Setting the fuel pressure...

[My427stang]

Thanks for the nice words, I appreciate it

What I failed to say was that "if you are able to keep float level under control" then although higher fuel pressure may not be needed, it doesn't hurt anything.  You bring up good points with the float design, a center pivot should control better than hanging a long float off a side pivot and of course many rough running applications add more spring to stabilize as well as extend bowl vents etc.

However, what you also brought up was line size, you are spot on too.  If the line is too small, you need to raise pressure to get the volume.  Thats why EFI cars can get away with 8 mm (5/16) lines, they are at 49 psi or so.  FWIW I run dual 1/2 lines with dual in tank pumps and equal return on the Mustang, overkill for sure, but its in preparation for a blown EFI motor in the future, if this one ever breaks.

Last thing, I make no secret about not being a QFT fan.  However, I have held exactly ZERO QFT carbs in my hands.  I have however talked to their tech guys about main well emulsion and how a transition circuit works and they never seemed to be able to explain why they did anything.  On the other end of the spectrum, Bo Lawes, of BLP fame, not only talked the talk, but when we rapped about transition to the main circuit, he said that ALL metering blocks today are pretty poor for the reasons we rapped about, including his, and recommended to use an old style.  So you may be on to something, but until I have a QFT in my hands, hard to say, and everything I do is slowly shifting to EFI, so it's not likely soon

Again appreciate the nice words, and if I need any work, I may call on you   However, I remain lazy and things remain backed up for me LOL

[Yellow Truck]

HolmanMoodyStroppeGang and Ross, the depth of your answers overwhelms me. Let me be transparent about a few things - I've never done anything like this before. I'm 59 and I wanted to build an FE since I was 16. I'm having a lot of fun with it, but you guys are WAY over my head. I can follow what you are talking about, but I couldn't do it.

I wanted this truck because I learned to drive a manual in the bush in northern Quebec in an 70 bump back in 73. It is a 4WD F100 Flare side, only one of 465 made in 1969. The suspension is stock although I took the spacer out of the rear to get it to ride level, and I put some traction bars in to reduce the spring wrap (and resulting wheel hop).

The fuel system is all 6 AN braided hose and I'm running a Holley Blue pump 12-802-1 (it puts out 14 PSI) and it came with a Holley 12-803-1 regulator (4.5 to 9 PSI). I have two filters on it including the QFT you can see in the picture, and I'm pretty sure the hoses were clean so I don't think it was contamination. I bought the carb from Survival on Barry's recommendation, I'm not pushing off responsibility - I just don't know enough about carbs to choose one.

I had planned to use the stock line as a return, thinking that the return flow would be adequate, but I've been advised that the smaller stock line will create an imbalance, so I'm just running a simple one line in - one out regulator.

This truck won't be seeing any rough use, it is a bit of a vanity project. Who knows, maybe I'll think about some suspension upgrades once I've got the engine working.

For now I'm going to buy a new regulator tomorrow - I don't want the loss of time and hassle of complaining to Holley. If they shipped a bad one once, what is to stop them doing it again. I'll buy a different kind. I have a friend who is a pretty good mechanic and a very meticulous person, so we will also take the carb apart and confirm the jets and probably take them down two sizes as we are running at 3,200 feet here.

I am always astonished at the quality of the answers I get here, and grateful that my questions get such thoughtful consideration.

[HolmanMoodyStroppeGang]

Gosh

Thanks kindly sir.  Ross spends a lot of time sharing his tune up book to help, so do I. For me, this was the best part of being a Ford guy or gal,,,the camaraderie

People spend a lifetime earning things, and hundreds here can help you....I just hoped you might get her poppin soon, with less frustration

Now that I know more, sure, 5.5-6 lbs is cool since this is a street pounder.  I didn't know if she was headed to the bracket races, to run for ET with sticky tires and low gears, open headers and so on

But another thought is, your power level, and use, would be    just fine, with a standard, tried and true carter or Holley Hi perf mechanical fuel pump too?   Real easy, very tested tried and true

They are rebuildable, get the diaphragm kit or send her out

But since you have the trick stuff,,,,you are set to go a lot further up the power ladder some day.  Your system can support a very fast build too.  You know high compression, big cam, a pair of carbs probably

What is awesome is....you finally did it !!  How COOL !!   You wanted an FE since age 16 and how awesome, your 59 years young and ready to check this off of the bucket list !  That just makes me beam with joy,,,

And don't worry about who is where and over under who-evers head or any such thing.  I would wager hundreds of really skilled FORD folks here could do a better job than me....helping a general tech inquiry...but I try.

But you kind words are very much appreciated.

Hang in there, once the 'labor pains' pass, it is fun, fun fun time.....

Well deserved too...

Have fun

To ROSS,,,,thanks again sir for all that you do....I know how hard it is to help online, and how time consuming it can be, so I am among many who appreciate the work and wisdom.

How fast has that bitchin fast back gone, or is she a Street Terror?   I was thinking shes a low 11, high 10 car?

[Posi67]

If you have a liquid filled pressure gauge then get rid of it. They are notoriously erratic and generally give bad readings. I went through several as well as 3 different regulators until I bought a cheap non liquid filled gauge and problem solved. 6-6.5 lbs pressure is all you need. Any higher will gain you nothing. If it did, my friends 935 HP 341 CI SBF would run more than 6 lbs.

Now, if your gauge isn't liquid filled, then as previously stated it's likely a regulator problem. Either way, keep the pressure down.

[Yellow Truck]

Bought a new QFT regulator today (a 30-803) and we have pressure regulation! Holding nicely at 6.25 PSI. It took Holley 4 hours to call me back - it would have taken 4 hours on hold had I chosen that route - but I didn't notice the call. In any case I took the Holley 12-803 apart and it looked fine (no tears or foreign objects) it just didn't work. Set the floats, reduced the jet sizes (we live at 3,200 feet), and should be ready to fire her in the next day or two.

Posi67 - thanks for your suggestion. It is a non-liquid gauge. Up here in the frozen north "liquid" scares me. Short digression, I lost a heater hose in my 13 liter Caterpillar motorhome engine on the 805 in San Diego this February and dumped 13 gallons of coolant. I found the split and fixed it but now needed to find a bunch of heavy diesel coolant - and of course you don't know how much you lost (I had 2 gallons in the coach). Went to the first auto parts store and asked for "heavy diesel anti-freeze" and got a stare like I was a Martian. Took a second to realize that in San Diego "anti-freeze" had no meaning.

[My427stang]

HMSV - My stuff is all street, but IF I set it up for slicks, I do think low 11s, high 10s.  The reason I haven't had it on a track is because I can't hook up, at all.  I am considering a Calvert rear suspension (springs and bars) to help it a bit, but it really needs slick, or at least drag radials but when I jump in it, it's generally a 100+ mile day, so, so far at least, it is just relegated to street duty

[HolmanMoodyStroppeGang]

Hey Ross

We all live to run stuff like this on the street too because smoking the tires at the top of 2nd,3rd,  and into 4th, is a blast and a bitchin way to learn how to slide a car and haul the mail....

I only asked because so many cats dual purpose a Hot Rod out this way,,,you know

A Nash or similar 5 speed, so you have a low final drive ratio in 1st through 4th...then you have the street trim, sticky cheater slick bias plys, or radials, sure, and adjustable ladder bars, 4 link on many of our cars, or Caltracs, etc,,,,,then the strip tune parts

This was mandatory for the car clubs we grew up in.   You had the legal tires, and a pair of slicks to stuff in the trunk and wind over to the strip

Very common in the 60s and early 70s to get in to the pits, and see a bunch of stalls with a floor jack, the mufflers sitting there, the air cleaner and some fuel, maybe a tool box,,,often on a chain with a lock.....and the car in the staging lanes on slicks, open headers and a velocity stack. Usually you also, well we would,,,jet her up, bump the timing forward , run off the pump gas then make runs on good gas...lash the valves, change plugs,,,,you know

Well, sounds like some Summer you can set her up with the slicks, bigger jets and so on and run the number

I would very much enjoy watching that and hope many more guys do so this Summer

I had lunch with John Calvert a month ago. He was at out table for the judges at that Knott's All Ford show, with Butch Leal, Stroppe, 2 of DYNO DON's old guys, I was one, and others,,,2 FORD regional managers.    He is a real nice guy and maybe if you need some Caltracs I can be of some assistance

Now for the old Drag dudes, we had a lot of luck, locally, in the 11,10 and 9 second range, on Mustangs, Camaros and similar,,,,with good old...ANSEN GROUND GRABBERS

These were hinged ladder bars that could take a huge, wheels up beating but were heavy,,,1/2 inch plate with lightening holes and a bunch of adjustments

I have on nice pair left and to old guys, they bring ya back to the cars hammering away at the local strips

Hey, maybe I can loan ya a pair  hahahahaa !!

Thanks again for being a very knowledgeable asset to many aspiring Ford men and women.

One of our goals blogging was to make an effort to share some of the old tech with the next flock, so they could have fun without as much hassle. You know, share research, tune up and set up methods we got to use, and save guys time and hassle so they can have more fun

FORD spent millions to back all of our fleets then, millions on engine R and D alone

We always thought that it was a shame to let this work just fade away and be lost.  So recalling a bit of it for the next generation to ponder seems fun, and a little piece of the old FORD team way for us

Just sharing, for fun and to maybe smoke more Dodges and Bow Ties

Thanks again to all, and of course, to the hundreds of very wonderful friends from elsewhere, who emailed over the past years

Many cool cats race here these days....and that seems productive, professional, and fun. Who needs to fight about Fords? Not us.  We rather fight Chevy and Chrysler.


Happy that this FE man is up and running soon.

Working on a blown SOHC build today.  Making a Magneto drive part for it and new chromoly crossbolt spacers,

Ready for the next race finally with a Funny car, looking for 570s next outing, and the dragster is 100% fresh, with a tune up and the latest parts to hopefully get in to the 550s on a good track, with good air and with some luck

Thanks guys

Oh,,,the latest acquisition for the collection is the original, and authentic car from the show Night Rider. So it is on display next to the 5 Movie cars in the theater area of the shop.

Christine is the 1st, next to my Bullit car, then the Back to the Future car, next to the Vanishing Point car, next to the Batmobile, next to the Night Rider

And we pull them out to cruise around the beach    and LAUGH

THANKS

[My427stang]

I have to tell you, the old stuff is cool, but the Calvert stuff makes it much easier.

I see small slick FE cars launching at 3500, short shifting 1st and clicking off 9.80s, one of Blair's customers does it all the time. 

The slick thing though, is the modern suspension makes it look like it's running 14s. It comes out smooth, doesn't wheel stand, it just drives away, you look at the clock and it's in the 9's.  It's incredible.

I run underrider bars, subframe connectors, full welded unibody, and a strengthened rear housing.  I have zero hop, but it burns the tires like an altered.  What I am missing is weight transfer, however, I need to make sure if I toss it in a corner, I can get through the corner, or put a few people in the seat, I can still drive across the state.

That being said, we are drifting WAY off the original topic, let's get back to fuel discussion if the OP needs it

[Yellow Truck]

Don't worry about me, I'm enjoying this. I think we are ok on the fuel problem. Crappy Holley part. Pressure is now sitting just above 6 PSI, bowls are just where they need to be, and reduced the jet sizes to compensate for our altitude. We had seepage around the bowls before we took them off to change the jets. That is how it came from QFT - they claim it was run on an engine and I could smell gas in it when I took the plugs out, but if they ran it they didn't inspect it took closely since the floats were off (fuel too high) and there was seepage. We put new gaskets in and torqued the bowls down - will check today to see if the seepage issue is gone.

Next up, gap the plugs and install them, and try to get it to fire. I've been reading about gap sizes, and since I'm running a Pertronix Ignitor and Flame Thrower coil I'll start at about .040 gap and see how she runs.

[Posi67]

Contrary to popular myth, CalTracs alone aren't the magic solution to traction problems. They certainly help and are a simple upgrade but unless everything else is right including track prep then the wheel spin doesn't just go away. Even my underpowered 390 recently tore up the start line on numerous passes and I have all the good parts on my car. An Automatic car is more forgiving but will still require the right combination to get ET's where they should be.

I also apologize for straying O/T however enjoy Ross's informative posts and hope he does get some time slips. Good or bad at least you can say you got down the track. 

[afret]

HMSV - My stuff is all street, but IF I set it up for slicks, I do think low 11s, high 10s.  The reason I haven't had it on a track is because I can't hook up, at all.  I am considering a Calvert rear suspension (springs and bars) to help it a bit, but it really needs slick, or at least drag radials but when I jump in it, it's generally a 100+ mile day, so, so far at least, it is just relegated to street duty

Too bad you're not closer.  You could use a pair of MT 28x9 Pro Bracket Radials and lightweight front tires that I got for my red '69 which should fit on your car and run your car at the track.   The local track though doesn't prep the track very well though like for a NHRA event.  Thor just went Saturday with the stocker and he had a good first run but car wouldn't hook after that.  Not easy on 9 inch radials. 

Here's Thor last Saturday:
https://www.facebook.com/OfficialSpokaneCountyRaceway/photos/a.1003208493049886.1073741914.174762352561175/1003209409716461/?type=3&theater

[My427stang]

So truth in advertising, here is what I need to fix to run it if it hooks up

- Need to figure out an engine strap or some other way to make sure I don't send the Victor through the hood.. stock mounts with PS and A/C I don't have an easy way to chain or strap it.  I have been considering the Total Control mounts, but haven't figured out of they bolt to the early center oiler block

- Need to add a driveshaft loop (If I go slicks)

- Need to add extended lugs (If I go slicks)

So certainly nothing difficult, but I don't see myself racing a lot, so I keep talking myself out of it

[cjshaker]

Since the OP is fine with the off topic, I'll chime in...
Simply through-bolting the stock mounts would probably work fine, Ross. I've done that several times and never had a mount break. However, that was always on the street. With slicks on a track, I think I'd step it up a bit, like welding an attachment to the AC bracket that you can tie down to the sway bar mounts, similar to how I tied mine to the front of the head where the AC mount attaches to. You've probably seen that in my "Upgrades" thread.

And ditto on what Dale said; simply throwing parts at it doesn't guarantee traction. I've got the full Calvert rear suspension, small block front springs, single adjustable rear shocks, 90/10 fronts, M/T ET rears, locker, and all I did was spin the first 100' at Beaver. And that was leaving at only 3000 (no slipper clutch, and I'm not interested in destroying my toploader). I got good weight transfer, but my shock setting was way off and let the rear 'rebound', unloading the tires. I think adjustable front shocks are in order also, and I need to install the roller spring perches I recently bought. Haven't had the opportunity to get it back to the track to see how some changes worked, but according to some play time on local deserted roads, I'm moving in the right direction. It's all fun though

Oh, and I can still corner. Just not fast...lol

[afret]

Yup, putting a bolt through the stock mount is a good idea.  That's what the stocker has and it works just fine.

[Posi67]

I have a high dollar engine strap as well as the mounts bolted. Seems to work fine.