6 Pack/BBL carb numbers

[drinkingdiesel]

So I have had my car (1969 Satellite with added 440 6-BBL) for a bit more than a year and was going through the previous owners paperwork and notes. I saw he had wrote down carb numbers and locations and when I looked it up it seemed he has the front carb on the rear, and the rear carb on the front.

So out to the car I went and looked at them. So yes here is what I found...

Front carb - 1049 List-4394
Center carb - 0919 List-4391
Rear carb - 0929 List-4393

So from what I have found is the front and rear need to be swapped. As for the center carb, its for a 4 speed car and my car is an automatic. Carbs are 100% restored, they look and function as new.

I guess my main question is what's the difference between a manual vs automatic center carb? Just the number?

Attached is a few pics for reference.

P.S. Happy New Year!

 

[Demon 2048]

Just clearing out the cobwebs but here goes! All carbs are for a 1969 1/2 A-12 Cars.
The 4393 Carb is the front carb and has a metering plate (#34) with the same size holes in the bottom of the body of the plate. Plate is attached to the body of the carb by 6-clutch heads screws.
The 4394 is the exact same carburetor as the 4393 but it has different size holes in the metering jet plate (#35). I believe the one on the driver side is larger than the one on the passenger side. Thus the difference in the LIST number on the carburetor. Also both of these carburetors used a Phenolic composition float (not brass) for clearance issues with the brass float and the metering plate.
The 4391 is a center carburetor for a four speed car. The carburetor should have the number 6020 stamped on the top of the metering plate on the drivers side top. It was supplied with #64 jets where by the 4392 carburetor was supplied with #63 jets for the automatic cars. Both carburetors had #6.5 power valves.

Hope this helps

 

[drinkingdiesel]

Nice, thanks for that info. So I should verify the size of the metering plates and switch the carbs back to their proper locations. And for the center carb, make sure it has #63 jets....or swap my car to a 4-speed...hmmm.

 

[Bird 426]

Well, that would be a starting point for jetting and metering plates when it was new from the factory way back when. How does it run? Not saying anything is wrong with advice given. Sixpacks can get a lot more complicated than this!

 

[Demon 2048]

Nice, thanks for that info. So I should verify the size of the metering plates and switch the carbs back to their proper locations. And for the center carb, make sure it has #63 jets....or swap my car to a 4-speed...hmmm.

I would watch every video on the 440+6 pack on Holley 2300 carburetors from Harold Demes. This will answer a lot of your questions from a guy that rebuilds these carbs daily. If you set these carbs up to stock with the correct #31 squirter and #64 main jets and your idle control screws work as designed (no warped metering plate or carb body faces that is permitting unmetered fuel to be pulled into the vacuum chamber and make idling control a nightmare). I could talk for hours on how to properly set these carbs up, but if you watch all of these videos including the Corvette ones you will have a much greater understanding of how these carbs operate. Here is some basic set up tips:
1. Verify your idle screw on the center carburetor is as low as it can go to not expose the transition slot more than a 1/16" below the butter flies.
2. Shut the car down and adjust the front and rear carburetor linkages to ensure they are fully closed at idle. This is very important as you do not want these carburetors involved with idling issues because the butter flies are slightly opened.
3. Adjust your center metering block idle screws to 1.25-1.50 turns out to start.
4. Adjust your end carburetor idle screws to 7/8 to 1.0 turn out.
5. Verify the accelerator pump arm has about a minimum of .050" clearance at WOT.
6. Install #64 jets in the center carb metering block.
7. Make sure your power valve is rated at 6.5" of mercury.
8. Reverse the metering plates to have #34 in front and #35 in the rear. If they have been drilled out all bets are off!!
9. Set timing to 32-34*BTDC at 3000rpm
10. Set float levels at the very bottom of the sight hole. It should not be running out of the hole at idle.
11. Install #31 squirter in the center carburetor.
12. Install a minimum of 180-195* thermostat.

This should get you going in the right direction.

 

[drinkingdiesel]

Starting when it's cold and been sitting for a few days it likes to crank a bit more than it should, I usually squirt a shot of fuel down the center carb and it fires up right away. When it's warm or has been running that day it usually starts by just hitting the key.

Other than that it runs good and strong, no idle issues.