351W carb doesn't fit a 360 (duh)

[occupant]

Looking at a truck for sale, the owner is ticked off at it and wants it gone. 360/2bbl/auto, the carb was all gunked up and he thought he'd put a newer carb on it and it'd be fine. Well he pulled the carb off an '85 Econoline van with a 351W. So it doesn't seal at the base of the carb, sucks in too much air, and he can barely keep it running let alone try to drive the thing. He has the original carb needing a rebuild, and I'm wondering if there is some sort of Windsor to FE adapter, or a spacer, or something this side of a little tub & tile caulk that could allow this carb to run on this engine for a few weeks until I have the chance to rebuild the 2100 and put it back on. I've tried searching but since this is redneck engineering I'm trying to do, I don't think I'll find an answer on the internet.

BUT you guys here may have run into a similar circumstance or needed a running truck for a short time and maybe one of you got this sort of crap rigged up to function. If I can make a quickie fix and drive it home I can save $300 versus towing or hauling it. Otherwise my wife is going to be very upset if I spend ALL DAY tomorrow rebuilding a carburetor in a plastic bucket in this guy's driveway so I can drive it back. He don't mind, but she will. I'd like to get up there, get it, and get home. I mean, some of you have done worse to bring a bump home, especially when it's a $300 truck that is THAT close to being roadworthy.

[Hawkrod]

The 351 carb should fit fine. I would look at whatever he did wrong and fix it. Maybe he did not use a new gasket or the spacer is on upside down or something. Hawkrod

[fordman]

maybe the spacer plate is warped.

[freeline95]

I'm sure that there is bound to be an adapter plate that you can buy from a parts store. They make so many that its ridiculous! But I'm sure that there is a way to do it. Go here http://www.tdperformance.com/products/a ... sp?id=3682 and put in your cab and manifold and should show you what you need. Hope this helps and you could also try this http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductList ... =0&begin=1

[390F100]

I know it's just past 1am Arizona time and that i just got back from the bar but cant any carb fit just about any application i.e. 2bbl for 2bbl and 4 on 4??? I would make sure it is mounted properly and that like hawkrod stated before look at what the previous owner did wrong and fix it, look at the installation of the carb and i'm sure you will see what went wrong. let us know what happens and good luck

[sideoilerfe]

The 351 carb should fit fine. I would look at whatever he did wrong and fix it. Maybe he did not use a new gasket or the spacer is on upside down or something. Hawkrod

They should all be the same physical size

[occupant]

This is where I am really curious to see what he did. If he left off the spacer, or didn't hook up the EGR valve, or forgot something obvious, it'll be an easy fix. If the carb body has a crack in it, it's a whole another story. Which is why I'm going against my wife's wishes to pick this sled up. I'm too curious to know how any 2-barrel Ford carb could not fit another 2-barrel Ford intakeShe actually said, "go ahead and do it", which when a woman says it in monotone, is loosely translated into, "it'll give me time to decide how to punish you for it!"

I'm also wondering what else would cause a giant sucking vacuum leak sound right at the base of the carburetor. Time to pull up BubbaF250's old Motorcraft 2150 page on the wayback machine relating to carburetor theory...

http://web.archive.org/web/200610180423 ... arb02.html

[DuckRyder]

He probably used a universal gasket and one of the other sets of holes is causing the leak...

[occupant]

May be moot now, guy just called and said his buddy offered to haul it to Hillsboro and drop it off at Love's for $100. I should be able to limp it home 12 miles from there. Worst case I'll have my wife get in the Suburban, strap a tire or two to the front end, and push me. But I'll want to drive it while I get the original carb rebuilt. I sure do hope this is some simple stupid mistake. '85 351W, would that be a Motorcraft 2150 or one of those Variable Venturi models?

[averagef250]

I would repair the old 2150 and bolt it on. Taking my time and cleaning everything very well I can easily completely go through a 2150 top to bottom in under an hour. If I was in your shoes I would buy the 2150 rebuild kit and a couple cans of carb cleaner. Pull the top off, pull the jets, venturis and needle seat and blow it out with cleaner inside. Replace the needle/seat, accelerator pump and power valve. Put the idle screws 1.5 turns out, slap it on with grease on the gaskets and rock it on down the road.

I just did this to a friends late 70's Ford 400 powered wood hauler in the middle of a field by flashlight in the dark. He got a 2150 from U-pullit becasue I told him the emissions foddered late 70's holley carbs are crap. I half-a$$ overhauled the 2150 just as described with basic tools, pulled the old clogged up blown power valve emissions holley off, slapped the 2150 on, set idle speed and the truck ran like a champ in under an hour start to finish.

The difference in carbs from the 60's to the 80's is more than likely the baseplate to compensate for EGR. The bases are shaped different. I have not put an EGR carb on a non-egr motor, but have gone the other way many times and had to devise ways to plug EGR or compensate for the mismatch with a plate or spacer sandwiched.

You could skip all of this though and get a universal tow bar. They hook right to the bumper and work like a champ if the truck is a stick. Auto you have to drop the driveline.

[kyle ray]

She actually said, "go ahead and do it", which when a woman says it in monotone, is loosely translated into, "it'll give me time to decide how to punish you for it!" thats funny

[19674x4]

ive used my 4412 on both a 350, 351, and my 352.... so it shouldfit unless it was a 4bbl intake

[ericknight]

You probably have an EGR carb on a non-EGR spacer. I had a similar problem on my 1976 302. The EGR spacer cracked, and I got a non-EGR spacer off of a 1964 Fairlane to replace it. The mounting bolts lined up but the carb would not seal on the old style spacer. Here's the spacer you need.

And here's the one you probably have. I shaded the area in orange where it won't seal to the newer carb and causes a vacuum leak.

Hope this helps.

[flyboy2610]

She actually said, "go ahead and do it", which when a woman says it in monotone, is loosely translated into, "it'll give me time to decide how to punish you for it!"

You're catching on!!!!!!!!!

[willowbilly3]

go get the original carb, spend $17 on a kit and spend an hour rebuilding it and putting it on. then drive it home.