FE 2X4 Opinions

[Clois Harlan]

I just got back from checking on my engine and took my 2X4 manifold and carbs over to my machinist. Kent doesn't think I will like my 2X4 setup as well as my single four bbl. He encouraged me not to sell or trade off my aluminium four bbl manifold and carb untill I was sure I liked my new set up.

I would like to here from those FE guys running a 2X4 setup. Have you experienced any more problems with this setup than you did with your single 4bbl carb? Does your engine run erratic or is it hard to tune. Are you running progressive linkage or a fixed linkage. How did you jet your carbs (I will be running two edelbrock 650 carbs with my fronts jetted w/ .077 and my rear jets are .072). At least I think that is what I have in it now.

I would appreciate any suggestions or comments pertaining to this setup.

Clois

[mr0077]

Clois,
LOVE 'EM! Had to go back to the single four to do some troubleshooting (not 2x4 related), can't wait to put the 2x4 back on! I'm running 2x390 cfm carbs so can't comment on jetting for your 650s. I ran a 1-to-1 linkage setup, but I think I'm going to try a progressive when I get it back together. Mine seemed to be a little rich out of the box, apparently a common comment from 2x4ers, but it really ran well...and the looks are the best thing of all.

[427 S/O]

LOVE 'EM TOOOO....running 450 mech. secondaries, fixed linkage, 61 jets and 5.5 power valves.
Keep in mind I only have 7 inches of vacuum at idle (1300rpm) big big cam.
And they look great........

[KobraKarl]

Mine perform spectacularly, and look.......well you know......eye poppin good.

Im running holley 590's,(4160's vaccuum secondaries) progressive linkage, jetted with #62.

setting up idle circuit is critical to good idle (not loading up) and performance,

if you are going to run 650's I would definately run vaccuum secondaries and a progressive linkage , 1300'cfm all at once will throw any engine on its face.

KK

[427 S/O]

These 2x4's will be going on soon, I contracted with a company to use their laser measuring machine for the gaskets, transferred these measurements to a CAD program, and then to the water jet cutting machine. Man what a project!.
Starting soon on air filters which were never made for these carburetors.
I decided to make 2 air filters for each carb, show that blue oval and have all ford from top to bottom.

[KobraKarl]

Perry , those would look great with four separate filters. have you ever run them? , I remember reading somewhere that those auto lites were developed for NASCAR and were not too streeteble.
KK

[K.Wilson]

Clois,
I run two 600 CFM Vacuum Secondaries on mine. I have 10.5 to 11 inches of vacuum so I run 8.5 power valves. The front carb has 59 main jets and the rear carb has 60 main jets. It is stronger if I drop down another couple of jet sizes, however 90 plus degree days are not uncommon here so it is better to run a little on the rich side and not risk the engine.
The carbs are chrome with a black powder coated main body. The manifold is jet-hot silver coated so the system has a lot of eye appeal.
Keith

[Sizzler]

I love my 2x4 setup.
No power valves worries.
Set the AFR table to 14.64 for idle and 13 or so at 96ka and above, and ready to go. 18+ mpg with 2x4 "427" FE.
Join the rest of us in the 21st century and quit living in the past.

Nothing beats the look of 2x4's and being realistic, what's the point otherwise nowadays?

I do think that progressive linkage and possibly smaller cfm might be called for though I don't remember your exact engine parameters. I have 2 "600" cfm's with .607 lift cam and progressive linkage. Works great.

I would vote for "look good" instead of quibingly(sp) about absolute performance and nonsense like that there.

[KobraKarl]

Sizzler,

18mpg????? you gotta be kidding. what is your jetting? im doin well to get 8mpg , and thats if i keep my foot out of it.

[Clois Harlan]

Sounds as though everyone is happy with their set ups! I think I may need to take these carbs down a few jet sizes to make it a little more streetable.

Keith, we know all about 90+ degree days in fact today is forecast to be 92 degrees then the high for Saturday and Sunday will only be in the upper 70's, crazy weather but I do like those 80 degree days in Oct and Nov too.

Thanks everyone.


Clois

By the way the 2X4's will stay!

[mr0077]

Yeah, Sizzler, post some photos and details of your setup...is it an aftermarket TBFI setup?

[427 S/O]

KK, I ran them for about 100 mi. but with no air cleaners, I removed until the gaskets and air cleaners are finished, didn't they used them on the trans am series?. One fella I know has this set up on a 427 SOHC and it runs great. Like him, I'm sure there will be lot's of tweaking to get them right.

[427 S/O]

[quote] Originally posted by Sizzler

Join the rest of us in the 21st century and quit living in the past.

I thought that's what we were all doing??? and who is the rest of us??

[Sizzler]

I was talking about efi, as opposed to carbs, being more of a 21st century level of equipment. What was the last Ford car with a carb? Which century was it from? That's all I meant.

As for photos, I've posted photos on ffcobra.com. Got the requisite "nice". I didn't do it for "nice", I did it because it's technologically interesting to me. I'm happy with my setup. Everyone should build what makes THEM happy, the whole point of building replicas of the Cobra.

What I did, if any members of the Flintstones family care, is convert a 2x4 FE intake to port injection using a DFI software package, primarily GM sensors. It gets 18 mpg now, though an OD trans is probably next, which should let me get over 20 mpg (fingers crossed). Actually not that big a deal, everything pretty much bolted on in place once the manifold was converted. Don't know why more people don't do it, unless they're stuck or something somewhen .

[427 S/O]

Carbs have always been a mystery and never been exactly right, guess that's what makes me and many, want to tinker and tinker. Even with a 2.88 rear and close ratio T.L., I'm able to get (unofficial) average 0-60 times of 4.1.

[427 S/O]

In first gear........

[SCOBRAC]

love 'em.. carbs are not as much a mystery as a compromise. Sort of like a nice warm assault weapon.. No one unit is right for all occasions.

I know one person here that runs dual 750 double pumpers.. I run 450's.. It really depends on how you are going to use them. 99% of 2x4's are over carburated most of the time.. But it's that 1% that matters most anyway isn't it..

[Sizzler]

I don't know about 4.1 0-60...can't say I ever actually tried to time it. How DO you time it? To .1 second interval no less? I'm more of a seat of the pants type, I love freeway onramps, coming out of the curve, looking at a car on the freeway as I'm hitting the apex of the curve, and being able to merge ahead of it. When all 8 "barrels" open, any extra complexity becomes worth it. Nothing like it.

Next gizmo on the shopping list is a new G-Tech I think.

Seriously, how do you time 0-60? To .1 accuracy?
I need to keep a grip on the wheel, even if I leave the gear in 1st, for control. Do you wave out the window to a friend when you hit 60 (and do you watch the speedo while accelerating full throttle?) or do you have the 5-th wheel equipment? Do you measure after all the wheel spinning (1st gear launches work for you? Never had a 2.88 rear, though an OD would bring me close to that level effectively. Just curious.

Not to appear too jaded, but sub-5 second 0-60 times are probably the norm for BB replicas, 18 and possibly 20 mpg is a tougher and rarer performance standard to match. I'm not hearing of anyone coming close with 8 barrel induction here. The gauntlet is down.

[427 S/O]

A friend was riding with me and timing,
5 times, two with wheel spin and three without, he did the averaging,
my speedo is mounted on the passenger side.
Your right, Sub-5 sec. 0-60 is probably the norm with a 3.50 rear, MPG...who cares.

[Sizzler]

...someone running a, say, 24 hour race might be interested in stopping half as often as the competition for refueling.

...someone on a road trip, to London Ohio for example, without bladder problems, might like to pass a few gas stations on the way.

...someone concerned about the weight of his car during a shorter race, where instead of filling up with 42 gallons only needs 20 gallons, saving 150+ pounds of weight while racing (if this isn't important, than I don't see the point of carbon-fiber intakes, or even aluminum intakes).

...say you're off the coast of Florida and some pirates attempt to board. It becomes a race to the mainland, you have carbs, the pirates (gosh darn them) are injected. Your family is aboard. Care now?

To each their own, but you should read about what they're creating for the BBC in the way of efi...check out Arizona Speed and Marine's website for example. And Mercury (Marine) is going to build a crate engine with dual Whipple superchargers (1050 HP out of the crate). No ones doing that for FE's...their customers and/or builders are stuck in the past and don't care about moving on???

Isn't it 'keep up, get out of the way, or get run over'? Something like that. Probably I'm just too young to be enamored of carbs the way some are. I admit I don't have too much experience with them, but then, why should I?

Drive on, be happy.