I'm switching from TPI to carb soon. I know nothing about carbs. I will learn as quick as possible but I was wondering if a certain model of any carb is easier to learn on. For instance I've noticed that some carbs have sights in the floats bowls. I assume that makes it easier to tweak. Is there anything else that makes it easier.
BTW if making it more user freindly is going to sacrafice a lot of power then I'd rather have a hard time learning than loose power. any recomendations on model or make?

Marc

 

All carbs have quirks bt they are similar. Edlecraps tend to get good fuel economy due to thier metering system (same setup as Q-jets) and are fairly dummie proof. Holleys are very easy to work on but get a bad wrap because in the past they did not have built in power valve protection and some models like the 1850 had a setup where you turn the idle mixture screws counter clockwise to lean the carb out. For ID pourposes the 1850 has mixture screws with blunt tips and (blunt counter clockwise lean) 4150 4160 (pointed tip clockwise lean or normal)
Its hard to say which carb is right or reccomend one, once you read how a carb works they all are easy to work with but Holleys make more power then edelbrocks and Demon's make more power then holley's and are nearly identical to holleys.

 

Hey Marc. I have had both holley & edelbrock, it is easier to learn on the edelbrock. The holleys that I tried useing would not stay set the floats that is"on the street",I went through 2 holleys a 670cfm street advenger and a 750cfm dp. I traded back at advance auto & got the edelbrock and bought the metering rod,jet,spring kit and got it where I want it for now,But I think I will go back with a holley for the strip,but definetly edelbrock is better for the street.just my 2 cents

 

The important thing is to buy a tuning book on carbs to
get the fundementals down.

The Holley 3310 750VS is a geat carb. With a few tuning parts
it will do for just about any high performance application.
From a 200 hp cruiser to a 500 hp drag car.

There are many good books on tuning this carb.

The edlebrock is easy too.

Get a good inline fuel filter, don't try to run huge fuel pressure and you'll avoid all of Crazycamaro's float problems.

 

I did'nt run a high fuel pressure with out a fuel regulator
What I think it was is that advance auto got remanufactored carbs from holley and they suppose to of been new
But I will definetly get me another holley in the next 2~weeks for the drag strip

 

Aside from a bad leaky float, most of the time its caused by fuel pressure spikes from trying to use a "dead head" fuel pressure regulator to control a high pressure fuel pump like the holley Blue pump. Any little bit of dirt or grit combined with a bit of heat soak
and the regulator tends to spike up and down.
This system was never intended for continous street use.

Better to either run a 6-7 PSI pump or a return style regulator and return line on the street. Takes all the pressure off the carb floats.

 

I plan on using a return style fuel regulator. you mentioned something about heat soak into the regulator. how far from the carb can it safely be mounted?

Hodge