Winter 2020 (Now Spring 2023) 350 Fresh-Up Project

Here...buy this.....
https://www.holley.com/products/fue...ctory_refurbished_carburetors/parts/FR-4779CE

 

I do have some cores laying around and Dallas Brown thinks he might be able to build one to work. My deal is I want to have one I can put on and know it won't fill the engine with gas or run so lean it melts something. I used to rebuild QJets all the time but I'm out of practice and I don't want to screw up my new engine with my mess.

Dallas is local to me so if he can get something going this week, I'll probably have him do it. Also, Everyday Performance has one listed on his ebay page that is for a 73 350 4 speed. That would likely be close enough to be useable. I've reached out to him to see if he has it available and how close it would be. No word yet.

 

Out of stock. If they had one, I could drive over and pick it up. I suspect they don't have parts for my antique qjet replacement either.

 

Plan A is the rebuilt QJet from Everyday Performance.

Plan B is getting the Holley to stop leaking.

Plan C is to use the QJet off my Stage 1 car.

So far, I've got the radiator repaired, a tube was nicked. They threw a little solder on it and pressure tested. The Holley is repaired with JB Weld, no leak under pressure or vacuum.

The fan clutch should be in today. The EP QJet should be in tomorrow. I've got the header collectors resized to fit 2.5" pipe snuggly. My Torque Tech exhaust system that I've had since 2015 is a little short from collector to muffler so I got a 3ft section of pipe to fit between the mid pipe and the header collector.

 

It is amazing what you run into when converting something from one thing to another. I need a QJet filter stud. The Holley one is too short. I need bolts and washers for the QJet since the Holley ones won't work in the front. I need to rework the fuel line since the Holley is a side feeder and the QJet is front fed. Nothing I can't overcome but niggling little things that eat up time.

But, man! Looking at the pretty QJet makes it all worth while.

 

idk... I just don't see the beauty in qjets..
Ok, now you have no excuses. Get her going!

 

Today!

 

Tomorrow. Being a stick car, I can't crank and watch the engine at the same time. A buddy is coming over tomorrow to help. I have something loose in the fuel system. The intake was wet after I cranked it to get fuel into the QJet. It isn't a solid steel line like factory since it had the Holley. I've removed the external filter and have only one section of rubber hose to get from the fuel pump line to the flare fitting on the carb.

 

keep the filter in carb they really never plug up but if just 1 piece of loose dirt that got in the line while you were messing around with everything else that one tiny piece of dirt can get into the needle and seat and just let the thing flood its ars off.

2 pumps of the gas and engine should be running, give it 2 pumps wait 15 second and fire up.

 

It LIVES!

 

Woo-hoo, congratulations!

 

Good deal, she runs!
15 seconds....Shortest break-in ever!

 

This was after the 20 minute cam break-in and after we pulled the manifolds off to put the Hookers on.

Now, it is capped up, a full 2.5" aluminized exhaust system with Walker turbo mufflers. That M-23Z is pretty sweet. Really nice first gear and still runs out with 3.08 gears in 4th.

 

Nice job Greg.
How were the center header bolts?

 

Better with a lift but still just as big of a pain as I remember. I haven't worked on a 350 with headers in probably 40 years! At least you can start them and hang the headers on it since it is slotted.

Over all, the headers went on really easily with the lift. The passenger side nearly fell on. The driver side had to have the Z-bar moved and the dipstick tube pulled out.

The hardest thing we had to deal with that isn't an issue with a 455 is the dipstick tube has to come out to put the headers on and then getting that bolt up under the header into the block is a royal pain.

 

I don't think I used the bolt in blk, just this fabbed bracket held by a header bolt.

 

We thought it would be easy or I would have tacked it to the header and worried about it later.

 

It sounds real nice good job!! Another 350 on the market, cool.

 

It holds amazing oil pressure on the factory gauge. I may only have a 60 PSI sender but it pegs it at 1500 RPM hot and only drops to 3/4 at hot idle.

 

Awesome. Hope to get a ride in it next month!