C3 Tech/Performance V8 Technical Info, Internal Engine, External Engine, Basic Tech and Maintenance for the C3 Corvette
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

Carb spacer question

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Jan 29, 2016 | 11:45 PM
  #1  
Brad_B's Avatar
Brad_B
Thread Starter
Instructor
20 Year Member
All Eyes On Me
Liked
Loved
 
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 136
Likes: 41
From: Arvada CO
Default Carb spacer question

A buddy made a 1/2 inch carb spacer and I wanted to see if there was any difference when I installed it. Pure for the hell of it. The idle seemed to smooth out a bit, and it seemed a little smoother overall so all of that seemed positive, but not a huge difference. The big difference was a noticeable stumble off idle when I floored it. That stumble was not there before. Took the spacer out and stumble went away. Nothing else changed. Litteraly loosened carb bolts,installed and started up.

What might cause this? Lean off idle? Rich? Accelerator pump weak?

Details: 383, new 625 street demon carb, performer intake, 11:1 compression, 33* all in by 2500 rpm.

I am just getting into fine tuning the tune, but thought this an interesting situation. I am ordering the tuning kit and thought this stumble might lead me in the right direction on main jets.

Thanks
Brad
Reply
Old Jan 30, 2016 | 12:53 AM
  #2  
toobroketoretire's Avatar
toobroketoretire
Melting Slicks
 
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 2,632
Likes: 112
From: Great Plains Iowa
Default Carburetor Spacer

If the spacer was sealing well on the top and bottom I can't see how it could cause the stumble.
Reply
Old Jan 30, 2016 | 02:44 AM
  #3  
homestead's Avatar
homestead
Racer
10 Year Member
 
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 293
Likes: 43
From: Vernon B.C.
Default

With the bigger plenum area created under the carb you would need a little bigger accelerator pump shot. That would have fixed it.
Reply
Old Jan 30, 2016 | 11:36 AM
  #4  
REELAV8R's Avatar
REELAV8R
Le Mans Master
15 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 6,284
Likes: 1,171
From: Hermosa
Default

At your altitude it's very easy to get too rich on everything.

The accel pump squirt needs to be leaner, more idle air less idle fuel, smaller main jets etc.
I always default to leaning rather than enrichning a circuit due to my altitude, and usually that is exactly what the engine wants. It can be hard to detect the difference between lean bog and rich bog at times.
Keep tweeking and eventually you will get it right.

Some engines want spacers some don't.
Open spacer vs 4 hole spacer changes the velocity directly below the fuel nozzles and can cause mixture changes.
Experimentation seems to be the solution, you just have to see what your engine wants.
Reply
Old Jan 30, 2016 | 12:07 PM
  #5  
diehrd's Avatar
diehrd
Safety Car
 
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 4,000
Likes: 299
From: New York
Default

The reason this spacer caused this could be as simple as a larger plenum area and hence a bigger shot to compensate for it. That is where I would start.

Up the rear squirter 2 sizes and try again..
Reply
Old Jan 30, 2016 | 01:42 PM
  #6  
toddalin's Avatar
toddalin
Le Mans Master
25 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Top Answer: 3
 
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 8,897
Likes: 1,357
From: Santa Ana CA
Default

Possible loss of "signal" through the venturies at low flow.

Maybe you need to try a "4-hole" spacer rather than a "common plenum" spacer.
Reply
Old Jan 30, 2016 | 09:04 PM
  #7  
Jason Staley's Avatar
Jason Staley
Melting Slicks
25 Year Member
Photogenic
Liked
Loved
 
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 2,116
Likes: 156
From: Mid West
Cruise-In III Veteran
Default

Originally Posted by toddalin
Possible loss of "signal" through the venturies at low flow.

Maybe you need to try a "4-hole" spacer rather than a "common plenum" spacer.
I tried an open spacer on my ZZ4 and it didn't really like it. Switched to a 4-hole 1/2" spacer and it was more responsive at lower RPM's. I just liked the feel of the 4-hole spacer, and its been on there for years now.

Last edited by Jason Staley; Jan 31, 2016 at 06:59 AM.
Reply
Old Jan 30, 2016 | 11:37 PM
  #8  
Brad_B's Avatar
Brad_B
Thread Starter
Instructor
20 Year Member
All Eyes On Me
Liked
Loved
 
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 136
Likes: 41
From: Arvada CO
Default

Thanks for the input guys. I will experient with it and let you all know what happens. We are supposed to get a good snow storm here so it may be a bit before I can get her out.

Cheers
Brad
Reply
Corvette Stories

The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts

story-0

10 Ugly Corvettes That We Still Kinda Love

 Joe Kucinski
story-1

Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer

 Brett Foote
story-2

10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)

 Michael S. Palmer
story-3

8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-4

10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years

 Joe Kucinski
story-5

How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972

 Joe Kucinski
story-6

Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!

 Michael S. Palmer
story-7

Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!

 Joe Kucinski
story-8

150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter

 Joe Kucinski
story-9

8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time

 Verdad Gallardo
Old Jan 31, 2016 | 12:02 AM
  #9  
ddawson's Avatar
ddawson
Le Mans Master
25 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 5,738
Likes: 644
From: Lincoln, CA
Default

I tried a open and 4 hole. Keep the 4 hole spacer.
Reply
Old Jan 31, 2016 | 09:37 AM
  #10  
gkull's Avatar
gkull
Team Owner
25 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 21,953
Likes: 1,445
From: Reno Nevada
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist- Modified
Default

I have a collection of wood thermal spacers. Actually the only way to go to keep carb heat down. Like after shut off and carbs that you can hear the gas start to boil in the bowls or you see vapor rising out of the throttle area. You are just venting away MPG

I use a 4 hole 1/2 inch wood from summit racing. The four holes match my throttle bore size on a 830 cfm double pumper, giving the best signal and additional distance to my single plane intake plenum.

way back when I tried two hole and open in dual plane intakes. To very intake rpm choices
Reply
Old Jan 31, 2016 | 03:13 PM
  #11  
bluedawg's Avatar
bluedawg
Safety Car
 
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 3,736
Likes: 56
From: anchorage ak
Default

I did 3 runs each back to back testing on open versus 4 hole at the strip, the open netted better times and mph, this was with a dual plane, i have recently went to a single plane because of the results and like it better than the dual. I will experiment with the spacers this next summer.
Reply
Old Feb 4, 2016 | 10:18 PM
  #12  
gg521's Avatar
gg521
Racer
15 Year Member
 
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 295
Likes: 58
From: Arvada Colorado
Default Carb Spacer

It's definitely the accelerator pump system. There is a difference between a "stumble" and a "bog", One the pump nozzle is too small and the other is it's too big. I also live in Arvada. I had to adjust nozzle size and also fool with the pump cam to get mine right. If this is an open spacer, it is mimicking a single plane manifold in some ways. (assuming you don't have one already)
Reply

Get notified of new replies

To Carb spacer question





All times are GMT -4. The time now is 07:27 PM.

story-0
10 Ugly Corvettes That We Still Kinda Love

Slideshow: 10 ugly Corvettes that we still kinda love.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-06-03 10:34:17


VIEW MORE
story-1
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer

A lot of money has changed hands at the online auction house over the years.

By Brett Foote | 2026-06-03 10:21:50


VIEW MORE
story-2
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)

Slideshow: 10 great gifts Corvette enthusiasts actually want for Father's Day!

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-06-03 15:43:40


VIEW MORE
story-3
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems

Slideshow: These are the quirks, annoyances, and oddly lovable problems that every Corvette owner eventually learns to live with.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-05-28 09:31:39


VIEW MORE
story-4
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years

Slideshow: 10 reasons why the C6 Z06 is still a performance benchmark after 20 years.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-27 17:20:09


VIEW MORE
story-5
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972

Slideshow: How much horsepower every Corvette engine lost in 1972.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-27 16:54:53


VIEW MORE
story-6
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!

Slideshow: How to Protect A Convertible Top: 10 DOs & DON'Ts

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-04-03 00:00:00


VIEW MORE
story-7
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!

Slideshow: The 10 most explosive Corvettes ever built based on power-to-weight ratio.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-20 07:23:03


VIEW MORE
story-8
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter

Slideshow: From C1 to C8 we compare every Corvette generation by the numbers.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-12 16:54:12


VIEW MORE
story-9
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time

Slideshow: Some Corvette pace cars became collectible legends, while others perfectly captured the look and attitude of their era.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-11 09:50:51


VIEW MORE