WEBER VS OEM: The Facts

[rusty_tlc]

Restart haha

necromancer




FWIW I did a Weber swap on my FJ40 2F 12 years ago, I saw an immediate increase in MPG and power. Other than a yearly douching with carb cleaner I haven't touched it since it was installed other then to tighten up the adapter plate a couple of years ago. You can ask any of the guys who have done Rubicon or Fordyce with me if I have any problems in off camber situations. (In my opinion I have far fewer problems than guys running Asin carbs.)

Based on my experience with Chevy 6 engines the Asin carb is a bad copy of the crappy Carter carb used on 60's Chevies. That carb was a turd, making a copy of it didn't improve things.

I'm looking to replace the carb in the 60 soon.

 

[cyberfalco]

So who is Jim and does he still do carb rebuilds? I just bought a 87 60 and the owner said he tried to rebuild the carb but it appears to still run rich and has no power.

 

[Spike Strip]

FJ40Jim username on the board.

http://tlcperformance.com/

Nice new website!

 

[lehiguy]

I have tuned three Toyotas to run incredibly well with Webers. I ran my tweaked 2F with a 38/38 Weber as a daily driver for many years. I average about 20K miles a year, and it never let me down. There was no angle that could make it sputter, no extreme of altitude or temperature that could effect it and the mileage (and the power) was far better than the stocker. That being said, I am particularly good with carbs. If John Doe throws on a Weber and expects it to work perfectly right out of the box, instead of confessing and remedying his ignorance, he will usually curse the carb for not tuning itself and become a hater when in reality he is just stupid. They are simple, effective and reliable IF you know how to tune them and IF you start with the right one.

 

[Callahan Offroad]

You know what would settle this once and for all? A dyno. Build two trucks, similar set ups. Install dataloging equipment. Run them until we get an answer. Who's got access to one?

You want empirical evidence this is the best and surest way. We'll get a/f readings, power output, etc.

Then, we can have a final census not based on opinion or butt-dynos.

 

[NMfjCruiser]

I agree with Callahan, but no need to build two trucks. Just get one engine on the dyno and swap carbs.
A Weber is like a fine tunable instrument. On most you can change idle circuit jets, main jets, air jets, accelerator pump jets and on some you can even change choke size. Weber made the best most tunable carbs in the world. That was back when they were made in Italy. Modern Webers are not what they used to be and often have smog gear too, but the biggest thing I've seen on 60s is the Mickey Mouse set ups.
No carb will run right with strange multilayer adapters, vacuum leaks, PVC snorkels etc.
I have several cars with Webers, some have two, it's all about knowing how to set them up.
My 60 has the Asin because it's stock and needs to pass smog. When I need to do the engine I'll probably go FI because it's 2014 but if did build a "high performance" 2F I'd use a Weber simply because of the ability to swap jets to tune it.

 

[FJ40Jim]

Aisan carbs have changeable main, idler, power jets. The airbleeds and emulsion tubes are pressed in, but can be drilled over or peened down if really needed. Venturis (chokes) are also available in 28,31,32,33,35 sizes. Just sayin'

 

[Callahan Offroad]

I agree with Callahan, but no need to build two trucks. Just get one engine on the dyno and swap carbs.
A Weber is like a fine tunable instrument. On most you can change idle circuit jets, main jets, air jets, accelerator pump jets and on some you can even change choke size. Weber made the best most tunable carbs in the world. That was back when they were made in Italy. Modern Webers are not what they used to be and often have smog gear too, but the biggest thing I've seen on 60s is the Mickey Mouse set ups.
No carb will run right with strange multilayer adapters, vacuum leaks, PVC snorkels etc.
I have several cars with Webers, some have two, it's all about knowing how to set them up.
My 60 has the Asin because it's stock and needs to pass smog. When I need to do the engine I'll probably go FI because it's 2014 but if did build a "high performance" 2F I'd use a Weber simply because of the ability to swap jets to tune it.

I agree. I was just thinking for ease of life. But I agree with efi, the new holly avenger bolt on tpi are pretty sick.

 

[moyafj60]

I recently picked up an 87 fj60, waiting for parts to get in to build a smoker and verify I don't have any vaccum leaks, but thinking of ordering the Weber kit off of man a fre, why are they advertising better mpg and hp, then order a rebuild kit for the current aisan, supposedly PO had it rebuilt, but having issues where secondary isn't opening even after changing the diaphragm, the gasket was in the wrong place so thinking it wasn't rebuilt correctly.

 

[ntsqd]

If NJ does emissions testing on your vintage vehicle odds are really excellent that the Weber (note: 1 'B') won't pass visual inspection. There are some smog exempted Weber conversions, but they are rare.

You ever run an Edelbrock? There's a POS carb.

My 60, BTW, has the same carb as my 55. Great on the street and great off road.

The mighty quadrajet.

Old post, I know.
Funny. Ran a multitude of different Holleys on a 302 and they all ran just OK no matter how what I tried. I'm sure that a guru might have got them to run better, but I never did. Wasn't like I was an idiot carb tuner, I did tune a Weber to run excellently on an ACVW from sea level to ~8k feet at the time. See my previous post in this thread.

Was given a used, corroded AFB (what Edelbrock bought & renamed) and used raw cast mag wheel cleaner on it to get all of it's passages clean and clear. After doing some work in Excel to better understand which rods & jets were needed to make a small step in either direction, for both cruise and power, it ran way better than any of the Holleys ever did.
No way I'd take one off pavement though. those fuel bowls just are not in the right place for that. However, I never got around to installing & tuning a Q-Jet because the AFB ran so well.

Re: the Land Rover comments. Did you know that 90% of all Land Rovers are still on the road?
Yeah, the remaining 10% made it home.
-- told to me by an LR enthusiast.

As to Lucas, their problem wasn't that they can't build good equipment. Their problem was that they were willing to build to a price point. If you, as an OEM, want a voltage regulator for $3 and it costs $13 to build a good one, what kind of quality are you going to get for your $3?
My idea of a nightmare? A Lucas regulator controlling a Magnetti-Marelli generator. If you think that couldn't happen in the OE world, think again. It is how mid 60's Abarth-Simca Corsa 2000 GT's were made. Should have been simple, never did make that one work.