Edelbrock on a 303 or 324

[tarps3]

Has anyone installed a newer Edelbrock carb on their 303 or 324 engine?
It bolts right up but I can't figure out how to make the linkage work.
The Edelbrock wants the thottle linkage to "pull" but my stock linkage "pushes" when depressing the gas pedal.
Then there's the whole tranny kick-down linkage to deal with. What a contraption.
Can you somehow replace the kickdown rod with a Lokar cable or something?

Surely someone has done this mod.
Oh yea - I have a '53 Olds 98 with original 303.
here are some recent pics:
http://s171.photobucket.com/albums/u...oldsmobile108/

thanks,
Casey

[59-59-59]

I've put 5 different Edelbrocks on various 371 - 394 . The pedal lever for the throttle never gave me a problem, but the kickdown for the transmission WILL BE A NIGHTMARE.. I even took off the entire lever system on the original Rochester and tried to adapt it to the Edelbrock carb, but it seems you need a friggin rocket scientist to figure this one out. Over the years I went with a Tanson conversion that gets rid of the Hydramatic to replace it with a TH-400. All you need for the TH-400 is a rubber line coming off the Edelbrock carb - no kickdown levers or adjustments to fool with. Too bad Edelbrock never came out with an adapter for this problem - not just for Oldsmobiles, but every car that came with a Hydramatic

[88 coupe]

Originally Posted by tarps3

Has anyone installed a newer Edelbrock carb on their 303 or 324 engine? ........

Never had a reason to. The original carbs worked fine for me.

Originally Posted by tarps3

........ The Edelbrock wants the thottle linkage to "pull" but my stock linkage "pushes" ........

Pedal/cable assemblies from '69-ish Olds will work.

Originally Posted by tarps3

........ Then there's the whole tranny ........

I don't do trannys.

Originally Posted by tarps3

........ Can you somehow replace the kickdown rod ........

Back in the day, the "in thing" was to use a choke cable to select a custom TV pressure for any occasion.

I once drove a '63 Brand X, that used a vacuum pot to actuate the TV arm. It worked extremely well.

Norm

[Olds64]

I had an Edelbrock carburetor on my 394 for a time. It performed well and I was able to mount the TV rod to the carburetor. I visited my local auto parts store and bought a package of universal stanchions to put on the carburetor linkage. Then I used the snap on "turn buckles" to mate the TV rod to the universal stanchion. I know this isn't too clear; however, I don't know of a good way to describe it. I don't have any pics either.

[tarps3]

88 coupe - you've never heard the word "tranny" used as shorthand for the word "transmission"??? really?
It's the first thing I think of but apparently your mind wanders in a different direction - ha, ha.

I have a couple of reasons for wanting the Edelbrock:
1. they are GREAT carburetors that require very little attention. I've had several on various cars.
2. my original carb has been rebuilt TWICE at great expense and still isn't right. I'm tired of redoing the same thing over and over.
3. the Edelbrock will allow me to finish my closed-system PCV setup because it has a port just for that. The original carb doesn't.

[59-59-59]

Originally Posted by tarps3

2. my original carb has been rebuilt TWICE at great expense and still isn't right. I'm tired of redoing the same thing over and over.
3. the Edelbrock will allow me to finish my closed-system PCV setup because it has a port just for that. The original carb doesn't.

I agree - I had two rebuilt by rebuilders, and they all leaked.. Also, if you installed a PCV setup, did you drill holes in the valve covers or valley pan? Why would you do that if you already have a road draft tube coming from the back of the block? just curious

[88 coupe]

Originally Posted by tarps3

........ you've never heard the word "tranny" used as shorthand ........

First heard it in the early eighties. It was part of the juvenile term "tranny slam". You might know it better as "neutral drop".

Before that, "trans" was commonly used. It was shorter and easier to say, but "trans slam" sounded too much like a Denny's breakfast menu.

Not however, near as offensive as using the word cutty in reference to an Olds.

Norm

[88 coupe]

Originally Posted by 59-59-59

........ I had two rebuilt by rebuilders ........

Mass rebuilders, or by individuals who did not substitute parts at random?

Early carbs are no different, in operation, than than late ones and the repair/rebuilding process is the same.

Am I seeing the same "sour grapes" that feeds the "Q-Jet/Holley/Carter/Edelbrock is junk" mentality?

Originally Posted by 59-59-59

........ Why would you do that if you already have a road draft tube ........

To do his part to combat "greenhouse gases" and make Algore happy.

It also eliminates the oil dripping associated with the original evacuation system.

Norm

[88 coupe]

Originally Posted by 59-59-59

........ if you installed a PCV setup, did you drill holes in the valve covers or valley pan? ........

Some of the Calif retrofits plugged the bottom of the tube, and tapped the top to vent fumes into a spacer plate under the carb.

Same way all of mine were done.

Norm

[Olds64]

Edelbrock carbs also look nice. Can't beat the polished body of an Edelbrock carb.

[Oldsguy]

I have a friend that has been enamored with the new Barry Grant carbs. I respect him a lot as a mechanic but I fault him on this one because the only reason he can give why they are good is that there is no gasket below the fuel level (I think Edelbrocks are also like that) and that they look good. I agree that they are nice but unless I had a custom hot rod with an open engine bay and only showed it off the trailer I would not put a B.G. carb on my car for that reason alone.

[Olds64]

Truthfully, I have never known Quadrajets to have a problem with leaking between the throttle plate and the fuel bowl. That gasket seems to be pretty sturdy. Most of the time they will leak out the bottom of the jet wells or have loose throttle plate bushings.

[tarps3]

Originally Posted by 88 coupe

Mass rebuilders, or by individuals who did not substitute parts at random?

Early carbs are no different, in operation, than than late ones and the repair/rebuilding process is the same.

I agree with that - I just haven't had any luck with this carb for some reason.
Am I seeing the same "sour grapes" that feeds the "Q-Jet/Holley/Carter/Edelbrock is junk" mentality?
Not at all - I had a Q-Jet on my 64 Chevy pickup (454) that worked great and I had an Edelbrock on several other cars that performed equally as well. The Edelbrock seems to bolt right on and I like how easy hey are to tune.

To do his part to combat "greenhouse gases" and make Algore happy.
Al Gore can kiss my happy a**. I am just trying to eliminate the blow-by tube and the associated fumes. Politically, I'm a closet anarchist. I don't like either party. But that's a discussion for other forums...I just want to add an Edelbrock.
It also eliminates the oil dripping associated with the original evacuation system. That too!
Norm

[joe_padavano]

Just so we're all clear, the 50s vintage 4bbl would be a 4GC, not a Qjet. The Edelbrock carb is simply a 50s/60s vintage Carter AFB with the Edelbrock logo on it. It's a perfectly good carb and has some of the features of the Qjet - air valve secondaries and metering rods, for example. The AFB has the advantage that the metering rods on both primary and secondary sides are very easy to change. It is a square bore carb and thus bolts to the same flange as a 4GC. Given that the last 4GC was built in 1965 or so, rebuild kits and parts are not that easy to find these days.

[Egg]

ok i have a question, i have a 50 olds 88, and it has a 4g not a 4gc carb on it. i went to swap to a edelbrock and the mounting pattern on the intake is smaller than the carbs mounting holes, i thought maybe it was the carb but my neighbor tried his holley and it had the same problem.
i know this year didnt come with a 4 bbl and i have no idea what year the intake is or the carb. can someone advise me on what i may have?

[88 coupe]

Originally Posted by Egg

........ it has a 4g not a 4gc carb ........

Beginning in '52, Olds used both Rochester 4GC and Carter WCFB.

Norm

[joe_padavano]

Originally Posted by Egg

ok i have a question, i have a 50 olds 88, and it has a 4g not a 4gc carb on it. i went to swap to a edelbrock and the mounting pattern on the intake is smaller than the carbs mounting holes, i thought maybe it was the carb but my neighbor tried his holley and it had the same problem.
i know this year didnt come with a 4 bbl and i have no idea what year the intake is or the carb. can someone advise me on what i may have?

The 4G series of carbs used a narrower bolt pattern than the Holley square bore carbs. The old aftermarket AFBs came with both bolt patterns on the flange. I've not tried the newer Edelbrock versions. It sounds like they only have the Holley pattern now, saving a few cents by not drilling the extra holes.

[Egg]

thanks for the info, thought it might be something like that, i will have to make a spacer to adapt the new carb to the intake.