City Motor Supply? Blaines?

[T-TOPPS5.0]

Anybody know where I can get a re-built or re-manufactured engine? The truck in my sig has a 383 and I get very poor milage. The guy I bought the truck from is a friend of mine and he needed cash so I bought it off of him. I want to do more of a daily driver but with a 305-350 stock. I dont need it to run like a bat out of hell like some of your cars, just want to have a decent running engine that I can drive daily if I want to.

[aceman85turbo]

you have an old carbed truck, its going to get horrible gas mileage.
the money you spend on a 305 and stock heads will exceed the ammount you would spend on any excessive gas you think you are using.

do the math with how many miles you drive and your current gas mileage, and compare it to that many miles at 2-5mpg more. it wont be as much as a chitty-motor longblock and a gasket set.

[ThreeFingerPete]

Take off carb and intake, put on Holley 650 with vacuum secondaries and a used edelbrock performer intake. Drive truck.

[T-TOPPS5.0]

Originally Posted by ThreeFingerPete

Take off carb and intake, put on Holley 650 with vacuum secondaries and a used edelbrock performer intake. Drive truck.

Does it matter any if the current intake is a highrise?

[ThreeFingerPete]

Originally Posted by T-TOPPS5.0

Does it matter any if the current intake is a highrise?

if it's a single plane, it won't be optimum.

[ShaunT]

NOTHING in the carb world will perform better or give you better mileage than a purpose built QuadraJet. The tiny primary's will do wonders to fuel vaporization which is CRUCIAL to both power and mileage.

You are not simply going to just grab any QuadraJet, bolt it on and expect to get good results. They'll live up to the QuadraJunk stereotype if you do. You'll have to go through one and modify the air bleeds, main air bleeds and idle channels/tubes if you want one to work good all around. And a rebuild kit from a local auto parts store is nothing but the least in quality that you can and should get to net you the results.

You put a purpose built QuadraJet on there built by myself or someone who truly knows them inside and out, then you will never look back.

For an intake manifold, just use a cast iron QuadraJet intake and be done with it.

The Blaines and City Motor supply stuff are G.I.G.O. stuff. They're $600 for a reason.

[T-TOPPS5.0]

Originally Posted by ShaunT

NOTHING in the carb world will perform better or give you better mileage than a purpose built QuadraJet. The tiny primary's will do wonders to fuel vaporization which is CRUCIAL to both power and mileage.

You are not simply going to just grab any QuadraJet, bolt it on and expect to get good results. They'll live up to the QuadraJunk stereotype if you do. You'll have to go through one and modify the air bleeds, main air bleeds and idle channels/tubes if you want one to work good all around. And a rebuild kit from a local auto parts store is nothing but the least in quality that you can and should get to net you the results.

You put a purpose built QuadraJet on there built by myself or someone who truly knows them inside and out, then you will never look back.

For an intake manifold, just use a cast iron QuadraJet intake and be done with it.

The Blaines and City Motor supply stuff are G.I.G.O. stuff. They're $600 for a reason.

Check your PMs

[sDun]

Spend the money and put a 700 tranny in it. With the overdrive you will pick up more mileage than with any other single mod short of a new motor. First thing on the list for anyone with an older vehicle that they are wanting to dd should do.

[greenbullitt]

better yet, a 200r4...

[AL P]

Transmission...without a doubt. You'll get more mpg from an overdrive gear than just about anything else.

[svo855]

Originally Posted by ShaunT

NOTHING in the carb world will perform better or give you better mileage than a purpose built QuadraJet. The tiny primary's will do wonders to fuel vaporization which is CRUCIAL to both power and mileage.

You are not simply going to just grab any QuadraJet, bolt it on and expect to get good results. They'll live up to the QuadraJunk stereotype if you do. You'll have to go through one and modify the air bleeds, main air bleeds and idle channels/tubes if you want one to work good all around. And a rebuild kit from a local auto parts store is nothing but the least in quality that you can and should get to net you the results.

You put a purpose built QuadraJet on there built by myself or someone who truly knows them inside and out, then you will never look back.

For an intake manifold, just use a cast iron QuadraJet intake and be done with it.

The Blaines and City Motor supply stuff are G.I.G.O. stuff. They're $600 for a reason.

You ain't kidding about the q-jet. I had a 429SCJ that came with that as it's stock carb. By the time all was said and done I had a tackle box full of q-jet parts and knew them like the back of my hand.

That all went out the door the first time I got my hands on a stand alone fuel injection set up. Any one here remember the Mass air Injection Research systems from the mid to late 80's? I still have 2 of the systems and one is still on a running car that I built 23 years ago.

Stay away from Blanes and Shitty Motors at all cost. They are great for buying bearings and gaskets from but they can't be trusted with anything else.

[greenbullitt]

Originally Posted by svo855

Stay away from Blanes and Shitty Motors at all cost. They are great for buying bearings and gaskets from but they can't be trusted with anything else.

ill agree with you for blaines (ive seen some dirty nasty shit come from that place), but ive used a dozen or better city engines when cost was an issue or didnt have time to wait, not a single one failed me. Hell, one of them was spun to 7200 more than a few times!

I would rather build my own ANY day of the week, but sometimes theres just not enough time.

[Mudpuppy]

pick your self up a 4l60e and a becontrols controller. you wil be way better off. I have the holley TPS adapter for the carb if you need. also you could just swap you current carb for a vac sec 600 with the trans swap and see mid teens.. I am getting 16mpg sitting in irving traffic... with a 351w, e4od, 3.55 gears, and a holley 600 vac sec in a 86 f250. I am currently switching to TBI for more control.

[greenbullitt]

please go 4l80 if youre going to swap to an electronic unit!

and yes, I agree,baumann makes a badass product. I tune on them ALOT. I even run their controller in mine..

[Mudpuppy]

Originally Posted by greenbullitt

please go 4l80 if youre going to swap to an electronic unit!

and yes, I agree,baumann makes a badass product. I tune on them ALOT. I even run their controller in mine..

you ever mess with the msefi stuff?

[BP]

If you really plan on driving it a lot swapping to a 5.3 or 6.0 might be worth it. They make a ton of power and can get 20+ mpg easily.

[greenbullitt]

Originally Posted by Mudpuppy

you ever mess with the msefi stuff?

Ive read alot on the stuff, but havent worked with any yet...

[ShaunT]

I completely agree with the overdrive. But you'll want a 12 bolt rear end so that you can have some gear in it. The 10 bolt stuff is typically in the 2.41 to 2.73 gear range.

[greenbullitt]

of course the addition of a 200r4 or A 700r4 will net a better low gear too, the 700 even more so (but its a junk unit imo)

[T-TOPPS5.0]

Thanks guys for all the great information. The truck does in fact only have a 3 speed auto. Since I wont be looking to run this thing hard other than daily driving.... I still dont expect to get great milage. I was just hoping to get into the teens. Even the low teens would be a great improvememnt. But as of now, I am getting about 9 miles a gallon at best on average. Money is not to big of an issue. I was planning on spending for now about 1500.00. But I may go by way of the tranny and take it from the there. The carb on it is maybe two moths old. He had just replaced it when I bought it. Its an edlebrock(sp) 650 if that info matters any.

[shumpertdavid]

I agree with the overdrive recommendations, if the 383 makes any power and you go with a 2004r make sure it's built to handle it. The 2004r will have the least drivetrain loss followed by the 700\4l60e and the 4l80 will have the most drivetrain loss. Also if you switch to a 12 bolt you will have more drivetrain loss than the 10 bolt. You should have mileage gains with the overdrive but adding a 12 bolt or 4l80 could hinder how good your gains could be in my opinion.

[ShaunT]

Yes, that carb has some pretty rich metering rods in it. I'm thinking they are stamped 70/47. If so, the 47 is really rich for what you are doing. I would get some that are 70/57 or 75/57. I know they offer at least one of those with that number combo. Another thing you can do to that carb is tune the idle mix screws and you can install a lighter tension step up spring under the primary metering rods to delay enrichment vs vacuume load. But, in terms of mileage, power and drive ability, it'll never hold a candle to the QuadraJet I am discussing with you. You won't find a carb that does a better job at fuel shear/atomization than a correctly set up QuadraJet.

[Vertnut]

Just a note about City Motor Supply: A buddy of mine from this board, ran a blower on one of their shortblocks that pushed around 480 to the wheels, and it lasted quite a while. On the other hand, I pulled one down years ago (a 350) that had a .040 turned cranked, and really inconsistant bore's in the cylinder's.

[Mudpuppy]

if you need a carb guy that is well priced and knows his stuff. PM me and I will give you his number. he has all the jigs for q jets to fix warped bodies.

[Rreemo]

Go buy you a takeout 5.3/OD combo and stick in there.

[Mudpuppy]

Originally Posted by Rreemo

Go buy you a takeout 5.3/OD combo and stick in there.

the only problem i see with that swap is alot more wiring than just a trans swap and stand alone controller.

[AllStockRacer]

Originally Posted by BP

If you really plan on driving it a lot swapping to a 5.3 or 6.0 might be worth it. They make a ton of power and can get 20+ mpg easily.

I have a brand new 0 mile 5.3 cheap and the harness and ecu are cheap