Your mechanic has a limited knowledge and ability with carburetors.
The 302 used in the '71-73 Mustangs have a two-barrel intake manifold, and will only work with 2-barrel carburetors. The stock carburetor for this engine is the Autolite 2100, which I presume you have on it now:
https://www.google.com/search?q=autolite...20&bih=928
Edelbrocks are generally 4-barrel carburetors, and Holley is best known for their 4150 and 4160 4-barrel performance carbs. Though you can swap either on your car, both flow about twice the air as the 2-barrel. There is no real point in it on a factory stock 302, if you wish to keep it as such.
That said, if this fellow actually knew about carburetors, he'd know about the Holley 2300, which is a drop-in 2-barrel replacement for the Autolite 2100, and available new. Your fuel line will need to be mildly re-routed, and that's the extent of it:
https://www.google.com/search?q=Holley+2...20&bih=928
Thing is, Holley carburetors usually need to be calibrated and adjusted before being installed on a car. Given that this mechanic's first inclination was to change the intake to put a 4-barrel on, I would NOT trust him at all to open a new Holley, adjust the floats, change the main jets (if necessary) and get it working correctly.
He might just dump it as-is on your car, and you'll still have weird problems.
He may be a good mechanic for other tasks, but not for this one. Carbs are finicky instruments which only work right when someone with the proper knowledge services them.
This is why I've suggested Omar's rebuilds. When he rebuilds your carb, he'll work off the factory spec sheet for calibrating an Autolite 2100 to the 302 on your Mustang. All your mechanic will have to do is remove the linkages and bolts, pull your original carb (and give it to you - don't let him have it), put a new base gasket on the intake, and install the rebuild from Omar.
The rebuild with shipping from Omar will probably cost $50-60 less than a Holley 2300, take 15 minutes for your mechanic to swap in, and you won't have to worry about him bending fuel lines or monkeying things around where he shouldn't.
Please take this advice. Even if you don't use Omar, do NOT let anyone change your intake and carb for a 4-barrel with the excuse that "2-barrel carbs are junk."
Trust me - it can be made to run right in its factory state.
Let me know if I can post this to the forum thread. I'm sure you'll find everyone else to be in agreement.
-Kurt
Hi Kurt,Yes, I am for sure you are RIGHT and yes it is the 2100 Autolite I just read on my receipt from Nov that all he put in was a 2-452 Float..and I'm angry now; but I'll keep a cool head and find someone who is more knowledgeable about carbs-he is a good Mechanic thou. Yes, by all means please share this on the forum thread, Thank you for stepping up and helping.
~Syl~
Dear Syl,
That float would only be important if the float had a hole in it or was absorbing fuel - both of which would cause the carb to overflow fuel through every orifice possible. I take it you haven't had a scare like that - so that isn't the issue.
That said, the 2100 carb floats do not suffer this issue, and virtually never have to be replaced. This repairman does NOT know what he's doing.
Find yourself a competent carb mechanic first, then get the rebuilt carb from Omar, which should run you under $300 with shipping. The installation is easy (easy enough that I can explain how you can do it yourself in your driveway) but you may need someone to set the idle screw adjustment for you.
Idle screw adjustment isn't hard, but I happen to disagree with most methods of setting them, and rely on experience, the particular engine that the carb is on, vacuum readings, and ear. No other way to do it as accurately, but it's hard to find someone who knows how to do it that way.
Best of luck!
-Kurt
![603952_10202120388151250_2008146245_n[1].jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/7173mustangs/data/attachments/18/18371-79518ac7b538781c10b89f233e82ffc3.jpg "603952_10202120388151250_2008146245_n[1].jpg")
