[shenkerism]

Long time listener, first time carber. My questions are at the end, but first some background.
I am very nearly done installing the K402 Weber kit onto my 1980 Dasher. It's been interesting. First time messing with carbs, swapping the car over from CIS Basic because I'm feeling experimental and I got tired of CIS. I don't have much experience to draw on, but I am already waist deep in this, and there's no turning back. I'm certain there are things I need to learn to set this up correctly which would have helped me appreciate CIS more.

• A review of the K402 kit: Good stuff. Even the 2-3 page explanation of some of the initial setup and tuning of the 32/36 is chock full of information, and the people at Redline are truly quite helpful over the phone, including specifics about the 8v 1.8.
• I'm using the Carter 4070 on the recommendation of this forum, mounted to the side of the spare tire well. Pretty loud but that's easy to fix if I ever care enough.
• Mr. Gasket 1-5psi regulator, definitely cheaped out on this one, but it was recommended to me by some parts guys who have also needed to run pressures lower than 4psi, which is where a lot of standard adjustable FPRs bottom out.
• I'm using the original CIS hardlines with hoses clamped on the flares at either end. I'm not a huge fan of this solution, but I was struggling to find a proper way to connect hose to the original fittings. May wind up replacing completely with a hardy hose meant to run underneath the car.
• Using the harness end for the WUR for the electric choke, because it's my understanding that it sees 12v all the time.
• Replaced the throttle cable with a longer aftermarket one for more flexibility. The location and arrangement of the linkage on the carb prevented me from using the throttle cable bracket on the valve cover. I made my own with a fat piece of angle iron. Another thing I expect to change. It doesn't flex much but it damn sure is ugly.

Like I said, it's been a fun little coronavirus/wildfire project. Worst part so far is that the east wind event which whipped up the worst of the wildfires this year absolutely DESTROYED the tarp on my driveway garage.

My questions:

1. The Redline manifold has two large ports on the outside runners. They have a bit of a barb, but the casting is rough and frankly doesn't seem right for a hose attachment. There is a seperate threaded hole to pick up manifold vacuum for the brake booster. Any reason not to plug them? I can't think of anything else that can use that much vacuum.
   
   
   
2. It seems like I'd want to use ported vacuum on the vacuum advance distributor. At least, that seems like the best way to apply advance at low throttle. Can anyone help me understand why I should/should not use manifold vacuum?
3. The Dasher has a charcoal filter canister mounted in the engine bay. It has the lines that run back to the gravity valve and filler vent. It also has a large hose on top which if I'm not mistaken, should go to the air cleaner housing (there is a port)

Thank you in advance for any help given.
Think I might be able to get this going this weekend.

 

[garryt]

them large ports sure look like a coolant passage, must be for heating the incoming air as they seem to run directly under the carb. have you tried blowing through one and blocking the other side off? your carb should have a small port for the dizzy vacuum hose.

 

[srgtlord]

The coolant passages are to keep the carb from icing up int he winter time and help with cooler weather running. Have to modify the existing vacuum line to fit the manifold.


https://www.volkswagenownersclub.com/threads/let-the-carb-conversion-begin.22072/

 

[garryt]

you are probably better with an air box that has a duct to the exhaust manifold to prevent carb icing. of course to have both would be ideal why do you want to attach the dizzy vacuum to the manifold when there is a port for it on the carb???

 

[shenkerism]

They're definitely coolant passages, thanks all.
As for manifold vacuum to the distributor, I just wanted to get other opinions. As I looked around I got over-research disease and...

Alright, so I'm in the Willamette Valley in SW Washington. It doesn't get particularly icy here, and I certainly have enough time to work on some kind of pre-heat duct. I have the original preheat bracket/flange/thing.
LOL I just found this, and I like it. From https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=454379

 

[garryt]

pretty sure that's for a turbo set-up. I had problems with carb icing on my old chevette many moons ago (had a ford engine conversion with a Volvo 340 carb:laugh anyway, I found myself a big sweet tin with lid. about 12 inch diameter x 3 inch deep. cut a hole in the base for the carb fitting and a hole in the side for a warm air duct to exhaust manifold. sprayed it up and stuck it on. never gave me any bother after that

 

[garryt]

pretty sure that's for a turbo set-up. I had problems with carb icing on my old chevette many moons ago (had a ford engine conversion with a Volvo 340 carb:laugh anyway, I found myself a big sweet tin with lid. about 12 inch diameter x 3 inch deep. cut a hole in the base for the carb fitting and a hole in the side for a warm air duct to exhaust manifold. sprayed it up and stuck it on. never gave me any bother after that

of course I lost the induction roar of the K+N, but you can't win them all.

 

[shenkerism]

 

[shenkerism]

Started on the first try, second rotation of the crank.
The FPR is a Mr Gasket 9710 and it's working great.
Little bit of a misfire, messed around with timing a little, idles great. Bogs a little on rapid application of throttle. I'll be doing a more thorough job trying to tune the carb in the dry daytime tomorrow, but all I really have in terms of measuring is a vacuum gauge.

 

[The Dubbernaut]

Oooooh buddy….

1. Best thing I’ve ever read on this site is The All Carb Diet. The all carb diet. Seriously LONG read but the %999 of stuff you want to know is covered in that 2k comment post.

2. The intermediate shaft has a lobe for the original mechanical pump which came with the OEM Carbed cars. I’m forgetting what it’s called but it’s the little space ship looking piece on the front of the block, 1 electrical connector, just beside the oil filter housing that’s covering up the port for the old pump. I spent a long time trying to sort out parts for the fuel delivery and regulator and blah blah blah. I have 3 different regulators and 3 different electric pumps. Yeah, I had deployment money at the time and I wanted options lol. Then I found out the pumps need mounted so close to the tank because they were “pushers.” When I found out the intermediate shafts were all lobed for the mechanical pumps, I popped my warm up regulator? (I think that’s what it’s called) off and ran my finger in the hole to see if I could feel a lobe. Sure enough! The “puller” style pump fits right on the block and you don’t need a regulator!

C. I’m over in Spokane! Not really anything special, just wanted to name drop.

4. The fuel lines you have exposed from the old CIS should have a captive, hex-head threaded nut behind that flare somewhere. It may have slid down the hard line, or maybe you just didn’t notice them sitting there? But they make brass fuel fittings which have female threads and a barbed hose fitting on the other! I’m not joking when I say, finding these in a junkyard saved my life. I was just about to go rip them out and trying the flare tool and just getting myself a longer work list… when I opened the hood of an old carb rabbit in the junkyard and found these glorious little nuggets! Nearly any autoparts place has these but they’re usually in the back because no sane person now days is dealing with this crap. So they shame us into the back behind the shelves to rifle through brass fittings like a kid in front of a hot wheels display.

F. After I have gone through all the buying of this junk, I found FI Tech. And that’s what I’ll be doing for my rabbit pickup, 1.5l solid lifter build! It’s a carb body but it’s electronic fuel injection for small CC engines. I highly recommend checking them out! Obviously they aren’t “carbs” so I hope nobody bans me from the carb lounge for muttering EFI. lol

39001Go EFI 2 Barrel 400HP System - FiTech Fuel Injection

Part Number: 39001

fitechefi.com