jdmick

I've got an Edelbrock 1406 that I want to tune for the 350 H.O. (vortec) crate engine. I'm running Hooker headers and side exhaust with an Edelbrock Performer intake. Has anyone tuned one for this application. The Edelbrock tech is telling me to check plug color . Barry Grant sells a carb specifically for this engine and you can buy a "Deluxe" engine set up with a Holley so this seems pretty lame that Edelbrock doesn't have any specifics. Thanks. John

page62

Plug color actually works. It's old school, but it works.

Why not get an air/fuel mixture gauge? That's probably the best way to tune...

migraine99

jdmick

Someone else must have tuned this setup. I'm sure your methods would work but I'm too cheap for an A/F guage and too lazy to trial and error various setups and check plug color .

jcswm

mine was pretty close right out of the box!!! When I get the time I'm going to richen it up a bit at midrange but it runs really well now.

Daffy2

I checked the data log (back of the Owners manual and the place to record your changes so you don't get lost) for my current setup (zz4).
If you don't have this excellant manual, you can download it from the E-Brock website.
I had started by making my 1406 a 1405 from a parts stand point and then tuned from there. The 1405 model is "performance", the 1406 is the electric choke model and aimed at economy.
The 1405 would have a main jet of .100 (p/n 1428) as opposed to the 1406 .098 jet (p/n 1427).
The secondary jet would be .095 (p/n 1426) the same as the 1406's.
Rods would be p/n 1451's as opposed to 1459's.
Step up springs would be orange instead of the 1406's yellow springs.

This is an excellant place to start.

On my motor, I'm at:
orange springs (I've heard that the pink springs are great, just never went to them).
primaries are .100 jets (p/n 1428) 70/47 rods (p/n 1451)
secondary jets are .098 (p/n 1427)

Hope this helps. I've got thousands of trouble free miles on this tune.

Daffy

jdmick

Thanks for the info Daffy. That's what I'm looking for except you're tuning a ZZ4 with 10:1 CR while the 350 H.O. is 9:1. What if any difference would that make?

Daffy2

Tune should still be good. Start with 1405 spec's and you're probably good to go. The Eddy manual shows just which way to go if you need to make changes. Rest assured that no harm wll come to your motor from the 1405 spec's. The CR specs for both motors are factory BS anyway and the diff. is due to alum. heads supporting a little more CR.
Crank it up and check the plugs or invest $60 or so in a chassis dyno run with an AF sniffer and know just what you have.

Much more important than tuning this carb is that you have a good ignition map first: About 12 degrees initial with vac. disconnected and a total of about 32 degrees, all in at 3,000 rpm. A lot of good info about this ignition tuning on this site from people who are smarter then me.

My best guess: put in the 1405 parts and go have fun.
Daffy

Tominator

One thing alot of people say about these carb is that you can't rev high but you can. I am able to run mine to 6200 rpm with out leaning out.

I bought the Edelbrock tuning kit for like $58.00 final after alot of tuning it can rev high very well.

Contrail

I just tried the same setup on my L48 and it made a huge difference in throttle response and overall fun factor. My timing is a little different, (14init/34total) but she screams now! I actually may go a little richer after I get my new (read: better flowing) heads completed...