360 2bl to 4 bl questions

[briansbronco]

So I just picked up a new to me 69 f-250. I am the third owner of this sweetheart. The original 360 was gone through and rebuilt less than 100 miles ago. Sat in a shot for the last couple years. Stock intake with ford 2bl. Friend I bought it from purchased a LOT of new parts for the truck and I am not sure about it. Truck runs well, don't get me wrong but I m most concerned with reliability and higher angle usage in the mountains. He has a new aluminum dual plane intake and holly 4 barrel for it along with a set of full length headers. It also has an accell igniter kit to replace the stock points. What I am wondering is this....
Realistically will adding the performance parts increase my reliability? I know it will get me a few more horse and I also know it will decrease the fuel mileage a good bit. Not that it's great like it is. The 360 isn't a particularly HP motor to start with. The one and only rule here is that when I turn the key on a truck it needs to crank and go. Temps down into the negatives are common here if that makes a difference. Am I better leaving it as is and tuning it up or just pulling parts and going 4 barrel?

[1972hiboy]

There is the two bbl holley option. Alot of people have gone that way and it seems like alot of bang for the buck.

[briansbronco]

My foremost concern is reliability. The stock carb seems to do well, good response so far it just needs to be tuned up a little for the higher altitude which I'm all too familiar with. I've though of going EFI but for me it's cost prohibitive.

[1972hiboy]

My foremost concern is reliability. The stock carb seems to do well, good response so far it just needs to be tuned up a little for the higher altitude which I'm all too familiar with. I've though of going EFI but for me it's cost prohibitive.

I would say if the stock one works fine maybe just be good to leave well enough alone. But if it starts having issues. the Holley 2bbl is much more adjustable for tuning for the application. I would lean twards keeping the 2bbl setup if its something that just has to work. less moving parts equals less things to break.

[briansbronco]

Well I guess I'll have a lot of parts for sale soon....

[1972hiboy]

Well I guess I'll have a lot of parts for sale soon....

To be honest, i am not sure how the autolite 2bbl does on extreme angles. If you did opt for the four barrel setup I know Holley used to make a truck orientated carb made for being more forgiving on angles. That might be a good idea to look into if you go that route. The elec ignition kit to replace points is great, but with the quality of modern elec parts i would keep a spare in the glove box or keep everything needed to install the points system back on the truck in case you get into a jam. The elec kit can die at any time with no warning.

[Manny]

Rich is right keep spare points in the glove box but run the electronic kit. Your need for reliability i would keep coil cap wires such on board. As for carb the old autolite 2100 is always been a great carb. Yeah not as high angle as the holley truck avenger. I have run both off road. However the old 2100 is just great plain and simple. Just keep you a spare rebuild kit with ya.

[briansbronco]

Here in Montana it's almost an essential thing to be able to take care of yourself. I am up in the mountains a good bit, heck I live in the mountains. It's 18 miles to the closest fuel stop and 53 miles to anything resembling a parts store. We keep spares of everything on hand. I really want this truck to be my daily driver sort of Do-all vehicle. I looked long and hard to find one this nice. Reliability and redundancy are the name of the game. One reason I wanted to convert it to a Dually, two more spares.

[Manny]

Stick to the 2100. Can have the lid off on the engine and set float level. Can rebuild it on the engine except for the power valve without even pulling it off. Just reliable and simple. Can't go wrong with a 2300 holley, but i think a 2100 edges it out.

[briansbronco]

Stick to the 2100. Can have the lid off on the engine and set float level. Can rebuild it on the engine except for the power valve without even pulling it off. Just reliable and simple. Can't go wrong with a 2300 holley, but i think a 2100 edges it out.

Dan are there any aftermarket parts that might make the 2100 a little better on angles? My driveway is about a 12 percent grade for 2 miles....and that's just my driveway. With a foot of snow on it it's sporty to get up to the house to get my dozer and plow it out...

[Manny]

Dan are there any aftermarket parts that might make the 2100 a little better on angles? My driveway is about a 12 percent grade for 2 miles....and that's just my driveway. With a foot of snow on it it's sporty to get up to the house to get my dozer and plow it out...

Not really but you can tweak it. Raising the vents as high as you can in the air cleaner housing prevenst spillover. Making certain your float spring is as stiff as can be to control bouncing. Finally set the float accurately and a slow as possible to prevent fuel slosh. But set it to low and you get fuel starvation. So its to your tuning. Biggest thing to make a 2100 good is make sure its an old one not a 2150, and then make sure the throttle shafts are tight.

[briansbronco]

I'm researching that stuff now to get it tuned. It came up the mountain pretty well the other day but seems a little sputtery going down. I usually put them in low and let them crawl up. Neutral going down....LOL my driveway has enough slope that I don't need the truck in gear to go all the way down the two miles.

[Manny]

I'm researching that stuff now to get it tuned. It came up the mountain pretty well the other day but seems a little sputtery going down. I usually put them in low and let them crawl up. Neutral going down....LOL my driveway has enough slope that I don't need the truck in gear to go all the way down the two miles.

Downhill is like a carbs worst scenario. My truck avenger on the 84' bronco even struggles down hill. Coming out of trail 4 tellico it was down hill steep 3/4-1 mile. In that distance 7-8 times had to pop it in neutral and then clear it out. So even a carb built for off road has trouble with downhill.

[briansbronco]

I used to live at Tellico. I know that trail well. What we have here isn't so steep in such a hurry but down hill. I just want to be squared away so that if I want to tow up a tree I can.

[Manny]

That’s the only time my truck avenger acted strange. Otherwise it’s been a fantastic carb. Probably going to get another for the highboy. A 2100 though in a eb kept up on the same trail just had similar issues. One thing that can also help is get a strong hot spark. Like hei module hidden in the duraspark full 12volts not 9.6 then a good hot coil. Helps with loading up even when the carb is funky. Gonna build some more sneaky boxes soon may just build you one if you want it.