carburetor pad angle

[vso737]

Hi,

My SBC has a 2 degree backward slant that I have to live with.

I figure my carb. pad is at a 7/32" slant.

Is there a base plate available for a Q-Jet carburetor to take up this tilt and make it LEVEL ??

Or am I making a BIG DEAL over nothing??

Any suggestions highly appreciated, thanks in advance.

LG,
Mike

[wayne petty]

seems that wedge plates are available for the carb mounting of holley flange carbs..

can you modify the open center version for your quadrajet???

http://www.summitracing.com/search/Department/Air-Fuel-Delivery/Part-Type/Carburetor-Wedge-Plates/?Ns=Rank%7cAsc

or modify one of the 4 hole versions???

are you having fuel control issues where the float levels might be effecting air fuel ratio during driving on the main circuits???  

probably won't effect the idle or idle transition circuits..

[Fat Cat]

For a 2 degree angle, I think your making a big deal over nothing.

What do you do to compensate for the angle of the carb when your driving up a 15 degree grade?

If it is that much of a big deal to you why not have the base plate in the intake milled to be flat when installe don the engine.

[vso737]

Thanks Wayne,

NO.......I just dropped the motor in yesterday and will NOT be able to get the motor LEVEL due to obstructions.

I have a 3 degree backward tilt at the carb. pad but with the 1 degree the garage floor has, I figure a good 2 degrees.

I'm NOT going to worry about it UNLESS it becomes an issue when I get this monster on the road.  I guess I can have a base plate milled if need be.
I was just wondering they made them.................

I figured you would be "the man".............

Thanks a bunch,
Mike

[wayne petty]

obstructions...

hmm... say.. how do you fill a transmission with one of those flexible transmission dip sticks..? its not like my former 70 rover 3500s where it had to be on a lift and running while you pump it up with a J tube into the clear plastic fill device..

looks like the dip stick might also need to clear the #8 header tube..

as fat cat said.. thats really not as much angle as you would think...

take off and the fuel level in the carb rises in the rear... step on the brake it goes down in the front..

that little bit of an angle really should not make a huge difference...

[vso737]

I agree, the current motor level does NOT seem like such a big deal.

I'm in the process of making the motor mounts and also the transmission mount.  The current setting is pretty accurate though.

I also have to re-do the front wishbones.....pretty easy fix.

As far as the filling of the tranny. There is a special funnel, which I don't have, that is used to accomplish the task.

I hand placed the "ram horn" exhaust manifolds today to see if they fit.  I was so happy that they do.........very tight, but they do.
I don't think the trans filler will be a problem and it can be adapted to just about anywhere, including the firewall.

I will post a picture of the way I had it yesterday when I dropped the motor in.



Thanks again,
Mike

[wayne petty]

i know you have checked it..

but is there clearance when the engine is leveled off .. for the drag link and the tie rod to clear the crank pulley when the suspension is compressed???

just a thought from looking at the 2 pictures..

again.. i know you checked it..

[vso737]

I have NOT made the MM yet.  Right now there is the motor weight and I have a 3/4" piece of wood for clearance with the rack-n-pinion and the drag link  but when I make and install the motor mounts, I will make sure there's plenty of clearance.  I would have to let all of the weight go on the motor mounts to really see what I'm dealing with.

What would you say is a good amount of clearance between the rack and engine damper??

[vso737]

Forget about the picture with the motor way up in the air.
That is a BEFORE picture.  I had to cut off the motor mounts and will have them reinstall approx. 4 inches lower on the frame to get the motor near level.
The motor will NEVER be level due to the obstructions mentioned.

I just furnished the picture to let you know what I had to contend with yesterday when I first installed the motor.

The motor will pretty much have the same pitch as the front of the frame which is "kicked up" about 3 degrees.

The motor will be able to be lifted up on the frame mount once I make it if I feel that the damper is too close to the drag link.  Of course this will increase the motor pitch upwards which I'm trying to avoid.

Will know more once I fabricate the frame mounts.

[wayne petty]

perhaps some of the other RRT members will know what the front weight might be on a finished car like you are building.. so you can add some plywood and sand bags or what ever across the front of the frame and the back of the frame to calculate the ride height..  

you will still need to see where the bump stops are for when you bottom out the suspension..   with the steering straight and with the wheels turned in either direction..

sorry to add so much to the plate..    i just recall an engine swap that was done on a friends car..  when it bottomed out.. the damper hit the top of the axle..   thats not nearly as bad as it hitting the steering linkage..  as that will bend and leave you stranded if it touches and bends in an extreme case..

if you can figure out how much the suspension will compress to the bump stops.. you could slice and glue together several creatively sliced pvc water pipe and duct tape it to the top of the drag link and tie rod..  simulating the angles and heights of the links when the suspension is in full compression ..

please build this device with stacks at the ends and a single layer of  PVC pipe in the middle to simulate the max height.. this way when raising and lowering the engine.. if the damper or pulley hit the middle of the bridge of your height gauge.. the plastic will bend and deflect.. not transfer it to the steel links..

its probably not an issue.. it just LOOKS close..

[oj]

I got kinda lost in your description, the pic as shown  - that isn't going to be the finished product is it?  Can you post a better picture?

[vso737]

I got kinda lost in your description, the pic as shown  - that isn't going to be the finished product is it?  Can you post a better picture?

My DILEMMA now is the clearance between the DAMPER and STEERING DRAG LINK...................

Hope this picture helps............

Thanks,
Mike[/img]

[Bruce Dorsi]

Taller rear tires, and smaller front tires will level that carb mounting pad.

Just kidding!

But, there is another effect of SBC engine tilt to be considered.  

A friend had an oil consumption problem with the SBC in her '32 coupe.  .....The rear-ward tilt of the engine (to clear obstructions) caused the rearmost (exhaust) valve guides to be submerged in oil.  ....The "umbrella" style valve guide seals acted as mini oil pumps, forcing oil down the guides.  .....A change to positive-style valve guide seals solved the consumption/smoking problem.

[oj]

Much better pic.  Looks good really.  Is that a unisteer type setup?  If it is under the balancer you can move it rearward so it passes behind the balancer.  I think that is typical.  There is just enough room to mount the box right in front of where the turndown would be for blockhuggers and the crossarm passes under the front of the oil pan.  It attaches at an angle not parallel to the tyerod.

[vso737]

Much better pic.  Looks good really.  Is that a unisteer type setup?  If it is under the balancer you can move it rearward so it passes behind the balancer.  I think that is typical.  There is just enough room to mount the box right in front of where the turndown would be for blockhuggers and the crossarm passes under the front of the oil pan.  It attaches at an angle not parallel to the tyerod.

THAT is an OLD picture now.  I just made the new MM and took care of the clearance BUT now the transmission is way TOO low, approx. 3 inches of the ground.
I have decided to do something with the CENTER CROSS MEMBER so I can raise the transmission.
BOY do I have a lot of work cut out for myself................