POLL: Holley? Q-jet? or Edelbrock? Let's finish this once and for all!!!!

[Stubbs67]

I had a older Holley on my 68. rip. that carb hated me, I was 17 knew nothing about tuning carbs and as soon as the air filter would get dirty, it would backfire, causing the POWER VALVE to pop. Sold it and bought an edelbrock. quadrajunks piss me off too. I am fed up with carbs, this go around I am fuel injecting mine with a megasquirt.

[ebry710]

There nothing better then Chevy orange and Edelbrock chrome under the hood. Drag racers and stock car mechanics spend their lives tweeking there units to get the highest possible edge out of there cars. I doubt if my truck configuration would interest them much.
What I want is my 71' C-20 to work well, look good and give me free time so I can do my other passions (ie fish, camp, boat). Edelbrock is gives me simplicity, style and the technical support (along with 67-72chevytruck). It's a good system.

[Ironangel]

It is a matter of preference for the most part...."However" at 52yrs old Ive gained enough knowledge and more importantly "experience" in understanding how critical "tune-ability" and "tinker-ability" are to air/fuel mixtures "flow" and "the burn" The complexities of the Q-Jet allow for all of the above and thats to say nothing of the "mods" that can be made to the Q-Jet to make it run right with late model high performance Holley's or Carters and for only a fraction of the cost. The Q-Jet is the only carburetor that has withstood the test of time and came through the emissions death period in the 70s smelling like the "rose" that it is because GM never stopped using them. For me, these old trucks and hot rods deserve era correct engineering tuned to their utmost. Nothing gets me off more than smoking a $30,000 late model "Hardley" with my 32yr old normally aspirated(hand tuned) KZ1000. The same holds true with my 72 C-10 w/modified(Carter built) Q-jet atop a stock 72 350. Im not at all surprised that Q-jet leads the way...they always have in the past. The Q-Jet is "The Carburetors Carburetor" and after 40+ yrs, they still lead! Hey, it just occurred to me...four little Mikuni Maidens in a row is a "QuadraJet! http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pi...00000441197237 PS> Guess what carb Ford engineers used on their 69-70 Mach-1 428 Cobra Jets...Thats right, "QuadraJet!"

[prostreetC-10]

....and they're such a good looking carb too. Great way to top off all that hard work making that motor look good!.

[Hubscrub]

wish i had that carb above

[rustyrodknocker]

"Please don't come back with the 500 HP Q-jet motor. I said BIG power".
request denied. 500 hp is still big power. dont think so, take a true 500 horse car on a public street and stab it when the light goes green. you will quickly relize how narrow a traffic lane is, how convex the surface of the road really is and how close the stoplights are together and how good your brakes are. this is why the percentage of sub 12 second street legal cars that show up to the track on trailers increases dramaticly with evey tenth dropped. they are a pain on the street and break parts readily. there is a huge increase in high horse cars today verses just ten or fifteen years ago. but you would not know it by looking at anystreet usa. unless its saturday nite cruise in.

[1LOW4X4]

Originally Posted by rustyrodknocker

"Please don't come back with the 500 HP Q-jet motor. I said BIG power".
request denied. 500 hp is still big power. dont think so, take a true 500 horse car on a public street and stab it when the light goes green. you will quickly relize how narrow a traffic lane is, how convex the surface of the road really is and how close the stoplights are together and how good your brakes are. this is why the percentage of sub 12 second street legal cars that show up to the track on trailers increases dramaticly with evey tenth dropped. they are a pain on the street and break parts readily. there is a huge increase in high horse cars today verses just ten or fifteen years ago. but you would not know it by looking at anystreet usa. unless its saturday nite cruise in.

I'm a newer model LSX guy but my carb on my hot 350 in my 86 is a Q-jet that my uncle rebuilt and redid the jets and other things I cant even quote. Says its around 800cfm....All I know is it runs good and it propels this truck to fast speeds and I dont have to adjust it!

[C20-67_N_MO]

Originally Posted by 1LOW4X4

There is nothing like a good setup Q-jet.

Agreed!

Originally Posted by SOON2BLAZE

just got 15 mpg out of my 454 with a q jet.

Hoping to get that out of my setup.

Originally Posted by prostreetC-10

....and they're such a good looking carb too. Great way to top off all that hard work making that motor look good!.

I've got more time with the old reliable Q-jet than any other carb. That being said I can truthly say I've had my fair share of terrible running Edelbrock carbs vs. the Holleys.

So for me the vote is simple...... Q-Jet for my application.

Performance is another issue that this thread is not addressing at this time.

['72customdeluxe]

Originally Posted by prostreetC-10

....and they're such a good looking carb too. Great way to top off all that hard work making that motor look good!.

That was a problem with a "velocity stack" air cleaner, but my current one covers it. I think people would benefit greatly from a carb building book, regardless of the make of their carb. I've only dealt with a 1406 afb and my 1978 q-jet, and Cliff Ruggles' book has helped greatly
thought the last post was 2/18, not 1/18

[cooter472]

Q-Jet by Fred Catlin, runs like a scalded ape!

[prostreetC-10]

This on the other hand looks just terrible!!! It screams "meek" and "good gas mileage". lol

[prostreetC-10]

I'm really having fun with this thread and the "swb vs lwb" one. I sure hope everyone is not taking this seriously or personal. I'm really laughing at some of the post. It is DUMPING snow in Bend, OR and not much else to do but laugh with you crazies!!!!!

[llowlife]

Raced Q jets and holleys got to know both pretty well. QJ is the most tunable if you have the patience. There are some very good books out there for it too. Fuel mileage is about as good as you are going to get for the street.

Holley...parts galore!!!! Amazingly simple carb.

Edelbrock not too much experience but from what I saw it looked like a Carter copy.

I voted QJ

[prostreetC-10]

Originally Posted by llowlife

Raced Q jets and holleys got to know both pretty well. QJ is the most tunable if you have the patience.

I'm guessing you are talking stock for stock? Do you see that block below. Do you have any idea JUST how tunable that is? Combined with a custom PVCR you can build a fuel curve that will challenge fuel injection!!!!

[C20-67_N_MO]

Originally Posted by prostreetC-10

I'm guessing you are talking stock for stock? Do you see that block below. Do you have any idea JUST how tunable that is? Combined with a custom PVCR you can build a fuel curve that will challenge fuel injection!!!!

Hey!

Me and you are gonna have a Loooonnnnnggggg talk come 2011. Will be getting my 3310 back and will do me some testing on a very heavy Suburban. And will share the results here some place.

Until then I too am enjoying what everyone has experience with and what their favs are.

Carry on!

[prostreetC-10]

Originally Posted by C20-67_N_MO

will do me some testing on a very heavy Suburban. And will share the results here some place.

A heavy betty on 33's huh? What is yer gearing? That things gotta come in close to 6,000 lbs?

[C20-67_N_MO]

Originally Posted by prostreetC-10

A heavy betty on 33's huh? What is yer gearing? That things gotta come in close to 6,000 lbs?

The beast is running what I beleive is stock 3.07 as it had a tag on the front housing. But will count teeth to make sure once I get her in a garage.

So what are you saying?

Can't the Holley handle something like this?

Not up to the task is it?

[Fitz]

Originally Posted by prostreetC-10

Do you have any idea JUST how tunable that is? Combined with a custom PVCR you can build a fuel curve that will challenge fuel injection!!!!

Yes, but do you have any idea how many people that read this board have no clue how to adjust the idle mixture?

I vote Holley but that's an argument like Ford vs Chevy....a neverending story

Now I better go get into a FIRESUIT....

[ebry710]

Although there are Q-jet fans, 59% of the people here have decided not to use a Q-jet on their engines.

Of those people half use Holley and half use Edelbrock.

Who would have thought?

[prostreetC-10]

Originally Posted by ebry710

Although there are Q-jet fans, 59% of the people here have decided not to use a Q-jet on their engines.

Of those people half use Holley and half use Edelbrock.

Who would have thought?

Well that's an interesting perspective. I'm hoping though that people are voting for their favorite rather than what they are running.

Fritz: I do understand what you mean but that was a response to someone claiming just how tuneable a Q-jet was. I just needed to address the fact that Holley has a lot more than just 2 or 4 A/F idle needles. Those same people couldn't adjust a Q-jet either.

[406 Q-ship]

Q-jet all the way and that is on my modified engines as well. Edelbrock as a second choice of a daily driver. Holley on a super high HP racer that you tune all the time anyway.

Q-jets are probably the most misunderstood carb on the plant (especially to those that call them quardabog or quardajunk). I have a Q-jet on the 406 SBC in my Monte Carlo that runs a good sized street cam, it starts on one pump and runs like it is fuel injected no matter what the weather. Look at all the super stocks in NHRA that run q-jets and do it well, yes it is a rule deal but no one trys to play with one other factory carbs in super stock.

The only way I will remove a q-jet by choice is to convert to Fuel Injection.

[prostreetC-10]

Originally Posted by 406 Q-ship

Holley on a super high HP racer.

yup!

[Pont406]

prostreet,
I run a custom built HP series carb on a car. It's got some of these adjustments built in it plus the airbypass built into aircleaner stud hole. I couldn't tell any difference untill we got it on a dynojet with air/fuel meter hooked up. But I still like Qjets. One day I'll try a Qjet on it.

[rustyrodknocker]

I thought I recognized that holley model that nobody seems to care for. because it was silver. just looked under the hood. yep thats it! its funny I love q jets but had to give holley some credit because of whatever model number that is on my truck. becuase it was in the pile that came with the truck, although it was new. so dependable, I was not sure what it even looked like. on the second motor now and headed for the third. does'nt look so silver anymore though.

[rustyrodknocker]

for anyone that still thinks the q jet is complicated or just wants to learn more about them buy or steal a copy of Rochester Quadrajet Carburetors . It's a SA design book sa113 writen by Cliff Ruggles isbn-13:978-1932494-18-1. This guy is a qjet guru and one of the best if not the best technical writers I have ever read.