carburator options

jccc · March 12th, 2006, 11:36 AM

Hello, I am new to this forum, and have some questions that maybe someone can help me with. I just bought my dad's 71 cutlass 350 4bbl. It ran good but the carburator was only really using 2 of its 4 bbls because of some metal fatigue in the carburator. However, even with its 2 bbls, it ran flawlessly during the winter and summer - just not super fast. Anyway, per my mechanic's suggestion, I bought an EDELBROCK performer series 1406 carburator and when the car is warm, it ran pretty good but during the winter months, the choke didn't work properly and the car backfired and was very sluggish until the car warmed up fully. So, the mechanic added a solenoid to the carburator (to control the speed opening and closing of the carb) and then it worked pretty well in cold weather. But as it is getting warmer and the car stays warm between the times I turn it off and start it again, it starts very sluggishly (cause the choke is on) and now almost wants to die until the car warms up fully.

I would like to know if anyone has had any luck with the EDELBROCK carbs and if you had to do anything special to its set up to have it work properly on the 350 rocket engine.

Or if I should return the carburator and send my original carburator to one of the many services (like Year One) that promises to return the carburator to its initial specifications and performance for a fee.

I am just not sure if it is a car/carburator issue or a mechanic/cutlass issue.

Any information would help me out a lot.

Thanks!

texasred · March 12th, 2006, 06:32 PM

JCCC,

I also have a '71 Cutlass. Mine is a convertible with a 350, 4 BBL.

The following is my experience. Not the law...just my experience. When I bought my Cutlass, it had an Ebrock 1406 electric choke carb and Performer RPM intake and cam. I never could get that POS carburetor to run right. Because it is a squarebore, there's no real low to mid level metering. It starts dumping gas from the get-go. Rejetted several times, new float, metering rods...the low rpm performance just sucked. I went back to a QJet and haven't regretted it once.

Forget Year One. They are overpriced and geared toward concours restoration. My man is named Danny Sarvis and he's in San Antonio, Texas. He specializes in Olds and is great on QJets. He does mail order rebuilds all the time. Contact him at wblue70@aol.com .

C.J.

Oldsguy · March 13th, 2006, 03:49 PM

I have an Edelbrock EPS 800 carb on my 455 mounted on top of an old Edelbrock O4B manifold, both are squar bore. The carb has the electric choke also. My experience is that the carburetor is excellent and performs well under all conditions. I do not think the secondaries are mechanical on your carburetor, they should be vaccum operated and therfore the sluggishness would be due to choke adjustment. This is just my humble opinion and I don't mean to dispute Red's evaluation of Edelbrocks at all. I have observed that carburetor choice is very subjective as I have seen just as many people swear they hate Edlebrocks/Holleys/Grants/Rochesters/insert brand, as those that swear they love them. I think the trick is to get a carb adjusted and set up to work on your car and you will like it. Give a try at getting the choke set up and you might like the Edelbrock. Good luck

jccc · March 13th, 2006, 05:05 PM

Yes, it seems like all of the issues have revolved around the choke. The mechanic seems very knowledgeable but now says that during the summer months I have to disconnect the solenoid and reconnect it during the winter months. I don't feel that I should need to do that. I live in Fenton, Mo just south of St. Louis so if you have any experience with anyone who is very knowledgeable with edelbrock carburators (and hopefully older cars like mine), I would like to call them and hopefully have them check it out. I will update my profile to show my location. Thanks in advance for your help.

texasred · March 13th, 2006, 06:02 PM

Oldsguy,

No offense taken. As I said, that's my experience. Like they say, your mileage may vary.

C.J.

March 12th, 2006, 11:36 AM	#1 (permalink)
jccc Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: St. Louis, Missouri Posts: 4	carburator options Hello, I am new to this forum, and have some questions that maybe someone can help me with. I just bought my dad's 71 cutlass 350 4bbl. It ran good but the carburator was only really using 2 of its 4 bbls because of some metal fatigue in the carburator. However, even with its 2 bbls, it ran flawlessly during the winter and summer - just not super fast. Anyway, per my mechanic's suggestion, I bought an EDELBROCK performer series 1406 carburator and when the car is warm, it ran pretty good but during the winter months, the choke didn't work properly and the car backfired and was very sluggish until the car warmed up fully. So, the mechanic added a solenoid to the carburator (to control the speed opening and closing of the carb) and then it worked pretty well in cold weather. But as it is getting warmer and the car stays warm between the times I turn it off and start it again, it starts very sluggishly (cause the choke is on) and now almost wants to die until the car warms up fully. I would like to know if anyone has had any luck with the EDELBROCK carbs and if you had to do anything special to its set up to have it work properly on the 350 rocket engine. Or if I should return the carburator and send my original carburator to one of the many services (like Year One) that promises to return the carburator to its initial specifications and performance for a fee. I am just not sure if it is a car/carburator issue or a mechanic/cutlass issue. Any information would help me out a lot. Thanks!

March 13th, 2006, 03:49 PM	#3 (permalink)
Oldsguy Hot Rodder at heart Administrator Join Date: May 2004 Location: Lees Summit MO Posts: 5,315	I have an Edelbrock EPS 800 carb on my 455 mounted on top of an old Edelbrock O4B manifold, both are squar bore. The carb has the electric choke also. My experience is that the carburetor is excellent and performs well under all conditions. I do not think the secondaries are mechanical on your carburetor, they should be vaccum operated and therfore the sluggishness would be due to choke adjustment. This is just my humble opinion and I don't mean to dispute Red's evaluation of Edelbrocks at all. I have observed that carburetor choice is very subjective as I have seen just as many people swear they hate Edlebrocks/Holleys/Grants/Rochesters/insert brand, as those that swear they love them. I think the trick is to get a carb adjusted and set up to work on your car and you will like it. Give a try at getting the choke set up and you might like the Edelbrock. Good luck __________________ Dan '77 Cutlass Supreme '46 2 door "The rocket 455.....it's a sledgehammer approach to a thumbtack world" LuxBlue of HAMB.

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March 12th, 2006, 06:32 PM	#2 (permalink)
texasred Tom Servo's Stunt Double Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 824	JCCC, I also have a '71 Cutlass. Mine is a convertible with a 350, 4 BBL. The following is my experience. Not the law...just my experience. When I bought my Cutlass, it had an Ebrock 1406 electric choke carb and Performer RPM intake and cam. I never could get that POS carburetor to run right. Because it is a squarebore, there's no real low to mid level metering. It starts dumping gas from the get-go. Rejetted several times, new float, metering rods...the low rpm performance just sucked. I went back to a QJet and haven't regretted it once. Forget Year One. They are overpriced and geared toward concours restoration. My man is named Danny Sarvis and he's in San Antonio, Texas. He specializes in Olds and is great on QJets. He does mail order rebuilds all the time. Contact him at wblue70@aol.com . C.J.

March 13th, 2006, 05:05 PM	#4 (permalink)
jccc Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: St. Louis, Missouri Posts: 4	Yes, it seems like all of the issues have revolved around the choke. The mechanic seems very knowledgeable but now says that during the summer months I have to disconnect the solenoid and reconnect it during the winter months. I don't feel that I should need to do that. I live in Fenton, Mo just south of St. Louis so if you have any experience with anyone who is very knowledgeable with edelbrock carburators (and hopefully older cars like mine), I would like to call them and hopefully have them check it out. I will update my profile to show my location. Thanks in advance for your help.

March 13th, 2006, 06:02 PM	#5 (permalink)
texasred Tom Servo's Stunt Double Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 824	Oldsguy, No offense taken. As I said, that's my experience. Like they say, your mileage may vary. C.J.