EZ to convert to a dual inlet: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Carter-AFB-...Parts_Accessories&hash=item53eecd979b&vxp=mtr The Summit Carbs are also dual inlet,the crud in the bottom of the bowl from sitting is the ethanol evaporating from sitting looks like grey chalk,if you know it's going to sit run it with some Marvel Mystery Oil in the gas tank first or Stabil.
For someone not trying to start a war, you certainly did a fine job! The questions I would pose (others have touched on the subject) are: (1) What type manifold do you currently have on the engine (spreadbore or squarebore)? (2) Is your current Rochester a spreadbore quadrajet; or one of the earlier squarebore 4GC (occasionally called quadrajet)? (3) And finally, how much has been done to the engine? In the absence of answers to these, any answer here would have to be general. Basically you are going to get answers here based on experience or "parroting". If your engine is basically stock; then probably the very best carburetor at the lowest cost would be the original.....rebuild it if you have one. If you want to go aftermarket - then the best one for YOU is the brand YOU or YOUR MECHANIC feels the most comfortable in tuning. You have a better chance of winning an argument with the IRS than getting a "perfect tuned carb for your engine" out of the box. Yes, out of the box will work, but virtually never work perfectly without tuning. Jon.
The big problem with a QJ is they scream "GM mid 70's". That, and they are 100% unattractive. I guess they are like dating a fat girl or riding a moped - lots of fun as long as your friends don't see you!
80s too haha 3 decades , must be a crappy design huh ? More racing record holders than any other carb too.
Had a few holleys with bad pumps - and if you use a decent fuel filter, having the jets down where the most fuel is is not a bad thing. How much fuel does the average V8 need anyway? most holleys with dual inlets have the same 5/16" line up from the pump that most cars have, so no real advantage there. These cars seem to run pretty well with AFB's on them
I guess I'm in the minority here. I've had both, but I've never had good results with Edelbrocks. Edelbrocks have always been for me where either they work, or don't. And if they don't your car will not run. I've driven Holleys extremely screwed up that have run acceptably enough to get me home. All the new Holleys come with blowout protection for the power valves and the gaskets are reusable and compatible with modern ethanol containing gasoline. My '57 has an old 4160 on it and it is the nicest running engine with that setup, and virtually never needs tuning. Every Edelbrock I've ever had has gotten terrible mileage and performed ok at best. I'll take the Holley every day
They had QJ's prior to and after the 70's, but regardless, they scream "1976 Caprice Classic Brougham with Landau Top". No amount of record holding will ever change that. As for the Super Stock Mopars...just think how fast they'd be if they had a decent Holley on them. I actually once asked one of the national record holders why they ran AFB's and he said "Cuz we're not allowed to run Holleys."
Perhaps you were traumatized by a 76 caprice classic ? I usually think " 68 Pontiac 428 HO" Sometimes I think 455 super duty when I'm looking thru a pile of cast off qjets
I like Autolites, and I install them on everything I own including 2v, 2x2, 3x2, and 4v setups. They are the easiest to tune, and are light years ahead of any carb that has ever been made.
I had a friend with a mint, bone stock Buick LeSabre, maybe 1972 or so. It had a 350 with a QJ and we used to laugh like hell - to go the fastest, he would give it about half throttle. When he gave it more throttle, you could feel the car actually go a little slower. Plus it had that spreadbore moan. I know this BB is supposed to be full of old timers but I sometimes wonder if there really were many guys here who were buying and driving cars in the 70's.....they sure ran like crap, overall. By 70's I mean 1973-1983.
drive em----- you like the 4300's ????????? as for as holley v edelbrock, i use edelbrocks and heres why, i have never had one leak externally, it has to be the easiest carb to tune ''change out rods and springs'' and as long as you set them up right run a good regulator,good fuel,a clean system and good filters you wont have any probs with them! they really are a simple set up run and forget carb. at least thats been my experience with the 23 ive used. tech center is your friend on setting them up but i have ran many right out of the box and been fine with them. whitey
So OP, if you read between the lines, the answer is you gotta properly tune your carb and fuel system, regardless of wht brand you use... Posted from the TJJ App for iPhone & iPad
I always find comments like this interesting because I have left many Edelbrocks sit after removing them from engines and not even drained the fuel, which by the way has been 10% ethanol here for more than 20 years, and then proceeded to bolt them on to another engine and the darn things will work like they are brand new. I will remember how crappy the pumps are in an Edelbrock the next time i replace a power valve in a Holley after it backfires. I like the Edelbrock because you dont have to touch the stupid thing until its so wore out its not worth fixing. All of the other carbs work well but you dont have to dink around with an Edelbrock at every oil change.
the quadrajunk that was on my truck was a rebuilt, and gotten retuned. the holley was out of a junk yard for 50 bucks, the truck it came off of has been sittin there for years. sprayed crab cleaner in it, turned over first crank. that goes to show how crappy the carb are. and there was no cobbling up the gas line.
I have a simple enough question for you. What's wrong with the Quadrajet that you are currently using?
ive got 5 edelbrock 500 cfms all still in out of the box tune on various size and makes of engines ... LOVE EM ive had new , rebuilt, used, everything from 600-750 double pumper holleys NEVER had a good one ...HATE EM
lol old thread but it reminds me of the 70s when everyone took off the Qjets ( a fine carb btw) slapped on a fuel puken double pumper and the sticker in the window on there Z28 and thought they were fast
LOL. I suspect that is possible, depending on the polyester suit the driver was wearing. I love Q-jets. Seems to me BOP always used them on their big motors but Chevy went to Holleys for their heavy hitters. Why?
I am not the guy that likes to fiddle with a carburetor,,so I tend to lean toward the Edelbrock,,they have been proven over and over to be reliable for everyday use. I have them on all 3 of my hot rods. HRP
Sure would be nice to know what duffymadness wound up doing and how it's work for him? It's been 9 months since the question was asked.
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