Hagerty Comments Re Favorite Carbs

[Gary Lewis]

Thought y’all might enjoy reading this. Was pleasantly surprised that so many agree with me about how good the QJet is.

https://www.hagerty.com/media/hagerty-community/according-to-you-the-most-loved-hated-carburetor-induction-system/?utm_content=sf180735541&utm_medium=spredfast&fbclid=IwAR1DYZP0O6KGJ-YNy6QR5jUmghtOboAwBYBoMX1815wkC2-9Kri1riVgbmY_aem_AUbWKacrdmsV28tceiUlzHT0jLYwTj-hD3jKPZT1bwUMz0wAbxGQ-x2kUaZa1hPIu3BTriYBWsFV8FU_U1AaS3el

[85pig]

I always liked the Q-Jet.  Love the old Autolite 4100s too - great carbs.  Like the Edelbrock/Carters too, but wouldn't use a Holley for a door stop.  Hate them with a passion.  

[grumpin]

I like the QJet, and had more trouble with a Carter than a Holley.

Luck of the draw sometimes.

I changed an old Bosch fuel injection system to Solex carbs on a VW Squareback and that worked out well.

Probably would have liked the Bosch FI if I had time, patience, manuals and test equipment.

[Gary Lewis]

That's not really fair, Holleys make great doorstops 'cause they are so heavy.  

[85lebaront2]

Based on that a WCFB or a Rochester 4GC would be great as would a Motorcraft 4300. All have zinc alloy bodies and are heavy.

[Gary Lewis]

True.  Thank goodness for the Aluminum Four Barrel.

[85lebaront2]

Maybe you would prefer a Stromberg 4A?

[Gary Lewis]

I think that was on the family's 57 Buick Century, and Dad didn't have to touch it as that car RAN.  It would cruise at 80 all day long with plenty left in reserve.  So I never worked on one of those.

My '58 Impala w/a 348 had the Will Carter Four Barrel, and that rarely required attention, although I gave it plenty.  (Learned the hard way that too high of "float drop" limited the gas inlet flow and the thing ran out of steam way too early.)

Sold the '58 and bought the '69 Bee, which had a 3310 Holley on the 383.  Remember the slogan "My first Sony"?  Well, that was my first Holley and I've disliked them ever since.  That thing was a piece of junk from the factory.  But we've had that conversation before, wherein you explained that Chrysler required Holley to supply them w/a very lean AFR, which caused them to backfire and blow out the power valves.  Man, what a horrible introduction to a new product!

[85lebaront2]

It wasn't a 3310, that was OEM on the 375 hp (or 375/425 as it was also known) 1965 396 Chevys. That Holley ranked right up there with Chrysler's "lean burn" systems for being a POS. The strange design of the primary metering system coupled with the severely retarded static timing (2.5° BTDC on engines that the year before were timed at 12.5° BTDC) just didn't work with the cam profiles.

You could walk out of a shopping mall and hear the song of the Highland Park hummingbird, ying, ying, ying, ying, ying followed by boom, roar as a 383, 400, 413, 426 wedge or 440 cranked up.

Funny thing, the Holley 2 barrels Chrysler started using were far better than the Carter BBD 1 1/2" or Stromberg WWC, both of which were prone to warped air horns.

[Gary Lewis]

Ok, my mistake.  But it was J.U.N.K.  And yes, it started with "ying, ying, ying, ying, ying followed by boom, roar".  But the boom took out the power valve and from there the thing ran RICH!  Loved that Holley.  

[85lebaront2]

Actually the 1957 Buick could have either a Rochester 4GC or a Carter AFB. The AFB along with the Holley 4150 series were both new for 1957.

[Gary Lewis]

I actually don't know what was on the Buick as we didn't have to work on it.  However, I remember it as a strange looking carb, so am fairly sure it wasn't an AFB.  But it might have been a 4GC as I wasn't around them much, and they have the 4 tubes sticking up - right?

[351FUN]

I pulled the Holley that came with the Blueprint engine in the F250 and replaced it with an AVS2, it felt like I lost a little top end but I can turn the key and go.  With the Holley I had to wait until coolant/oil temps read at least 150 before I could try to move or it would stall out.  AVS2 is what's going on the Blazer as well.

I love the qjet design, small primaries and large secondaries is the way to go honestly.

[85lebaront2]

I seem to recall some WCFBs having 4 tubes sticking up. So it could have been an early 1957 model, or maybe it was a Rochester 4GC.

Strange thing about the Stromberg, it was (a) only on Buicks and (b) used on the 1952 straight 8s, 1953 straight 8 and new "nailhead" V8, 1954 nailheads. 1955 they went to Carter or Rochester carbs.

Funny story, when I first meant the man I ended up in a partnership with, one of my co-workers at the NNS lab had a 1953 Roadhog, er Roadmaster, 322 nailhead and Dynaflow. He came up to Preston at the original location in a small strip of shops and came in and asked James Pennington (Fred's brother) about a Stromberg 4 barrel. James started "you can't have one of those, they were only used for 3 years on...." as he walked out the door and looked to his left, then finished up with "... yes, you've got a Stromberg 4 barrel when he saw the Roadmaster.

[85lebaront2]

As far as turn the key and go, before I converted Darth to EFI, if I didn't drive him regularly. I would "cheat" and prime the carb with the priming wire for the electric pumps. If I didn't it would take a bit of time to get the carb filled. Once started, I could drive off with no problems.

EFI, hit the key and go, no choke setting, priming shot or anything.

[LARIAT 85]

85lebaront2 wrote

EFI, hit the key and go, no choke setting, priming shot or anything.

That is true enough.

But while EFI doesn't require a choke setting or primer shot to start, it *does* require a crank position sensor, throttle position sensor, coolant temperature sensor, and an engine computer to do the same thing.


I can't believe the Autolite 4100 didn't make that list.  

[85lebaront2]

I am too, it is an excellent design and I used to see them in my shop with the outside so dirty you could barely tell what it was. Do a tune up and check the idle mixture and which ever way you moved the screws it would slow the engine down.

[351FUN]

I've got the stock mechanical pump and an electric booster, I think I'm going to remove the mechanical from the system entirely soon.  The electric is on a switch so I can just turn it and power on and prime everything, but it stops at the mech pump currently.