Engine: ** RESULT : 2 dead cylinders dead, after simple upgrade

[63looks59]

Fellas

I put the original 2bbl manifold combo back on , and ..... car RAN FINE

so what the heck ?? --- do U think its the 4bbl carb, or that 4 bbl manifold, that IS the Culprit ???

WOW--thank U

[StudeRich]

I wonder if it would work, if you Duct Taped the Head Ports closed, and closed the Carb. Holes with something like a Shop Rag while blowing Air into the Carb. Opening to build a bit of pressure to check for Leaks somewhere.

The Intake flow MAY be going into the Center Exhaust/Carb. Heat Port.

I vote for the Manifold as the culprit not the Carb.

[kmul221]

Got tired of waiting for 4bbl. rebuild so I put on 2bbl & manifold, car runs so good with little loss in power + a lot better MPG.I had 4bbl. rebuilt but am now afraid to puy back on.

[(S)]

Any old 4 BBL just sitting around probably has clogged passages, stuck float, etc. It was probably just running so lean, it was mis- diagnosed. You are probably lucky it ran at all.

[StudeRich]

OK, this is NOT Paul's (63looks59) Car, so what is this about? No reason to worry about installing a WCFB, AFB or Edelbrock AFB Clone, hundreds are in use with no problems.

[Bud]

I'm thinking there is a carburetor and not a manifold issue causing the 2 dead cylinders. I had an issue with a 331 Cadillac engine with dual quad WCFB's doing the same thing except it was cylinders 1 and 2 not doing anything. It drove a couple other mechanics crazy enough to give up. The 2 dead cylinders had me going nuts thinking it was an ignition issue. I finally sent both carburetors to Daytona Carburetors in Florida and they fixed the problem. The engine which is in a steel body 1932 Ford now runs like it should. Bud

[(S)]

He does not say if he has a WCFB, but yes Bud, I am pretty sure the WCFB is a 'split carb' . If a needle is clogged, half the air running through that side of the carb does not get enough fuel to fire.

[63looks59]

Fella --- the manifold I had on there, was an old AFB, with a Quickfuel ( Holly tyoe) 450 CFM Carb ( one year old carb--used by a guy for a year ---he had on his Power Hawk ) He went with Fuel Injection but said the carb ran great

[(S)]

Holleys are also a 4 Jet carb. They run awesome until they don't. Wonder if it is one with the famous power valve.

[doofus]

Try this, with carb and manifold seperate stand manifold on edge. spray carb cleaner into exhaust crossover passage and look for leakage into plenum.this works on modified as well as unmolested manifolds. Luck Doofus

[63looks59]

ALL Fixed with a New carb -----the used one I installed prior, will have to be gone through ---
chasing this was a Good exercise for me----- but glad it was easily solved...

[52-fan]

Glad you got it working. I get great satisfaction out of fixing something like this...once it is solved. Every nagging little problem like this makes you more confident for the next challenge.

[PackardV8]

I'm thinking there is a carburetor and not a manifold issue causing the 2 dead cylinders.

63looks59 ALL Fixed with a New carb

Well, Bud nailed it and others were close.

I'll have to admit I've never in fifty years had a 4-bbl carb issue which caused two and only two cylinders of a V8 to go completely dead and the others to run fine.

jack vines

[studegary]

Well, Bud nailed it and others were close.

I'll have to admit I've never in fifty years had a 4-bbl carb issue which caused two and only two cylinders of a V8 to go completely dead and the others to run fine.

jack vines

Call me skeptical. In normal operation, such as at idle, the four barrel is only operating on two. How can this cause a problem with just two cylinders? IMO - Either other things contributed to the problem or the initial description was incorrect.

[Bud]

If we're talking about my experience with the dual WCFB's on the 331 Caddy engine, I can assure you the problem was real. The engine had good compression in all cylinders, there were no flat cam lobes, the firing order was correct, idle vacuum was decent showing no vacuum leaks and I even replaced the distributor thinking there had to be a problem with it. The problem was not only at idle, but across the complete power range. I finally had enough and told the car owner that the problem has to be in the front carburetor, and I wanted to send the carbs to Daytona Carburetor for reconditioning. I normally rebuild WCFB's myself, but I wasn't sure what the problem was so the carbs were sent out. When they were returned to me and installed on the engine, the engine finally ran like it should. The engine originally shook so bad that it broke a motor mount before the carb repairs were done. Bud