carb for Ford 302 stock engine

steve fritz

Well-known member
What carb would you recommend for stock 302? I want to use a 4bbl intake from 70 Mustang. However I need to have the carb equipped with throttle hook-up so I can use the later model Ford AOD transmission. The AOD requires the TV cable hook-up. I don't think the stock autolite carb from the 60's-70's has this.
Does Holley or Edelbrock make a 4bbl carb for this application? I want to keep the CFM down cause the engine is stock, not hipo.
Thanks for any input from guys who have done this 302/AOD swap.
 
I have run a setup like yours. I ran a 500 CFM Edelbrock on an iron 65 manifold on a stock 76 302. With a two inch spacer to help keep the carb cool, it ran great. Buy the spacer with four holes to keep the velocity up. Any Edelbrock should be run with an insulator of some sort. The carb is available with Ford linkage and an electric choke.
 
The picture is a Carter AFB 9635 625 CFM on my Ford 302 with a Lokar T.V. Cable for the AOD,you will note the heat insulator under the Carb this aligns the cable so nothing special is needed on the Carb itself.I also have another Carter for sale $95 + $15 shipping. The internals are the same as an Edelbrock 1405(600 CFM) and use the same jets,metering rods and kits and the linkage is the same as the Edelbrock 1405,1406,1404.
 

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ole don......thanks for the reply. My 302 is from an 82 Merc and I did find an intake, 4 bbl, from a 65 289. I'm thinking the 500 cfm is big enough for this stock set up. I'll check with edelbrock and see what 500 cfm carbs they make. Thanks for the spacer idea, makes sense to add that too.
Steve
 
The books say to run a 600 on that engine for best horse power and high RPM performance. The trouble is, if you drive much in town, the engine seldom sees more than 2600 RPMs. The smaller 500 carb gives much better drivability at the RPMs where you use it. I have been very happy driving more than one car with the Edelbrock 500 CFM carb.
 
One of the simplest and most reliable carbs is the stock Autolite 4100 I think is the number.Came stock on a million Fords of various models.Easy to rebuild, simple to tune and runs about as good as any for other than racing applications.Won't leak as bad as the Holley and more simple than the Edelbrock.I have had one with the throttle kickdown attachment so with all the applications through the years, there should be one out there.
 
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I agree with you on the autolite 4100. I have had three y-block cars over the past several years. All three I put the 57 Ford 4bbl intake on and then used the autolite 4100 carb. Outstanding results and never a carb problem. Quick starts, good fast idle for cold starts, and great perdormance. It would be my first choice for the 302, but I can't seem to find the method to hook up the AOD TV cable. Has anybody else solved that problem with the 4100????? If there is a kit or easy way to do this I would sure like to know.
Thanks again!
Steve
 
You can probably use this http://www.oregonperformancetransmi...PROD&Store_Code=OPTI&Product_Code=SNX-AS2-02K with maybe no modification or very slight on the 4100,if you use the LOKAR cable the lower one in the second picture I have posted you should have your TV up and running in less than an hour.Here is the Lokar kit http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lokar-KD-2A...rts&vxp=mtr&hash=item5d2f79f378#ht_2257wt_905 you also need this no matter which four barrell you run with the AOD http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lokar-SRK-4...rts&vxp=mtr&hash=item484059786d#ht_2141wt_942 Since you like the 4100 you may want to look this over http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SUM-M08600VS/ this is an upgraded version of the 4100 that will make it fuel efficient and the price is nice(on sale) for less than a 4100 rebuilt and it even comes with a tuning and install DVD
 
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You can probably use this http://www.oregonperformancetransmi...PROD&Store_Code=OPTI&Product_Code=SNX-AS2-02K with maybe no modification or very slight on the 4100,if you use the LOKAR cable the lower one in the second picture I have posted you should have your TV up and running in less than an hour.Here is the Lokar kit http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lokar-KD-2A...rts&vxp=mtr&hash=item5d2f79f378#ht_2257wt_905 you also need this no matter which four barrell you run with the AOD http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lokar-SRK-4...rts&vxp=mtr&hash=item484059786d#ht_2141wt_942 Since you like the 4100 you may want to look this over http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SUM-M08600VS/ this is an upgraded version of the 4100 that will make it fuel efficient and the price is nice(on sale) for less than a 4100 rebuilt and it even comes with a tuning and install DVD

I forgot about that design carb from Holley. I have had one on a Chevy for years and my daughter had it on one before I got it. Its a good carb I think with a lot of the attributes of the Autolite.I think Holley discontinued it and thats why Summit has picked up on it.
 
I'm thinking of switching to a carter myself, presently I have a 600 Holley on a 2121 intake and I cannott get the surging out of it, idle is a little rough acceleration is beautiful, but steady cruise it surges terribly. I've gone thru the tuning manuals, adjusted tweaked and changed just can't get it dialed in. First Holley, never had that problem with a carter.
 
I'm thinking of switching to a carter myself, presently I have a 600 Holley on a 2121 intake and I cannott get the surging out of it, idle is a little rough acceleration is beautiful, but steady cruise it surges terribly. I've gone thru the tuning manuals, adjusted tweaked and changed just can't get it dialed in. First Holley, never had that problem with a carter.

Check for a vacuum leak. I had a surging problem on a car and thats what it turned out to be.
 
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