Recommended carb for std 350ci v8?

[BlouDon]

I'm not interested in serious horsepower. I'm interested in max torque between idle and 3000rpm.

My engine is fitted with a spread bore intake manifold.

What would you recommend?

[tim_mc]

Lots of opinions on the way. I love my Edelbrock AVS2.
https://www.edelbrock.com/avs2-carburetors

[1970cstblazer]

A properly built Q-Jet is the only way to fly for everything but a serious HP drag only special.

At minimum the primary and secondary throttle shafts must be bushed, and the lower well plugs sealed, and the whole carb checked for warping.

[truckster]

Another vote for the Quadrajet. They're great carbs.

[Stocker]

I'm still running the original Q-jet, though it's been rebuilt a couple times.

[Getter-Done]

Quadra-jet is my vote also.

[BROWN 70]

x 5 for the q jet. its all mine has ever had. great carb. BROWN 70

[Rust_never_sleeps]

Original Q-jet works great. Not sure it's max torque though

[truckster]

The small primaries are designed to favor torque. The large secondaries only kick in when there's enough vacuum to pull the door open.

[RustyPile]

Stock engine, or one that is only midly modified??? Already has spread bore manifold.. Qjet is only choice.. Consider nothing else.

[Steeveedee]

As for performance, Cliff Ruggles campaigns a real fast Pontiac drag car with a q-jet on it.

[MARKDTN]

I'm an EFI guy but if you have to have a carb on a stock engine a Q-jet is hard to beat. My next choice would be a spread bore Holley.

[MikeB]

I'm surprised that some company hasn't brought back the Q-jet. Edelbrock did for a while but quit. I'm not sure why.

I had a couple stock ones over the years on 327s. Great carb for fuel mileage, with performance when you needed it.

Someone above mentioned a Holley Q-jet replacement (0-80555C). They also have a 0-9895 that can be used on emission controlled engines. But those things are expensive!

I also see that Holley has a Sniper EFI model for Q-Jet manifolds.

[72SB]

tail wagging the dog on OP's 350 is the spread bore manifold so Q jet

Yeah a square bore adapter and Edelbrock could work but if getting an Eddy carb, get a Edelbrock dual plane manifold

[Rust_never_sleeps]

Quadrajets are not one-size-fits-most, btw. You need the right one with the right guts in it for the 350 SBC.
Can't guarantee you'll love the q-jet, but if you're putting a square peg in a round hole, you're bound to hate it.

[mr48chev]

Originally Posted by Rust_never_sleeps

Quadrajets are not one-size-fits-most, btw. You need the right one with the right guts in it for the 350 SBC.
Can't guarantee you'll love the q-jet, but if you're putting a square peg in a round hole, you're bound to hate it.

This is an excellent point. If you have the correct carb for the engine you have now I wouldn't swap it for a bigger Q jet, I would get the correct kit for it and rebuild it with a couple of small mods that don't change performance but solve a couple of small issues.

I think I got my last kit from Cliff's high performance Quadrajet as I got the bottom plug kit he sells to fix the bottom plug leak.
https://cliffshighperformance.com/ The gaskets and parts are all fresh and you aren't getting a kit that was sitting on a shelf in a warehouse for five years or longer.

The other thing besides that is that the the throttle shaft holes wear and get loose and there are tools and kits to replace them.

[Palf70Step]

I have had Edelbrock 1403, 1405, and 1406 and Holley 4160 carbs on my 350's. I have really liked the 1406 (600 CFM) the best and that is what I am currently running. Qjets are fine if you can get them tuned right they do pretty well. I never had any luck with Qjets and its hard enough to find someone who can work/tune a carb let alone a QJet one.

[68 C10 Driver]

Originally Posted by Palf70Step

I have had Edelbrock 1403, 1405, and 1406 and Holley 4160 carbs on my 350's. I have really liked the 1406 (600 CFM) the best and that is what I am currently running...

I plan on putting a Edelbrock 1406 on my truck (350 cu/in) when I get to that stage. I already bought the carb, hopefully I will get the frame done soon and get the cab back on it. Then it will be time to install a motor.

[wrangler94]

Originally Posted by Palf70Step

I have had Edelbrock 1403, 1405, and 1406 and Holley 4160 carbs on my 350's. I have really liked the 1406 (600 CFM) the best and that is what I am currently running. Qjets are fine if you can get them tuned right they do pretty well. I never had any luck with Qjets and its hard enough to find someone who can work/tune a carb let alone a QJet one.

I recently bought a quadrajet core that's proper for my 70 chevy, and rebuilt it with a kit from Cliff Ruggles and all, and now I'm getting no fuel, or sporadic fuel anyway, so I'm gonna go through it one more time to see if I messed something up.
If that doesn't work, and I buy the 1406 Edelbrock, do I need adapter plates or anything like that? Custom stuff to work with transmission, throttle linkage, etc? Just planning ahead in case going through this carb a second time doesn't reveal anything.

[slikside]

Originally Posted by wrangler94

I recently bought a quadrajet core that's proper for my 70 chevy, and rebuilt it with a kit from Cliff Ruggles and all, and now I'm getting no fuel, or sporadic fuel anyway, so I'm gonna go through it one more time to see if I messed something up.
If that doesn't work, and I buy the 1406 Edelbrock, do I need adapter plates or anything like that? Custom stuff to work with transmission, throttle linkage, etc? Just planning ahead in case going through this carb a second time doesn't reveal anything.

Did you also buy his book on rebuilding the Q-Jet, and follow it closely?
Maybe you have more experience with these carbs than I did when I rebuilt mine(I had zero). But I followed his book diligently, and it paid off. Worked perfectly, and still does some 10+ years later.

Cliff has spent a looong time working on these carbs, and all that knowledge is poured into his book. Way more than you might get from, say, the instructions with a kit or…

[chevmn]

Another vote for q-jet, but make sure of what you get, as there are different variations. In addition, I always replace the synthetic type floats in favor of a brass float. Many fight and toss perfectly fine carbs simply due to a heavy or sunk float, and I nearly did that same thing many years ago until someone familiar with them actually weighed the float, and we replaced with brass, and it was in the carb until I got rid of the truck years later. I just rebuilt one and due to the truck running propane, the primary throttle bores were worn out. Drill and bushing fixed and it runs fine.

[wrangler94]

Originally Posted by slikside

Did you also buy his book on rebuilding the Q-Jet, and follow it closely?
Maybe you have more experience with these carbs than I did when I rebuilt mine(I had zero). But I followed his book diligently, and it paid off. Worked perfectly, and still does some 10+ years later.

Cliff has spent a looong time working on these carbs, and all that knowledge is poured into his book. Way more than you might get from, say, the instructions with a kit or…

Yes I used his kit and his book. I'm aware of the forum too. ONce I tear into it again and know more I'll post there and ask, if I don't find something dumb I missed.

[1970cstblazer]

This whole "bigger Q-Jet" talk is really nonsense. That is the beauty of the Q-Jet. They were used on 6 cylinders through 500 Cadillacs. The secondary air valves only open enough to satisfy engine demands. Yes there were 800 CFM units, mostly found 1975-up. The run of the mill 750 CFM Q-Jet will work on almost any engine these trucks will see. The main things to keep in mind are air bleed sizing, well plug sealing, idle tubes, jet/metering rod sizing, proper float level, a good matched straight core to begin with, and bushed front and rear throttle shafts.

[Rust_never_sleeps]

Originally Posted by wrangler94

I recently bought a quadrajet core that's proper for my 70 chevy, and rebuilt it with a kit from Cliff Ruggles and all, and now I'm getting no fuel, or sporadic fuel anyway, so I'm gonna go through it one more time to see if I messed something up.
<snip>

Cliff runs and monitors a forum on q-jets, you'll get help there:
https://cliffshighperformance.com/si...m/index.php#c2

[72SB]

Originally Posted by wrangler94

If that doesn't work, and I buy the 1406 Edelbrock, do I need adapter plates or anything like that? Custom stuff to work with transmission, throttle linkage, etc? Just planning ahead in case going through this carb a second time doesn't reveal anything.

the 1406 is a square bore carb so if you have a Qjet manifold, you will need an adapter (IIRC # 2696). Edelbrock makes a variety of throttle linkage adapters and kick down cable adapters if you need them.