Advantages to the 86 4 Barrel electronic carburetor

[ChevyHeaven]

I'm swapping my 86 307 for a 72 350 rocket with a 2 jet carburetor. Naturally my thoughts are to simply rebuild and keep my quadrajet carb from the 307 and put it on the350 (with an adaptor plate)
I've seen and heard good and bad things about my carburetor so I'm hesitant as to wether I should stick with it or just look for a not computerized 4 barrel and go that route.

 

[Doug213xrj]

I say run the computer carburetor for a wile then when you can bolt on a none computer carburetor. It will run fine with the computer carburetor, I ran one for years on one of my toys.


Doug

 

[Bonnewagon]

I'd look for a 4 barrel manifold at a swap meet or Epay. An adapter is not going to perform very well. That said, a '72 350 w/2 barrel 2GC is a pretty good set up on it's own. You may want to try it out first and if you like it, get a pre-computer HEI to go along with it.

 

[ChevyHeaven]

But the way I see it the electronic 4 barrel with pull more HP and MPG plus an electric choke.
There no doubt both good carburators, but the way I see it I have both, but don't know enough pros and cons about them to know which I'm going to spend the time on. I want what's overall best for my engine not so much what works.
Finding a 4 barrel intake manifold won't be too hard, the adapter will just be there in the mean-time.

 

[DoubleV]

When you ask what the advantages of running an electronic carb, what you're really asking is what is the advantage of running the CCC system over a non-CCC setup ( CCC system means the whole computer setup ). It's a whole system, not just a carb.

The advantages of running on the CCC system are better milage, better emmissions, the carb self adjusts to atmospheric changes, it controls converter lockup better than any aftermarket unit, and IMO the biggest advantage is the fact your car was built with it so it's cool to have a non butchered up factory setup that's 'correct' for your car.

The issue for you though is the fact that your carb and ECM are calibrated for an oddball 'swirlport' headed motor. 84 and earlier they were calibrated for a 'normal' headed engine, so they work better when swapping in a bigger motor. What I would do is run it on the computer since it's already in your car and working. If you like it, great. If it sucks a$$ for you for whatever reason, then ditch the CCC system and go old school.

If you run on the computer, get exhaust manifolds from an earlier 307 if you have those $hitty little stainless ones that came on most of the 7A headed 307's.

P.S. Olds electronic carbs do not have electric chokes from the factory. No worries 'cause the stock Olds choke is just as good, but you may need a 4 barrel intake manifold to run it which you should get anyway.

 

[olds307 and 403]

Find an A4 aluminum or #16 or #17 cast iron intake manifold, the last two should be near free. Also get the early cast iron 307 or all Vin 9 exhaust manifolds with the O2 bung. The hot air choke is OK but more finicky to adjust than electric, which is why I switch them over.

 

[Wild Card]

i always hated the electric carb or smart carb. i had one on my 84 Firebirt TA and it always messed up. i finally just unpluged it. my 82 C10 SWB with a 305 also came with one but it would never stop auto adjusting the idle. i gave it away and went with a eldobrock 650.

 

[DoubleV]

i always hated the electric carb or smart carb. i had one on my 84 Firebirt TA and it always messed up. i finally just unpluged it. my 82 C10 SWB with a 305 also came with one but it would never stop auto adjusting the idle. i gave it away and went with a eldobrock 650.

If it were tuned properly and in good working order you shouldn't have had any issues. 'Unplugging it' is exactly the wrong thing to do. It's like covering up a pile of dogshit in your house with newspaper.

The fact is, the CCC system works and works well. The bad press all comes from the fact that people get old cars that are out of tune and/or in need of rebuilding/repair and then blame it all on the fact it's computer controlled. They then ditch the computer for a BRAND NEW carb and distributor, tune it up real good and are then somehow amazed that works better than the old worn out computer stuff. There is no logic to that.