Carburetor swap

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rose350

Greasemonkey
Nov 4, 2013
119
82
28
Illinois
PLEASE!!!!! can someone help me. I keep getting several different answers. I have a 1985 cutlass salon 442. It has the 307H.O. motor, electronic qradrajet carburetor, electronic distributor, and 200-4R transmission. I want to put an edelbrock carburetor on it but I'm being told that I have to change everything. They ate telling me if I just change the carburetor my distributor won't know when to advance timing and the torque converter in the transmission won't know when to lock up so I will lose overdrive. Can someone that has been through this give me a 100% guaranteed answer on what I need to do. THANKS
 

DoubleV

Royal Smart Person
Feb 25, 2011
2,156
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Medina Ohio
Your car runs on a computer. The computer is fed info from all the various sensors and then with that info the computer sends signals to your carb to meter the proper amount of fuel and to the distributor to provide the proper timing advance. The carb, distributor, computer, and all those sensors work as a set. It will not work right if you eliminate even just one of those components.

If you want to de-computerize your car then you must change the carb AND the distributor. If you want to go that route then you need to ask yourself what exactly it is you're trying to gain because I assure you swapping out your current carb for an Edelbrock ( and a differnt distributor to complete the swap ), you will not gain anything.

The computer also controls converter lockup. It does not control overdrive. Without the computer you'll have to use one of the various methods to control lockup or just run without using the lockup ( which I don't recommend ).

My advice is to tell you to just keep what you have. You're not going to gain anything by dumping the computer with your current engine. Even if you wanted to de-computerize your engine for some reason ( like gearing up for a future killer engine swap ), then go with a Qjet. The Qjet will bolt right on and fit exactly like your current electronic Qjet. The Qjet is just a better carb than an Edelbrock.
 
Oct 14, 2008
8,806
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Melville,Saskatchewan
Agree with what DoubleV said. You will gain nothing, actually lose mileage going to an Edelbrock carb. If it is running terrible and the carb is shot, then it might be time to switch. The only other carb I would get would be the Street Demon 625 cfm. Then you still need a vacuum advance distributor and a lock control, even if it is a toggle switch.
 

rose350

Greasemonkey
Nov 4, 2013
119
82
28
Illinois
Thanks guys for the advice. The carb is loading up on me and runs like crap. I have never had any luck with Qjet carbs. Would it be worth have the one I have rebuilt or just buy a new Qjet? I'm not looking for more performance....just want it to run smooth.
 

Clone TIE Pilot

Comic Book Super Hero
Aug 14, 2011
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There are no new Qjets. Best thing is to have your CCC Qjet rebuilt by a good rebuilder like Sean Murphy Induction. Stay away from "reman" carbs, they are not the same thing as rebuilt carbs. The CCC will work well on larger Olds V8s.
 

pencero

Royal Smart Person
Feb 20, 2008
1,466
25
38
Ind.
You will have a very difficult time with the Edelbrock carb on a 307 and spend more than $200 in mundane parts/ gas driving back/forth from the parts store etc. when complete 307's sell for like $200 - 500 on their best day. Sell the Edelbrock and buy the rebuild kit for the Qjet & Save $180+ wasted time and your car will run smooth if you set it to factory - minus maybe the EGR unless you have emission in your county. By the time you get the Edelbrock to work you will wonder why you spent $ on setting the engine up that way and it will smell like weird fumes everywhere running without the computer and very rough idle. Just trust me on this one, I already saw my friend make this mistake and the edelbrock was coming right back off a week later. If you want an 'emp - proof' analog car get a 350, the 307 sucks with the computer & even worse without
 
Oct 14, 2008
8,806
7,746
113
Melville,Saskatchewan
Either get your Qjet rebuilt by a expert or step up to the Street Demon and pre computer distributor. The electronic Qjet takes more expertice to get right. The Street Demon is an improved version of the Thermoquad, with all new castings. It has brackets and linkage to work with your TH2004R trans. You will not lose mileage over a Qjet, similar idea but designed different.
 

rose350

Greasemonkey
Nov 4, 2013
119
82
28
Illinois
Thanks everyone for the advice. I found out what the problem was and I'm sure you might get a laugh out of it. The filter that goes in the front of the carburetor had the little plunger removed from it allowing alot of fuel to enter the carb at idle and low RPM causing it to over load the carb. Replaced the filter and now it runs like a dream.
 

Clone TIE Pilot

Comic Book Super Hero
Aug 14, 2011
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It is all too easy to overlook the simple things, just be glad it was simple.
 
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