Brake question

[Whodeeny]

I have been reading this post with much interest. I took 821 out for the first time yesterday. I was concerned with the effort required to use the brakes and thoughts that this just wouldn't do. I was going to do the brake pad bedding sequence but there was more traffic on the country roads than I was comfortable with. I drove the car again today and went through the bedding of the pads, a half dozen hard use of the brakes from 50 mph to about 5 mph. This definitely helped, on the last hard use of the brakes I started to hear the front tires squealing in protest.

This is off topic but every time a used the brakes hard the engine rpm dropped to about 100 rpm. One time the engine even died and was difficult to restart. So I am wondering if the floats are set too high in the carburetor? The engine/carburetor were tuned on a dyno in Connecticut and I am in Colorado so it is definitely running a little rich. Any advice?

BD

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by Whodeeny

interest. I took 821 out for the first time yesterday. ... Any advice?

Was this the very first time you took 821 out? I wouldn't do any tuning, tweaking, monkeying, etc. until you've put 500 gentle miles on it first. Just get to know the car for now and let it break itself in for a bit.

[Whodeeny]

Originally Posted by patrickt

Was this the very first time you took 821 out? I wouldn't do any tuning, tweaking, monkeying, etc. until you've put 500 gentle miles on it first. Just get to know the car for now and let it break itself in for a bit.

Yes, the first time out. Ok, I will run it for a while. It seems to run pretty well even if it may be running a little rich.

I am going to start jumping through the state registration hoops with it next week.

Thanks, BD

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by Whodeeny

Yes, the first time out. Ok, I will run it for a while. It seems to run pretty well even if it may be running a little rich.

I am going to start jumping through the state registration hoops with it next week.

Thanks, BD

And don't fall for that "drive it like you stole it" crap. Your clutch, transmission, differential and almost everything else will appreciate a gentle break-in period as you learn what the car can do.

[Gaz64]

Originally Posted by Whodeeny

I have been reading this post with much interest. I took 821 out for the first time yesterday. I was concerned with the effort required to use the brakes and thoughts that this just wouldn't do. I was going to do the brake pad bedding sequence but there was more traffic on the country roads than I was comfortable with. I drove the car again today and went through the bedding of the pads, a half dozen hard use of the brakes from 50 mph to about 5 mph. This definitely helped, on the last hard use of the brakes I started to hear the front tires squealing in protest.

This is off topic but every time a used the brakes hard the engine rpm dropped to about 100 rpm. One time the engine even died and was difficult to restart. So I am wondering if the floats are set too high in the carburetor? The engine/carburetor were tuned on a dyno in Connecticut and I am in Colorado so it is definitely running a little rich. Any advice?

BD

As Patrick as said, I would be gentle for the first 500 miles or so, so you get to know the car, and you can trust it. Running the brakes in from 50 to 5 is good, but don't lean on them hard enough to lock wheels.

If they kept records on your carb, your tuner should be able to recommend jetting for your altitude.

Try dropping the main jets primary then secondary by 2 jet sizes at a time.

On the primary side, you might end up at 73 in place of 77 as example.

Gary

[DanEC]

Originally Posted by Whodeeny

This is off topic but every time a used the brakes hard the engine rpm dropped to about 100 rpm. One time the engine even died and was difficult to restart. So I am wondering if the floats are set too high in the carburetor? The engine/carburetor were tuned on a dyno in Connecticut and I am in Colorado so it is definitely running a little rich. Any advice?

BD

I would check the rear bowl float levels (not sure if you have a single 4bbl or dual 4bbl) and depending on what you find, lower them a little.

Especially if you have reverse mounted dual quads the primary bowls are on the rear and typically have a higher float setting (fuel port on bowl will be set higher on the side) and when you hit the brakes hard it tends to flood the engine through the fuel bowl vent in top of the metering plate. Just the opposite of what Holley originally designed for. So you may need to lower the rear bowl fuel level to well below the viewing port.