mefirst72

Hello All

I'm looking for the best Edelbrock intake, carb, and cam combo. Not racing here obviously, but would like to have a little better street performance.

I currently have a 72 Cutlass S, 350, etc., with an Edelbrock Performer Olds intake on it (3711).

I'd like to replace the current carb (Holly) with an Edelbrock 1406 (600 cfm). As much as I can gather online this seems to be a good option all around. No clearance issues or things like that, pretty straight forward. I have read however that this will require an adapter. Edelbrock sells them at Summit (EDL-2696), but again this should make it pretty easy, a good choice.

Questions....

Has anyone had any good or bad experience with a similar set-up? Anything I'm missing?

Any advantage of going to a Edelbrock 7111 Intake with the 1806 (650 cfm) carb?

Also, final question, if you did have a good experience with either set-up, did you ever consider replacing the Cam? And if so, could you tell me which options you went with?

Thanks All!

matt69olds

I would suggest a Q-Jet over the Edelbrock, the Holley over the Edelbrock. I know some people like and run the Edelbrock carbs, I have never cared much for them, just my opinion.

Whatever carb you decide on I think the 600cfm is too small. Most factory Q-Jets are rated at 750 (excluding the late model 307 and similar engines).

I'm a Q-Jet fan, I think the reputation they have is undeserved, How many millions have been made over the years? If they were problematic or didn't perform do you really think GM would have stuck with them for so long? Fin a suitable core and send it to a Q-Jet specialist, bolt it on, close the hood and enjoy it.

455man

The Qjets are 750 CFM but only use as much as needed. So on a low performance 307 they might only pull 500 CFM. On a mildly built 350 a 750 CFM edel or holly might be too much. IF you are not racing I dont like the holly option.

jpc647

I have a stock(best I can tell) 72 350 with the 7111 intake and a 1406 carb. I can tell you i have a hesitation problem sometimes with the Edelbrock carb, as some describe. But my intake is a high rise intake. I would not advise the 7111 intake and a bigger carb, I think that'll lead to more problems.

With the smaller run intake, it may not be a problem. There should not be any clearance problems, mine fits fine and is 2-3" taller. I do have one of the edelbrock chrome air cleaners though, but I don't think the factory cleaner lid is 3" taller than the edelbrock, so either way you should be fine. I doubt you need that adapter. The edelbrock intakes are drilled for Q-Jet and for their Edelbrock carbs. Is the adapter for clearance over the choke block off plate? If so, you might be better off with one of the heat insulator gaskets, at least it'll be a positive increase over just a spacer(probably cheaper too).

If your interested in a nice used 1406 carb, let me know. It'd sell it to use the money to build a stock Q-jet which might be better for my application. I'm not sure exacly how the Q-Jet's work, but they seem to only draw in as much as needed, which seems like a better option than the aftermarkets.

MX442

The Ebrock carbs have large primaries compared to the Q Jet. Due to this, part throttle bog is quite common on the Edelbrock. The small primaries on the Q Jet make for crisper throttle response, the vacuum secondaries only open as needed, thus making it an excellent choice.

First, I'd go with a well tuned Quadrajet with electric choke. Next would be a proper cam selected for your application. The Edelbrock cam is a generic grind meant to fit a broad range of applications. There are better options, or custom cams available. And last, keep the Performer intake, though cam and carb will make the most drivable improvements.

oldcutlass

As stated above the Performer manifold is made for a squarebore or spreadbore carb. I never had a hesitation problem with my Edelbrock carb. A big cam on a stock engine is not recommended. Some of the others will probably chime in with cams that they have used for particular applications.

Btw, I like the thunder series 1806 carb because u can tune your secondaries, however the 1406 will work fine.

ziff396

X2 I started with the Edelbrock 750 on my 455 and it was okay. I switched to a holley 870 street avenger and had a hard time tuning the idle mixture. (common). It did hit hard at wot though. Finally I had a Quadrajet 800 cfm from a late 70's 403 built by a good builder for my spec's and the car runs great now going on 2 years. I also run an electric choke.

mefirst72

Thanks All!

Good things to consider. Seems I still have a bit of researching to do

olds 307 and 403

Consider the new Street Demon, based off the Thermoquad. You can get aluminum or polymer main body as options.

cutlassefi

Simply not true, sorry.

Any carb, I don't care if you pay $100.00 for it or a $1000.00 for it, if it isn't set up/tuned right it won't perform as expected, period.

I'm not an Edelbrock fan but I've seen many that work just fine. And an ill tuned Qjet will have crappy response just like anything else.

And many of the vacuum secondary carbs today have an adjustment for the opening rate of the secondaries. There are a lot of good carbs out there right now.

mefirst72

Appreciate that. I've heard a lot of good things about Edelbrock, and it seems at the end of the day (as you were pointing out) the tuning is what may matter the most. Thanks again.

analogkid455

Any brand carb is fine as long it is tuned right. For a street engine the Q-Jet blows them all away.

The biggest problem you have with your engine is compression. A cam will help some but I wouldn't bother without bumping compression up.

I had a low compression 350 with headers, RPM intake with the stock Q-Jet and 2.73 gears in a 3600+ lbs. car and it ran high 14's.

After that I put a 214/224 280/290 .488/.496 lift cam in it and it ran slower because I lost alot of torque. It wouldn't spin the stock street tires if I tried.

Stock cam specs 196/208 250/264 .400/.400 lift.

OldSchoolMuscle71

so basically without bumping compression up, there's no point at all to adding a small aftermarket cam? i was hoping i could do this to my daily driven 2bbl 350. Just has headers, 2.5 inch exhaust with H pipe and magnaflows with an edelbrock air cleaner and filter. next step is pertronix and a posi 3.08 gear. Still iffy about going with performer intake and 4 bbl. Some say theres no difference, some say gas mileage is the same, cant decide..

analogkid455

I would put an aluminum intake and Q-Jet on it. You will save 25 lbs and the Q-Jet will give you better throttle response and mileage because the primaries are smaller than on a 2 barrel. Usually the primaries flow about 195 cfm on the Q-Jet and the 2 barrel flows about 450. Big difference.

I wouldn't bother with a cam without compression unless you go with a custom cam that has a really tight LSA. Most aftermarket cams that are small close the intake valve way to late which loses alot of cylinder pressure. It's almost backwards the way they do it. Small cams should work with low compression but when you put it on a 112 or 114 LSA your making it want more compression. And when they make big cams they tighten the LSA to something in the 108-110 range.

I would try to close the intake valve at 42 degrees ABDC (using seat timing) but that will be awfully hard with an off the shelf cam.

cutlassefi

Good info.
IMO you can't go wrong putting the Performer on anything, it's a great intake.
A well tuned Qjet and you're headed in the right direction.
I offer a single pattern cam for lower compression, stock valvetrain engines. It's 214/214 on either a 108 or 110 lobe sep with .472 lift on both. That should work well in your combo.

ent72olds

Speaking from my experience, I have tried the Performer and Edlebrock carb several times on my 330-350 engines, and never was happy. Could never get them to run the way I would expect. This is the reason I have a couple carbs (Edlebrock ) sitting collecting dust. Ended up going back to Quadra-jets. Believe it or not, I seem to have an easier time dialing a Rochester in than an Edlebrock. If you want something a little better than stock, I am very happy with my JET Stage 2 Quadra-jet. I am also running a stock one on one of my other cars and it runs much better. Both are on a Performer.

ent72olds

Bingo^^^^^

ent72olds

Analogkid also gives some good advice here....being a Rush fan also leads me to believe he may be more intelligent than the average Joe!

MX442

I still stand behind my statement. I agree that bad tuning on anything = problems. Maybe part throttle bog is not because of the larger primaries; I don't know. I don't have a PhD in carberation, but trial and error, tells me otherwise. For as many success stories you know on the Edelbrock carb, I've heard of plenty of unhappy users. I had been through nearly my entire jet / rod / spring kit and user adjustable options on the Edelbrock before I finally got rid of that POS. I built 2 Q-jets, both ran excellent, no bog, and I couldn't be happier (except for small float bowl = evaporation.)

engrcumins

Just watched a HOTROD tv broadcast wherein they built an olds 350. You can probably watch it online at powerblocktv.com. You'll be impressed.

oldcutlass

I've used all the carbs out there and agree that any carb not setup properly is a POS. My well tuned Holley 3310 vac secondary carb works great on Performer manifold.

mefirst72

So would you agree with the compression comment? Meaning without better compression then stock, the small CAM upgrade wouldn't do much?

And, would a new set of Flat headed pistons be something to consider?

Still learning here...appreciate all the insight!

mefirst72

Awesome...thanks. Going to look for it now!

Rickman48

Don't know if coppercutlass still has that shortblock, but it's a cure for low-compression, and a real deal, IMO.
How many miles are on your motor?

67BB

We've used thunder 650s, 1406s, 1407s and 1411s and never had one problem. They are almost plug and play. Only my opinion and it's worth what you paid for it, unless you're going over 400hp that 600cfm is just fine. Performer intake and carb is a very nice setup.

DoubleV

Unless you're running an EGR valve! Kudos to Edelbrock for that wonderfull design!

Jack Heffler

Agree 100%........most off the shelf grinds do not have tight enough LSA's.. I found a compression, 9 to 10 to 1, good flowing exhaust with a well tuned carb do VERY well with a stock cam and a heavy car with fairly steep gears.Even with a 307. The early 307's were basically, small-bore 350's. Heads and intake and cam are close. Valves are a skosh smaller.....but, they can be tuned to run. .