Carb options

[lowriderbowtie]

Im thinking about running a different or rebuilt carb on my truck. I dont want to be swapping manifolds, just a direct relacement. is the stock carb worth the rebuild? I want some more performance and better fuel economy (currently getting 21.8 mpg)
what are my options here? any web sites or info would be great
thanks

[T Man]

i believe it is rochester that bulds a great carb for the 2.8

[lowriderbowtie]

thats what i have now...its the stock setup
is it worth the rebuild?

[T Man]

is an aftermarket carb or not?

[lowriderbowtie]

its stock
i want to either rebuild this stock carb or replace it with something better that will bolt on without swapping intakes

[T Man]

ok, hang on, im finding out. try and find a 4bbl spacer/adaptor, small cfm carb would run the **** out of that truck, but dontknow about mileage

[Sparky2263]

If mileage is your concern, I'd stick with the stock Rochester. DON'T buy a rebuilt from the parts stores. 90% of 'em are junk. Build (or get built) your own carb that came on it.

Big problem with the 2SE's (your carb. model) is the choke pull offs. They're kinda pricey but they control not only cold choke opening but also rate of secondary (read fuel) opening. Critical, but not hard, adjustments to make.

[bvr775]

the rochestor duoJet is junk. It's unfortunate that GM desided on that design for some. there is also a rochestor varijet that came on some and a hitachi desigined carb for them. I belive the hitachi had a 36mm primary and a 32mm secodary(very strong carb).

as for as aftermarket holley had a 2bbl nonemisions carb that I belive was 320cfm, but I know was a direct bolt-on. Weber also makes a upgraded replasment carb for the 2.8s, but at 800bux you would ne better off buying the edelbrock mainfold and droping a 500cfm holley on it(you will have to upgrade your cam for this to work properly though)

[Sparky2263]

The dual jet was never used on S-trucks. It is a single stage carb. (both butterfys open at same time). The Varajet (2SE and E2SE) is a two stage carb. with a really nice secondary stage (variable jet rod, hence the name Varajet). Flows over 300 cfm and the secondary is tunable to most hydraulic cams and headers. Great economy like the quadrajet as the primary is finely metered and small. The best of both worlds for mildly modified (or stock) engines.

[jjwalker]

I liked my TBI since it tunes itself until now, my new cam is slightly (just slightly) too big for these injectors. I really need a good set of injectors off a 305.

You could always try upgrading to TBI. It is simple on the elctronics side and you could bolt it up to your carb manifold because holley makes an adapter plate for that. The carb manifold flows a little better than the TBI manifold.

[Maximus]

Belive it or not 305 TBI injectors are not as big as 4.3 injectors.

[lowriderbowtie]

my carb says "Rochester VaraJetII"....im still not totally sure what the hell that is.
By my biggest concern is my fuel economy. So a rebuild is the best route?

[Sparky2263]

my carb says "Rochester VaraJetII"....im still not totally sure what the hell that is.
By my biggest concern is my fuel economy. So a rebuild is the best route?

Did I just waste all that time typing? ;)

[lowriderbowtie]

Did I just waste all that time typing? ;)

sorry buddy, i totally missed your post.
so the VarajetII like i have is the 2 stage carb...ill just rebuild this one.
I have no probs with this carb, it has treated me right since ive owned the truck. just needs a refresh...20 years old and 65,000miles on the old girl, time for some love

[Sparky2263]

Just a few critical adjustments. Any questions, pm me. They're really great carbs.

[bvr775]

your in canada right.?.

you should be able to find one of the hitachi carbs. They are much more reliable than rochuncker carb(i say rochucker, because that all the rochester carbs are good for. They can't be rebuilt only chuncked in the trash) and can be tunned much more easily. Plus they have more jet options. They were originaly on the 1.9ltr engines and weren't used on many 2.8 exsept in canada and mexico. If you can't find one you can try the 1.9ltr carb, but I thinck the 2.8 has a diffent bolt bolt pattern.
It's always amazed me that they used a bigger better carb on the us production 1.9 than US production the 2.8.

[Sparky2263]

(i say rochucker, because that all the rochester carbs are good for. They can't be rebuilt only chuncked in the trash)

I've personally built over a 100 Rochester carbs. Very good carbs. for the application. Also probably the most popular rebuild kits around.

[Maximus]

I have rebuilt several old Rochester Q jets with great results.If someone don't know what they are doing then yeah they will run like ****.But if they do they will run like a scalded dog.A good running Q jet is one of the best carbs around "IF" they are running right that is.