Thread: L78 horsepower
View Single Post
  #5  
Old 10-14-2017, 08:21 PM
VintageMusclecar's Avatar
VintageMusclecar VintageMusclecar is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 3,369
Thanks: 183
Thanked 186 Times in 48 Posts
Default

There's a lot more to it than CFM and jetting. Jetting only changes the overall fuel curve up or down. Air bleeds, PVCR's and emulsion (along with booster feed size and design, etc.) change the shape of the fuel curve. That's where a lot of the power is.

Like I mentioned previously, an 850 picked up a bunch over the 3910 on my 496, and a 1000 HP main body conversion on the 850 picked up even more.

In contrast, my trusty "mule" 3310-1 780 Holley was within single digit power levels compared to a 950 HP on my 302.

Generally speaking, any "tweaks" I perform on an OEM carb during servicing are mostly limited to cleaning up the idle and off idle transition along with a small bump in primary jetting (application specific). It would involve a lot more time--and subsequently cost--to "race" tweak every carb that comes across my bench. If the carb's going on a driver, it's not worth the extra time & cost. If it's going on a hot rod where every HP counts, then it may be worth the extra effort.
Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to VintageMusclecar For This Useful Post:
ORIGLS6 (10-15-2017)