Does anybody have any preferences? Right now I have a 650cfm Edelbrock, but it is leaking gas on the passenger side out of the secondary shaft, this is the second one that it is happening with. Has anybody else had this happen? I'm going to try to exchange it for a Holley today. I just looked online and it appears that they only have 750cfm. I don't need the 750cfm so if I can't get a 650cfm Holley, I'll try Edelbrock yet again.
Bob, I have had very good luck with Edelbrock carbs. They seem very easy to tune and easy maintaining. My new bird is the first car I have owned that has a holley that hasn't drove me nuts with gas leaks or bowl float problems. If it were me I'd get another edelbrock carb but I would get a majority vote on this. Joe
I know it's not one of the choices but...my vote would be for a Quadrajet first. Then maybe an Edel. Then somewhere on down the line, like below having a Flinstone car would be a hoopdy(holley).
My mechanic suggested a 650cfm Holley with mechanical secondaries. He told me if I do get it to bring the car to his shop and he will go over the carb with me, walk me through the installation, help me move the fuel lines and make sure I do everything correctly. He will also teach me how to tune it and not charge me for his time. Doesn't sound too shabby a deal.
Bob, that's a great offer! Nice of him to do that.
If you're talking about your 68 400 ragtop in your signature, a 750 cfm carb is NOT too big for a 400.
Do you want to stay with spreadbore configuration? Not sure which 650 your mechanic recommended, but if it's a square bore Holley design, you'll need an adapter if you have a stock intake.
Holleys are plentiful, and parts are easy to find. Both the Q-Jet and Holley will run flawlessly when setup properly. There are advantages to both, disadvantages to both. Holleys are much easier to rebuild, but because of that, they aren't as sophisticated as a Q-Jet. That being said, a Holley will get poorer gas mileage than a Q-jet.
Q-Jets used to be dirt cheap and plentiful, but since they haven't made a Q-jet in 20+ years, they aren't that cheap anymore, and parts aren't that easy to find. We've lost ALL of our pick-a-parts (junkyards) around my area, so Q-jet parts are few and far between (swap meets, E-Bay, etc.) Holley parts are actually quite plentiful. Pep Boys, Advance Auto, and Auto Zone carry the basics, like float bowl and baseplate gaskets.
If you do buy a Holley, I would opt for a vacuum secondary version, not a double pumper. If you have a fairly soft gear (3.55 or less), and you're car is heavy (yours is a ragtop), you may experience a bog with a double pumper when you stomp on the gas. That bog can be tuned out, but it takes some work. Vacuum secondaries won't bog.
I'm a Q-Jet fan myself, but as of late, I've been using Holleys. I like them both.
Go to Holley's website and use their carburetor selector. One thing you will note is the criteria for selecting mechanical or vacuum secondaries. Frankly, unless you spend a lot of time on at the dragstrip, the VS carb is a better choice.
They do list a 650 VS carb: PART #: 0-80783C. I'm not why it doesn't show up but the Avenger 670cfm would work as well. The 750 Vacuum secondary is really not as big as you think (also shows up as an option) and would still work well with your 400.
As Bjorn says, the best carb is the one you (or a friend) knows how to properly tune. That being said, ask your mechanic if he'd be willing to help out with a Holley with VS rather than a DP.
Although the one you linked to looks fine(except it's a chev app)I wouldn't go as far as to buy a rebuilt carb from an unfamiliar builder. Too many unscrupulous people ready to take advantage. I've got over that much in mine and I did the rebuild myself.
I'm sure Holley carbs are fine for the most part. I've just never really been a fan. If you have someone you trust willing and able to set it up and keep it working properly, I say go for it.
I wouldn't go as far as to buy a rebuilt carb from an unfamiliar builder.
I was recommended to them by the guy I bought the engine and transmission from. According to him, they have a lifetime warranty and will fix it no matter what. Advance Auto won't give me a full refund, so I might be stuck buying a new Holley from them.
Q-jet all the way! I wouldn't go with anything but IMO. I had an Edlebrock Performer on my Bird, bought a Q-jet from Terry and I have been using it since (now on the LeMans, which also had an Edlebrock on it when we bought it).
Every q-jet I have purchased in the past rebuilt has had throttle plate fuel leaking problems. Bought 4 rebuilts from different places with the same result. So that's when I tried holley and they had a laundry list of problems. That was 10 years ago and I have heard they corrected most of the common complaints. So I guess if it were me i'd go with your mechanics suggestion. Joe
Every q-jet I have purchased in the past rebuilt has had throttle plate fuel leaking problems.
Yup, most rebuilders don't bother or know enough to rebush the throttle shafts...a weak point in the Q-jet. Rebushed(i'm gonna catch chit for that )mine over 10 years ago and still no problems. Build'm right and they work great.
)mine over 10 years ago and still no problems. Build'm right and they work great.
