Yeah well the choke is wired +12v and the secondaries aren't opening. The car hesitates when I floor it, timing is around 10 base timing with vac-adv on manifold. I can't tell if my timing is off, if I'm running rich/lean or what the hell is going on.

I thought carbs were supposed to be EASY

 

What kind of carb? Holley? Vac secondaries? We need more information...

 

How are you verifying that the secondaries aren't opening? Driving around with the hood and air cleaner off?

 

Edelbrock 1406
sorry, it was in the sig

 

I let the car warm up, and then I was pulling the throttle arm by hand quickly and they were not opening.

 

They shouldn't open doing that. Only when the engine is under load - accelerating the vehicle.

 

hesitates with a eldy carb is common complaint, you probably are going lean on secondary throttle opening, I would look at a bigger squirter or delay or tighten the secondary opening, it could be opening too fast

 

how do I go about doing this?

 

The only way to delay the secondary opening is to add weight to the counterweights on the secondary air valve.

 

I thought carbs were supposed to be simple.

 

You mentioned you can't tell if your timing is off... Why not? I imagine this isn't the source of your problem (timing), but it's usually easiest to check....

Isn't there an easy way to check if it's going lean or rich? I mean, with a q-jet you could disconnect the accelerator pump, if it's better then it was rich, if worse, lean... Right?

 

No more complicated or simple than anything else. You just picked a carb that doesn't have an adjustable secondary opening, unfortunately.

 

well how do i make this thing kick ***? Im about ready to let someone else do it for me.

 

http://www.edelbrock.com/automotive/eps_intro.html

 

already been there today
plus I have that all in the booklet that came with the carb
nothing is really helping, because I dont understand whats good and what's bad

 

I don't know what to say, it's all laid out there in black and white.

 

Token,
I suggest:
changing the accelerator pump setting,
up and down one 'hole', and tell us what happens.

also, the choke must be completely open,
wire it open, if there is any doubt.