I found an Edmunds Custom aluminum dual carb intake for my Pontiac straight 8 project and now I have to decide which carbs to run on it. I have heard good and not so good things about both carbs but have not had any personal experience with either. What are your opinions?
Been a long time since I messed with either one, but I do remember that the Holley, and it's predecessor Chandler Grove, had a power valve, or as they called it, an"econo miser"valve with a diaphragm easily ruptured if the cngine should backfire, or cough, and the same function was performed mechanically in the Stromberg.
In my experience the Strombergs are easier to fine tune. Sent from my SGH-T999 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
If cost is a major concern, 94's. If not, 97's. (If you have a stash or are real lucky, you can disregard this.)
I don't believe a backfire will hurt anything? Maybe.., Backfiring through the carb can. Later Holley carbs have blowout protection.
A backfire through the carb is exactly what I was referring to. Should have been more specific I suppose.
The Holley "94" has a direct p***age beneath the economizer (power) valve that, in the case of economizer valve failure, will drain the carburetor bowl directly into the intake manifold. Since the valve is neopreme, it can fail from modern fuel, as well as an engine backfire through the carburetor. Stromberg used a different approach where the power valve (metal, not neopreme) simply augments the main metering jet fuel supply (when open), and the fuel enters the venturi area through the main discharge nozzles, which are above the level of fuel in the bowl. The above comparison is all I need, but different folks will have different opinions. HOWEVER: Since you are placing this on a Pontiac, have you given any consideration to using Carters, as did Pontiac back in the day? The Carters, because of the metering rod technology, are superior (opinion) to either the Stromberg EE-1 ("97") or the Holley AA-1 ("94"). Jon.
Well you're not gonna believe this.., but ... incorrect information gets repeated on the internet back and forth over and over and eventually take on a life of their own. I know YOU know what you're talking about...
What Carter would it take? I have two or three but they have the four bolt flange and the Edmunds intake uses a three bolt style carb.
Lots of Carter type WD-0 had the 3-bolt flange. Newer WCD's also have the 3-bolt flange. Do your homework. The big Carter books show up on Ebay frequently, and are not overly expensive. Pontiac used the 4 bolt WCD. Find a matching pair of the 3 bolt WCD's (hopefully with the same main venturii as the Pontiac unit), and put in a Pontiac calibration (idle jets, main jets, metering rods, vacuum piston springs) as a starting point from which to tune. EDIT: I did a quick search on Ebay of Carter carburetor book. Stay away from the new paper-back; ebay number 302528179480 is one like you can use. (No, it isn't mine!) Jon.
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