Carburetor poll

[73chgrSE]

Just wanted to know what people prefer. Feel free to comment with your own reasons.

I have had a Carter AFB 625 on it since 1990 because it's what a mechanic recommended to me when I was a kid. I was having and issue with the old Thermoquad that came on it. Everyone I've ever talked to told me they were crap anyway.

[cdr]

None anymore. EFI

[Nacho-RT74]

A well tuned Thermoquad is some of the best you can get

[A383Wing]

A well tuned Thermoquad is some of the best you can get

you must have the only one then...I have never seen a TQ out here run right...most if not all end up in the garbage....even a Quadrajet is better than a Thermoquad, in my opinion

I have the original AFB on the cream 66, a pair of dual quad AFB's on the black 66, and an aftermarket Edelbrock on the Daytona...all run fine without any tweaking at all

Bryan

[b5blue]

Proform 750 Vac. secondary (Holley copy) on my 440. 

[XH29N0G]

Correct me if I am wrong, but my thinking is as long as you can dial it in for your application it will work well.  Not dialed in will not work.  The reason EFI is nice is because it dials itself in.

Mine came with a Holley and I am using a Holley-like carburetor (quick fuel mechanical secondaries annular boosters) and really like it.

[c00nhunterjoe]

I use many different brands and style carbs.

The amount misconception that efi is "self tuning" is amazing. Self learning to a degree, but not self tuning. Out of the box it is just like a carb- the program from the factory is set for a rough window of packages. The benefit is that the basic efi setup will adapt to a degree, but even fi tech requires additional program adjustments.

[BSB67]

I've used a lot of different carbs over the years.  Probably still have 10 or 15.  They all work fine, they all have a place.  Application and goal will be a factor in the choice as well.

[c00nhunterjoe]

Traditionally i have been a "holley guy" but the oe carters on the 426 have really swayed me back to the nuetral ground. I like them all. They are nothing more then a controlled fuel leak. If you understand that, and dont overthink it, they are not hard.

[XH29N0G]

   OK I'm one with the misconceptions 

[c00nhunterjoe]

Dont get me wrong, it will "adapt", but only within the preset table. You still have to rune/program it like a carb

[4cruzin]

I am using a proform on both my cars . . . 

[krops cars]

Holley is temperamental. Good for racing where you are adjusting all the time or working on it. Edelbrock better street performer. More reliable.

[Sublime/Sixpack]

(6)Holleys, (3)Carter Thermoquads, (2)Quadrajets, (2)Carter AVS's, in use here, and I like them all. If I had to choose one it would be a Carter Thermoquad.

[Mike DC]

  
The Holley "Street Demon" is basically an aftermarket version of a Thermoquad.  Lots of people like them for plug-n-play street usage.



There is some confusion with it because of the name.  

It's not related to the other 'Demon' carbs:

[BSB67]

I have not used, or even touched a Street Demon.  Gets positive reviews.  But its not a spread bore carb, so I struggle with it a bit.

[c00nhunterjoe]

Holley is temperamental. Good for racing where you are adjusting all the time or working on it. Edelbrock better street performer. More reliable.

Never had a tempermental holley, nor do i constantly adjust or work on my car at the track.... if you are wrenching, you aint racing.

[Voss]

I have a rebuilt Carter AVS 4429S on my 68 R/T. Runs perfect for my use (no racing or extreme driving).

When I got the car it had an Edelbrock 1406, had some minor issues with hard starts when warm but never spent any work on it.

[myk]

Aren't Carters/Edelbrocks the same 'carb?  Anyway, I run an Edelbrock because they always have the biggest, prettiest ads in the Summit catalog...

[73chgrSE]

Aren't Carters/Edelbrocks the same 'carb?  Anyway, I run an Edelbrock because they always have the biggest, prettiest ads in the Summit catalog...

I think the design is the same.

[krops cars]

A friend of mine purchased 2 Holley's new. Both would not run well at all. Finally a friend took his Edlebrock off put it on that car. Ran so great. Ordered a new one made adjustments runs awesome to this day.

[c00nhunterjoe]

A friend of mine purchased 2 Holley's new. Both would not run well at all. Finally a friend took his Edlebrock off put it on that car. Ran so great. Ordered a new one made adjustments runs awesome to this day.

Was that the fault of the carb or the tuner i wonder?

[krops cars]

Pretty sure the carb douche.

[c00nhunterjoe]

Pretty sure the carb douche.

Overly defensive name calling points to the tuner, or lack there of. 2 brand new out the box carbs that are "junk"? Humor me- what was specifically wrong with both of them?

[krops cars]

Hesitation and something else. On both. I'm going back 6 years ago. I know I triple checked timing set float level. I have put one on a Cadillac. That one worked great and still runs great to this day. My 6 pack. right after you get it running. Set float bowls. Edlebrock. Pretty much put on. Check mixture screws and all other adjustments. Run it. I did have a problem with one Edlebrock. Called them had it handled in no time at all.

[c00nhunterjoe]

"Triple checked timing and float level, still hesitated".... and there lays the problem. You never actually tuned. It. Most 650/750 holleys come std with pink cams, 28 or 31 squirters, and 78/80 jets. Ok for a 350 small block- not a big block mopar.  Your eddy carb that you set the mixture screws and probably the 3 point accel pump setting.... did you ever open it up and jet it? Change metering rods and springs? Probably left alot of power on the table there too....

[Paul G]

I hate carburetors. That said, I have a bunch. Two on my cars, and a bunch more in the cabinet. Brand, style, preference, doesnt matter. They all need tuning or you will only get average performance. Eddys perform well OOTB... sometimes. Holley style will make more power.... sometimes. 

Running a 670SA on the 360/46RH, and a PF 750 mechanical secondary on the 383/A833. After much fiddling like jetting, power valve tuning, idle feed restrictor tuning, they run very well. But, require some adjusting as the seasons change. 110° in the summer and wont idle with the same quality as 70° in the winter, unless you tweek it.

The key to tuning was installing an air fuel ratio gauge. You can get the carb to maintain a good fuel ratio across the rpm and engine load spectrum with a carb, but it aint easy.

I have yet to dabble in aftermarket EFI on my own cars. Soon I hope.   

[69wannabe]

I have had the best luck with Holley carbs but I have had a few good eddy carbs as well. All had to be tuned or jetted up to get the stumbles out of them and get it running like I want it to run. The holley classic double pumper carbs are a favorite and seem to perform better than the others once they are set up correctly. I have a couple of buddies that are running the street demon 625 cfm carbs on their old mopars and they seem to work really well. The eddy's are decent carbs but are bad about heat soak especially in the warmer weather, but there are things these days to help with the fuel boiling issues since all carbs have the issue but the eddy's seem to be worse about it. I purchased a quick fuel 600 black diamond carb for my old truck and it works great, it's a better version than the old 600 holley and is black to help dissipate the heat from the carb. A good selling point I guess anyway 

[c00nhunterjoe]

I have had the best luck with Holley carbs but I have had a few good eddy carbs as well. All had to be tuned or jetted up to get the stumbles out of them and get it running like I want it to run.

Best answer yet. Short sweet and to the point.

[metallicareload99]

I truly believe that any carb can be made to run as good as another, regardless of brand, design or type.  But the paths to a good tune will vary.  A Holley, and even more so the fancier Holley evolutions (Proform, Quick-Fuel, etc.), will give you enough slack to put together a good tune, or hang yourself

Holley is temperamental. Good for racing where you are adjusting all the time or working on it. Edelbrock better street performer. More reliable.

Never had a tempermental holley, nor do i constantly adjust or work on my car at the track.... if you are wrenching, you aint racing.

  Used/second hand Holleys are all I've ever had to work with, and they ran well enough to start and drive below 0ºF and fire right up after driving around all day in the summer.  I'm embarrassed to say I did next to no adjustments over the years after getting an initial "tune."

Pretty sure the carb douche.

Wow, srsly man?

 
The Holley "Street Demon" is basically an aftermarket version of a Thermoquad.  Lots of people like them for plug-n-play street usage.



There is some c...

I was seriously considering buying one of those as my first new carb.  I wanted to try a spread bore but did not want to deal with a rebuilt used carb and the potential pitfalls thereof.  Ultimately I decided to just go with FiTech 

[flyinlow]

I have used thermoquads , Edelbrock 800, Holley Street Avenger 770, and Quick fuel 780HR.  The Carters are good carbs for stock engines, but do not have enough accelerator pump for large unheated intakes or larger cams.

Off the two Holley types ,I really like the Quick Fuel 780. It is currently on my sons Charger.

I went EFI a couple years ago. Does require some tuning also.

[c00nhunterjoe]

Carters came on some of the wildest factory race cars out there. While it is not my 1st choice of carb, large plenum, unheated intakes and huge race cams dont seem to phase the ones i work with. As a matter of fact, you cant get much more intake then a max wedge cross ram, and the carters dump plenty of fuel for me with zero bogs or hesitation and drive perfectly tame on the street as well. Its all about patience.

[flyinlow]

. Its all about patience.

Hmmm.... Had my first thermoquad in 1974. Played with them off and on since. Tried al three accelerator pump in the strip kit. Even drilled them out and  modified the pump. Still on top of a SD intake sudden WOT can cause a gasp or stall. In the winter I had to disconnect the cold air intakes to drive it. I tried to figure out how the make the  Holley supper soaker accelerator pump system fit. Then after 45 years I  tried EFI. I know this is taking the easy Chevy way out and I am supposed to be a bang your head against the wall until I die Mopar guy.

Patience... still working on it.

[KurtfromLaQuinta]

Aren't Carters/Edelbrocks the same 'carb?  Anyway, I run an Edelbrock because they always have the biggest, prettiest ads in the Summit catalog...

[KurtfromLaQuinta]

I hate carburetors. That said, I have a bunch. Two on my cars, and a bunch more in the cabinet. Brand, style, preference, doesnt matter. They all need tuning or you will only get average performance. Eddys perform well OOTB... sometimes. Holley style will make more power.... sometimes. 

Running a 670SA on the 360/46RH, and a PF 750 mechanical secondary on the 383/A833. After much fiddling like jetting, power valve tuning, idle feed restrictor tuning, they run very well. But, require some adjusting as the seasons change. 110° in the summer and wont idle with the same quality as 70° in the winter, unless you tweek it.

The key to tuning was installing an air fuel ratio gauge. You can get the carb to maintain a good fuel ratio across the rpm and engine load spectrum with a carb, but it aint easy.

I have yet to dabble in aftermarket EFI on my own cars. Soon I hope.   

Indeed.
I put a Six Pack on my truck back in '92 after an experiment gone awry with an ACCEL DFI unit.
They were a used set... of course.  I totally rebuilt them and checked them out thoroughly.
I think I've seen it all when it comes to Six Packs. I wouldn't be surprised if I've put the most miles than anyone else on a Six Pack in these last 26 years. And thanks to a great article in Mopar Muscle a year or so ago...  I learned how to tune those Holleys to their best.
That article was in the April 2018 Mopar Muscle Magazine called "Climbing the Hemi Mountain" by Tom Gipe. https://www.zinio.com/articlepaywall This was by far the best article I've read on tuning a Holley carb. Granted this was for a Dual Quad Hemi set up... but it easily translated to a Six Pack.
Using that article, I was able to fix issues that started with the stupid blended fuel (Ethanol/ Gasoline) here in California that I was fighting for years. It's amazing with a little work how much my everyday drivability improved.
I'm running a Quick Fuel Metering Block on my center carb. It's fairly easy to change the Idle Fuel Restrictors with that. Very adjustable.
In that article I mentioned about in Mopar Muscle... the author described in detail how to drill and tap out the non adjustable jet openings. Those along with the Idle Air Restrictors are the two jet changes that really make a big difference in everyday driveablity.
I'm very happy with my Six Pack.

[c00nhunterjoe]

. Its all about patience.

Hmmm.... Had my first thermoquad in 1974. Played with them off and on since. Tried al three accelerator pump in the strip kit. Even drilled them out and  modified the pump. Still on top of a SD intake sudden WOT can cause a gasp or stall. In the winter I had to disconnect the cold air intakes to drive it. I tried to figure out how the make the  Holley supper soaker accelerator pump system fit. Then after 45 years I  tried EFI. I know this is taking the easy Chevy way out and I am supposed to be a bang your head against the wall until I die Mopar guy.

Patience... still working on it.

"I changed everything and it still did the same thing" think about that for a minute. But if the efi works for you, great.

[Al]

I have been running a Holley Street Avenger carb in my 68 Charger with a 383. Once I'd dialled it in to suit my needs, it has been running perfectly for the last 10 years.