 10
Re: Need advice on carb selection
« Reply #3 on: January 17, 2012, 06:10:41 PM »
Thanks for the good advice, I will check the head casting#. I will give the shop a call if I decide to send the carb in and have you do the rebuild can you give me an average turnaround time?
Thanks
Bob

Offline Cliff Ruggles

  • Administrator
  • Qjet Hero
  • *****
  • Posts: 5418
Re: Need advice on carb selection
« Reply #4 on: January 19, 2012, 04:32:00 AM »
Right now turn-around is 9-10 months.....Cliff

Offline Bob1966

  • Garage guy
  • **
  • Posts: 10
Re: Need advice on carb selection
« Reply #5 on: January 20, 2012, 04:51:07 PM »
Cliff,
Thank you for the reply, I will call the shop and order rebuild kit.

Bob

Offline 73 Z28

  • Carb lover
  • ***
  • Posts: 73
Re: Need advice on carb selection
« Reply #6 on: January 22, 2012, 02:42:24 PM »
Bob, you wouldn't be the guy with the 66 Chevelle on Lat-g from Mich by any chance?

Paul

Offline Bob1966

  • Garage guy
  • **
  • Posts: 10
Re: Need advice on carb selection
« Reply #7 on: January 23, 2012, 04:39:04 PM »
Sorry Paul, I am not the same guy but I do have a 66 chevelle & 66 PU.

Offline Bob1966

  • Garage guy
  • **
  • Posts: 10
Re: Need advice on carb selection
« Reply #8 on: January 23, 2012, 05:33:31 PM »
Cliff, I have a few more questions on my stock 350. I looked to see if I could get some casting # off the bllock and determin what style of heads I have. The casting # on the block has been covered up by a rivited on plate from the shop that rebuilt the motor so I have to see if I can get it off in the limited space at the firewall. The plate did indicate that the motor was bored 30 amd the rodes and crank have been groung 10/10. The heads look to be not the 993 style more like the 882 or 624. my question is if I wanted to install a rv cam and swap out the heads would going to a vortec head and intake be worth the effort. I am looking to gain some low to midrange torque hp and provide a litle more rumble to the sound.

Offline Cliff Ruggles

  • Administrator
  • Qjet Hero
  • *****
  • Posts: 5418
Re: Need advice on carb selection
« Reply #9 on: January 24, 2012, 03:41:46 AM »
Vortec heads are a BIG upgrade over 882's, which are pretty much door stops, IMHO.  The Vortec heads look good at a glance, but you need a special intake as they have a revised bolt pattern.  There are other choices out there which are also cost effective and work just as good.....Cliff