Hi. I just picked up a 78 ford f150 ranger with a 351 windsor swapped into it. It has headers, aluminum dual fan radiator, edelbrock Intake manifold, edelbrock carburetor. And edelbrock air cleaner. The motor runs good except full throttle it gets shaky and boggy/ cutting out. Guessing it's all carb adjustments but wondering if I would just be better off to throw on a self tune efi system and be done with it otherwise I am open to suggestions . I have extra jets and stuff to mess with and everything's there. Also wondering what I can do to make this thing wicked fast. Thanks and hope I can get this all figured out

 

Change your fuel filter and consider getting a low pressure electric fuel pump.

 

I think I would disassemble the carbs, verify the jet sizes are correct and give it a good cleaning first as well as changing the spark plugs and maybe wires. Oh yeah, put a couple bottles of Chevron Techron or Gumout with Regane in the gas tank.

 

Jets need to be larger to compensate for the ethanol in the fuel.

 

Thanks for the info... wondering what are the proper jet sizes to run with the edelbrock carb and intake manifold?

 

Assuming it's a 4 barrel, there's a problem with the secondaries. You have to figure out if it's too lean or too rich. Main jets should be okay if it runs well until the back barrels open.

 

I'm seeing it will get a little smokey with full throttle and with the exhaust pointing towards the ground it will shoot out a little black stuff onto the ground

 

Too rich. Secondary jets need to be leaner or you have an air obstruction. Disable the secondary and see what happens when you floor it.

 

How do I disable the secondary? I am new to this

 

Also it hates first gear and it's when I floor it that it will bog down and sputter and almost like a backfire.

 

Depends on whether it's vacuum or mechanical secondary.

See if you can find an old time mechanic who knows how to work on those things to help you. Something is wrong with the carb. It's also possible the timing and distributor curve is all messed up. Have you replaced the fuel filter????

 

No I have not replaced the fuel filter

 

I recommended that in post #2.........

Cheap enough and always worth a try. Assuming it has a mechanical fuel pump on the engine, the filter will be between the pump and the carb, possibly in the carb inlet.

 

Wondering what the best carb settings are for the edelbrock 1406 carb with the edelbrock intake manifold for the 351w.