Edelbrock 1406 Rebuild

[NeoJuice]

Hello forums users.

I have a pretty gummed up/calcified Edelbrock 1406 carb that I want to rebuild. I purchased a rebuild kit for it but I was wondering what would be the best way to get it cleaned up before rebuild?

I was going to remove the automatic choke and take it to a shop and have it dipped to get it all cleaned up. What do you suggest?

Thank you for your time.

[Wrenchbender Ret]

For a preliminary cleaning you can spray it with aerosol carb cleaner. Then disassemble it & put all metal parts in a basket & soak them in carb cleaner. Rinse it with hot water & blow the parts with comp. air. Run a tag wire through all the small holes. Don't try to remove the shafts & butterflies.

[mr48chev]

They have to be completely apart down to the last idle mixture screw to be dipped. YOu don't dip complete carbs as a unit.

I used to haul my stripped down carbs to a friend who has a shop and was the go to tune up guy to have him dip them. He charged me a few bucks dipped and rinsed them off and life was good. I've got a gallon can of carb cleaner with a little basket now but you can't put a 4 barrel carb body in it. I have poured the carb cleaner in a plastic container from dollartree soaked the carb and poured it back in the bucket a time or two and that doesn't work too bad but If you have a shop that will dip it for a few bucks I'd do that.
I'd stick all the small parts in a plastic container with a lid so you don't loose any of them in the process though.

[dsraven]

like said, the carb needs to be FULLY dissassembled.
before you start, spray cleaner around the throttle shaft areas and check the throttle shafts for wear in the carb body. a worn out throttle shaft makes the carb really hard to tune properly and also is a vacuum leak. they are repairable but the butterflys have to be removed from the shafts in order to get the shafts out and sometimes the butterflys don't fit all that well after assembly. it is hard to get them back in the right spot. also, the bores may be out of whack a bit because they are not round anymore to start with so the boring tool is just getting it close. possibly why the butterflys don't fit great after.
I have used those little metal tea thingys, the ones for loose leaf tea, with great success for the small parts. the shop can dip them and rinse them without too much worry of losing the small parts. that is a challenge in any carb rebuild. most hinge and so it would be a good idea to tie wire them closed after putting the parts inside. also, a metal kitchen strainer works pretty good for spraying stuff off after dipping if you decide to do it yourself. I also use a metal cake pan for dissassembly because that keeps it all together in case something falls off or drains unexpectantly.

[NeoJuice]

Thanks for the tips guys. I guess I'll have to take a closer look at it and decide what I want to do. I was expecting a full teardown but was hoping to do that after it was dipped. Guess it will be the other way around.

[dsraven]

you can always price out a new edelbrock and be done.

[NeoJuice]

Originally Posted by dsraven

you can always price out a new edelbrock and be done.

Yes I could do that. Also I would like to try to rebuild it myself. I'm trying to keep my build a "budget" build.

[dsraven]

I would say check the throttle shafts for wear and if they are good then start disassembly. whaddya got to lose, right? how badly gummed up is it? post up a pic?

[dsraven]

take pics as you go so you can get everything right side up and in the correct hole etc.

[NeoJuice]

Its covered in what looks like hard water buildup. the springs and linkage & shafts are gummed up with oil and crud. I believe the bottom plate would not open very easily. It was sitting in the back of the truck in the weather for god knows how long.

I'll take some pictures tonight and post them up.

[dsraven]

there could be electrolysis between the different metals, like the steel throttle shaft and the aluminum carb body. spray some penetrating oil on it and let it sit for a bit before cleaning. the throttle may loosen up then. there may be a tag on the carb with numbers that you will want to save if possible. they may be punched in to the housing somewhere as well. they would tell cfm, jetting etc if you could find someone to look them up.

[Rickysnickers]

This might be worth a watch as well,http://www.powernationtv.com/episode...5/4-barrel-fix

[NeoJuice]

Originally Posted by Rickysnickers

This might be worth a watch as well,http://www.powernationtv.com/episode...5/4-barrel-fix

I never seen that one before. It looks pretty good and I'll watch it later. Here is another good one from YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onpUtFlOrMc

[agnes the dog]

I haven't tried it, but I saw a video the other day of a guy who soaked his carb parts in Pine-sol. He said to use the regular stuff. It's a lot cheaper than the bucket of carb cleaner. Just an option.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDkOgnPidPs

[solidaxel]

Originally Posted by agnes the dog

I haven't tried it, but I saw a video the other day of a guy who soaked his carb parts in Pine-sol. He said to use the regular stuff. It's a lot cheaper than the bucket of carb cleaner. Just an option.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDkOgnPidPs

Watching this one !

[Wrenchbender Ret]

If this carb has been sitting out in the weather it most likely is no good.