I just finished a restoration on a 70 Cuda with a 426 hemi built to stock spec (originally a slant six car). It's running rich per the plugs and the fact that I'm getting about 5 to 6 MPG.

It's a car that will be driven occasionally and not raced. It drives fine but it could use more power and better gas milage.

Im running a stage V intake with 2 Edelbrock 600 performer cards on a non progressive linkage. So both carbs come on equally.

14" of vacuum at idle doing 800 rpm. Engine idles smooth.

Can I just lean up the carbs by changing out metering rods?

Absolutely Edlbrock makes two versions of the 600 carbs, emisions type with electric chokes and the performance types with mecahnical chokes, which ones did you buy
If with electric chokes make sure the choke plates are opened up all the way when warmed up If they are working correctly try increasing the metering rod upper size by .003 to .006 to lean it out some
What brand and heat range plugs are you using now?

I'm running 2 1405 600 Edelbrock's on a stage V on 1 to 1 linkage on my 426 hemi. The cam is larger than stock. intake 587 and exhaust 568 lift. 4 speed 3:54 dana.

I tuned it with a wide band and am running .095 primary jet, .089 secondary jet and .073 x .052 rods and pump in middle hole.

This is on 91 straight gas. 90/10 blend same jets but a .070 X.047 rod and pump top hole.

On 1 to 1 those carbs are too rich out of the box for a stock hemi.

Hope this helps move you in the right direction. Mike

Thanks to both of you guys. Yes I thought the same thing. Probably too rich out of the box with 1 to 1 on the throttle.

I will lean up soon and let you know how I make out. They are manual choke carbs. I'm only choking the rear carb for cold starts.

Any other comments would be appreciated!

the 1406's come lean (need a strip kit), & I've used em (one at a time!) & I understand the 1405's are rich out of the box. Just me but it sounds like there is more going on than main metering being off. I'd confirm the basic stuff: float settings, float linkage not handing up, needle/seat condition and the timing being in the ballpark. Eddys CANNOT handle much psi & I think in your case i'll go out on a limb & say that it is too high & dripping out the nozzles (look in there & see at mid RPM). I had an eddy 1406 drip on a DD 318 with an airtex parts house pump! I couln't believe it (& the needle/seat/linkage all checked out). Holler how it turns out

Whats the timing set at

Hey Guys,
No other problems with the carbs. Was able to set the idle with no issues. Initial timing seems best at 18 btc and I limited the mechanical timing to 36 to keep it from pinging under load. Timing is 43 with vacuum advance.

I will have to check out what plugs I'm using. I can't remember off hand.

The car runs great, but I feel there is probably more power to be had if it wasn't running as rich as it is.

Gonna lean it up first before I change anything else.

Do yourself a favor and get a A/F meter and then start tuning. Makes thing MUCH easier and you can get it spot on.Dave

Thanks Dave. Any recommendations? Are there affordable accurate meters available now for the hobbyist?

I use the LM-1.. if you dont want it mounted..
its a hand held type.. you might want the RPM
and logger with it.. or have a camera on it so
you can play it back to show the rpm and the read
out together... nice ride... beauty paint on it

Thanks Mr P Body. I just checked out the LM-1 and it seems pretty reasonably priced. So the oxygen sensor goes in the tail pipe and the lead connects to the device? It reads out 02 and a/f ratio?

On a header style I install a bung that is welded into
the collector... I prefer the sensor towards the front
of the exhaust for the heat and amore accurate reading..
if you dont want to weld in a bung the tail pipe will
work...you could also go to a chassis dyno and have them
check it.. BUT they dont get into TUNING a carb/carbs..
unless you PAY BIG.. and of course you would have to
have ALL the parts to do it
EDIT
A O2 sensor does just that.. it reads the O2
and figures the A/F ratio... IF you put it in
the tail pipe... stick it in about 10" to get
a good reading.. you will have to protect the
wires with a high temp sleeving

Excellent, thanks. Will report back.

I bought a LM1 with the RPM package 9 or 10 years ago and installed it on my Duster with the bung welded in just past the header flange on the tailpipe side. I had bungs put in both sides so I could switch the single sensort to read both sides due to using low deck Eddy sixpak intake and 440 carbs. I later bought and added the LC1 pakcage to make mine read both sides at the same time I had the car on several different local chassis dynos and there wide ban probes read close to mine The good thing about the LM1 was it would data record so you cauld start the session and stop it and not have to watch while driving, I could download each session onto my laptop in the drive way at home to read them