[crshrmn3]

Out of curiosity, I emailed Edelbrock's tech support for their advise on how to properly prime a new #1406 carb on a sbc 350 with a mechanical fuel pump. I received a reply very promptly, but the answer seemed a little odd. I was instructed to remove the top of the carb, check the float level and pour some gas in the float chambers, then re-install the carb top. Now removing the top involves removing several very small screws and disconnecting linkage on the carb. Seems like a lot of work just to get gas into the new carb, let alone not the proper work area to be tearing into a carb. I can check the float level on a clean workbench prior to installing the carb onto the motor.

Any other methods on priming a new carb would be appreciated, and to compare to Edelbrock's method.

[JamesP]

Just crank the engine over and wait for the fuel to fill the carb. If that doesn't work, spray some carb cleaner into the carb to prime the engine. It will start and then die. That will get the RPM's up enough to get fuel pump going. If it doesn't keep doing that until it does. You can even keep the engine running by continuously adding carb clean. Just be careful not to spray the distributor and ware eye protection.

[roys63]

Just crank it.

[dmorris1200]

I've never done anything but crank over the engine during a basic carb swap. Usually cranking in bursts, not one long continuous crank to prevent wiping out the starter. Haven't experienced any negative side affects yet.

[rgt71]

You shouldn't have to prime,just poor a little gas in the carb,start the engine it will start then stall poor a little more in start again, untill fuel pump fills floats.Float levels may need adjusted if carb is new.Normallly holley's need floats adjusted.Edelbrocks ussually work ok straight out of the box hope this helps.
Rick

[crshrmn3]

This carb will be going a freshly rebuilt motor. I had planned to pour a little gas thru the carb to get it running right off the bat and as soon as the floats filled up, take the engine speed up to 2500 rpm to break in the cam. I still haven't figured out why Edelbrock would recommend taking the airhorn off just to get gas into the carb.

[DJM]

Ditto to all these answers...just remeber to put the air cleaner lid back on, because if that sucker bacfires through the carb you'll have a nasty little fire! If it backfires and a fire does start in the carb just keep cranking and the motor will pull the fire out of the carb into the intake/heads. Good Luck.

[dmorris1200]

Me personally, I still would just crank it till she fires on her own after priming the oil first. I have done this many times and haven't found that couple of seconds it takes to fill the carb up to 'cause any damage. Maybe if I was building wildly radical engines it would be different, but in twenty years I've had excellent luck.

[crshrmn3]

I really appreciate all of the info. This is my first sbc, nothing radical just mildly over stock. Just don't want to tear anything up due to ignorance, so I ask for second opinions. All my engine building experience has been with the little 2.2 turbos out of shelby daytonas and shelby omnis, which were always fuel injected with electric fuel pumps, turn the key and they're primed.