Holley vs Q jet

[Cuda]

While I'm waiting for my book from Dennis Moore, I'm doing some pre shopping.

Which carb in your opinion would work better for a 350? I'm looking to make ~320 horses or so. I know where I can lay my hands on a brand new Q jet right now at a good price. I've always been a Holley fan. The last experience I had with a Q jet was on my old 72 Chevy 350 truck. It would constantly flood. I finally threw it in a ditch and installed a Holley Spreadbore. No more trouble.

While we're at it, what about intakes? The stock merc intakes are outrageously priced new, sometimes good used ones can be found. Are there any good aluminum intakes with brass inserts for SBC's? What about taking a new Edelbrock aluminum and having it anodized before using it?

Cams anybody?

[harbormaster]

No one ever talks about the Weber carb that Mercruiser used on their 350 mag setups. How does this compare?

[JimG]

I just love the Carter/Edelbrock/Webers. The marine grade one is only $279 from Summit. Just set it, and forget it!

[BUIZILLA]

I love Q-jets. Easy to tune and work on.

J

[MOP]

Though I do not do much if any carb work lately my money has always been on the Q-jet it is with out doubt the most flexable 4 barrel ever built. They give very good economy cruising and when the "Man Hole Covers" open up it will give you all the power you could want. Drop Buizilla a note with your specs to get the right match up! He's the Man!

[jr]

Cuda, when I built my 409 small blocks I used,

Performer RPM Intake, World Products Torquer II heads with 170 CC runners and 2.02/1.60 valves, Comp Cam Extreme Marine XM262 Cam, and a Holley 4150 (automobile) 750CFM Carb.

I talked to Dennis Moore and he really liked the setup.

I ended up with 9.5:1 compression. I ported and polished the heads and intakes. I'm still tuning, and I'm going to switch to a edelbrock 750 carb. But desk top dyno has me at 425 HP, and 480 ft/lbs of torque, from 2000 all the way to 5200. Almost flat as a board.

If I had it to do over, I would probably go with 200CC heads and give up a little low end torque. I've got plenty.

My results were: I went from 58 MPH and 22 inch hydromotives, to 67 MPH and 25 inch mirage plus. I still don't have things dialed in but I figure I'll end up about 73ish by the time I'm done.

I love the set up. The engines idle really well and sound pretty mean. I've had zero reversion with the stock mercruiser manifolds and risers, to the thru hulls. A bigger cam would let the 400's breathe easier, but my Alpha SS's would probably complain abit.

Have you thought about putting in a 400 crank and building a 377 or 383? Might be worth the extra coin for a forged crank to stroke it.

Jeff

[Cuda]

I'm going to stay with the stock crank, it is a forged crank already. Those new cranks are big $$$$$$$$. I am told the heads that came with it are World Product S/R's?? The stock pistons are forged too.

[jr]

Sounds like your off to a good start. I orignally had Victor Jr intakes on the engines from the last owner, but they were too big for the application. They lost alot of the velocity of air and really didnt come on until about 5000 rpms. The performer RPM has a range that is better suited for marine use.

[MOP]

You did say!

It would constantly flood. I finally threw it in a ditch and installed a Holley Spreadbore. No more trouble.

Well us guys in the Biz have had more leaky bowl gaskets and blown power valves(now finally upgraded) than you could shake a stick at. Any carb no matter who is the maker will give you greif it its got crap in the bowl or a bad needle & seat.

[Rootsy]

after a lot of research and trials and tribulation i have come to the fact that if you are not happy with the Q-jet then ditch the holley idea and spend the extra money for a BG demon... vs the holley the demon is heads and shoulders above in terms of quality, design, fit and finish...

on that note i'd go with the quadrajet with the stock cast iron high rise spreadbore intake if you could find one easily enough... quadrajets are great carbs and simplistic... holleys have a ton of tunability but can be kinda multidimensional and get folks into trouble.

[smoothie]

I'll take a shot at the cam...Im using a Engle racing cam in my motor and its a wonderful thing wink very very happy with it.

[Cuda]

M.O.P.:
You did say!

It would constantly flood. I finally threw it in a ditch and installed a Holley Spreadbore. No more trouble.

Well us guys in the Biz have had more leaky bowl gaskets and blown power valves(now finally upgraded) than you could shake a stick at. Any carb no matter who is the maker will give you greif it its got crap in the bowl or a bad needle & seat. It was several years ago with the q jet problem. As I recall, I decided the problem had something to do with the single bowl/float on the secondaries. It seemed it was somehow getting cocked and hung up on the side of the bowl. A guy that I worked with had a practically new Holley Spreadbore for $25, so after that, I didn't persue fixing the q jet any longer.

[Cuda]

smoothie:
I'll take a shot at the cam...Im using a Engle racing cam in my motor and its a wonderful thing wink very very happy with it. Do you have a part number for the cam? What other mods?

[Cuda]

MOP, have you ever seen evidence of the rear cylinders running rich and the front ones running lean due to the spreadbore?

[smoothie]

cuda,Im running a BBC...so give em a call and pick their brains a little. engle cams (http://www.englecams.com/index.php)

[Cuda]

Thanks Smoothie, I sent them a message to see what they suggest.