Should I keep the q-jet??

[baddogg79]

Currently mt 73gmc has a 2 barrel stock carb on it from the donor vehicle. I have the qjet from the orgional engine. Would it be worth it to spend the cash on a holley or edelbrock one, or just rebuild the qjet? Is there a advantage to the aftermarket ones? The motor will at one point have a mild cam and some heads. Thanks!

[VileZambonie]

i'd rebuild the Q-jet

[okuma]

I WOULD DEFENETLY BUY A NEW ONE! "5 OUT OF 10 TIMES DO REBUILT CARB WORK GOOD".  YOU WILL NOTICE WITH A NEW EDELBROCK 600 CFM THE DIFFERENCE IN --  POWER , NO BLACK SMOKE FROM THE EXHAUST , TORQUE AND MY FAVORITE ....... SAVED ME ALOT OF GAS!!!!! THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT WITH THE GAS PRICE WE HAVE NOW!!!

[FlatBlack77]

i'd rebuild the Q-jet

I WOULD DEFENETLY BUY A NEW ONE! "5 OUT OF 10 TIMES DO REBUILT CARB WORK GOOD".  YOU WILL NOTICE WITH A NEW EDELBROCK 600 CFM THE DIFFERENCE IN --  POWER , NO BLACK SMOKE FROM THE EXHAUST , TORQUE AND MY FAVORITE ....... SAVED ME ALOT OF GAS!!!!! THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT WITH THE GAS PRICE WE HAVE NOW!!!

If you do it right, a rebuilt carb should have no problems. turn off your caps

[Blazin]

The Q jet will give you better millage as long as your foot isn't into the secondaries all the time. A properly built Q jet will give way more power, and throttle response than a Holley or Edlejunk. plus once they are adjusted they are good. every one I know with a Holley has to adjust it for cold and warm season changes. I don't run my 55 ( has a Holley 500 ) in the winter but I notice when I run it on a cool fall morning or night its not the same as the dead of summer.

[okuma]

I WAS REFERING to a rust wear that is made on the interior of the carb, where the jets and needles ports sit !. if  a carb is from 1973 imagine the rust and wear that has been formed and has been seated on all them fuel bolws also!

[werewolfx13]

Personally, I loathe quadrajunks. The only reason my truck still has a qjet is because I'm building another engine for my truck and it'll sport TBI, so theres no reason for me to shell out $500 for a street Predator. Doesn't get any easier to adjust than a Predator though..simple metering cam swap to match it to your engine and you're done, never touch it again..same carb, same cam is good from 300-900 cfm depending on the current demands from the engine. Course, initial installation can be a pain if you're not familiar with em, and if you're used to qjets/holleys/carters(edelbrock), a Predator seems to be a strange animal because of its simplicity.

[VileZambonie]

I WAS REFERING to a rust wear that is made on the interior of the carb, where the jets and needles ports sit !. if  a carb is from 1973 imagine the rust and wear that has been formed and has been seated on all them fuel bolws also!

It's aluminum how does it rust? During a rebuild you clean all the passageways throughout the carb. Q-jets aren't as easy to tune as Edelbrock but if you've already got a good Q-jet you can rebuild it for $25 bucks.

[Blazin]

I agree aluminum doesn't rust. It can corrode but not inside or in a closed area like a carb.
 If you look around on the net there is a few guys that have allot of info on which years are the best for the body of the carb. which years have the better rods, and hangers for performance applications. I printed a bunch of pages off the net a few years back. I have them stashed some where but couldn't lay my hands on them last night. I was going to post the url up here for you.

[Captkaos]

Hands down if I was still dealing with Carbs I would choose a Q-jet.  As they are pretty simple to rebuild and inexpensive as Vile pointed out.

[okuma]

I meant corrode due to rust/dirt ect... from the gas tank....into the carb .....through the fuel.... i had this happen to one of my trucks. the original Q-jet got to its end. didn't matter who rebuilt it. its was no good anymore.

[baddogg79]

I WAS REFERING to a rust wear that is made on the interior of the carb, where the jets and needles ports sit !. if  a carb is from 1973 imagine the rust and wear that has been formed and has been seated on all them fuel bolws also!

Thanks for all the replys, The one i got one the orgional engine was a rebuilt. According to the crappy records(might not be real records) it was bought in 89. I think in going to keep the qjet. Is there a site where i can get parts for it, like linkinages and stuff?

[Blazin]

Best resorce for parts for them is a used one. If you look around junk yards they will probably be pretty cheap as most yards don't deal with older carb stuff any more.

[Lt.Del]

My neighborhood slavage yard is rather large.  The GM section,man, there are hundreds of qjets still sitting on the engines. Take your pic, all different qjets on all different GM makes, pontiac, olds, chevy, etc...

[1976Scottsdale]

When I was really into the Q-jets, I went to the local salvage yard and asked about getting one to rebuild.  Ended up giving him $20.00 and got a box that had about 25 or 26 old Q-jets in it.  I found 4 that ran great as is, about 10 that were complete, ran, but needed adjusted and/or kits, and the rest were parts.  I currently have two that run, one of which is about 3 years old.