# Edelbrock Performer Carb Compatibility Warning



## System (7 mo ago)

Hey guys, just wanted to save someone else from making the mistake I almost made. I decided to save a few bucks over doing a Holley and ordered an Edelbrock Performer 750 carb for my new motor... part # 1411. This morning while looking for a suitable air cleaner base to clear the electric choke, I stumbled across a post on a Ford forum about my specific setup using a 1411 carb on a Performer RPM intake. The member found out after trying over and over to correctly tune his carb that Edelbrock has a disclaimer about this combo on their site that states:

*The Edelbrock Performer series #1406 & #1411 carburetors are calibrated lean for fuel economy and in most cases, will not function properly on Performer RPM & Torker style manifolds. Most people think you can just change the calibration of the carburetor and turn it into one of the Edelbrock performance carbs. This is not the case as the Venturi boosters are also different and Edelbrock does not sell Venturi boosters separately. In most cases when using one of our economy style carbs on a Performer RPM or Torker style intakes will cause hesitations and surging in the lower RPM range.*


Well, it sure would have been nice for the "tech advisor" on Jegs site to inform me of this before suggesting this carb for my setup! My saving grace is my builder hasn't yet installed the carb so I am getting it back from him to return. That said, I'll be going back to a familiar Holley (Quick Fuel variant) 750. What irritates me further is that Jegs insists I pay return shipping despite the combo being their suggestion. I guess I should be grateful that fuel hadn't gone through it rendering it nonreturnable but I still am leaning more and more towards Summit for future purchases. Anyways, buyer beware on Edelbrock Performer carbs as all things are not always equal...

Now to hold myself back from going mechanical secondary and over buying instead of underbuying...


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## System (7 mo ago)

PS: I think I have the replacement selected. I was going to go 800cfm AVS2 but they are backordered for 4 months like everything else I try to order.... This one looks like a good substitute. 



https://www.summitracing.com/parts/qft-hr-780-vs


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## michaelfind (Dec 14, 2018)

That looks like a reasonable option. I wish prices were more "reasonable."


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## System (7 mo ago)

I hear you @michaelfind ! Everything I am after has shot up in price, gone on terminal backorder, or both...


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## Baaad65 (Aug 29, 2019)

System said:


> PS: I think I have the replacement selected. I was going to go 800cfm AVS2 but they are backordered for 4 months like everything else I try to order.... This one looks like a good substitute.
> 
> 
> 
> https://www.summitracing.com/parts/qft-hr-780-vs


What about a Demon carb? Don Gould who owns FBO Ignition that wrote the book "Tuning to Win" that's what he likes and I set up my timing curve according to him and love the performance.


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## System (7 mo ago)

There are quite a few contenders. I'm just going with what I know at this point. 🍻


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## System (7 mo ago)

Who wants to play the mechanical vs. vacuum secondaries game with me? I have until Sat to decide as it's sales tax weekend here in MA so I'll order then. Vacuum unit is listed above. The mechanical option is:



https://www.summitracing.com/parts/qft-hr-750


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## armyadarkness (Dec 7, 2020)

I'm not I'm not familiar with that exact model, but I have extensive knowledge with their products and I'm a bit skeptical. I think the yellow block can easily be tuned as rich as you would like across every aspect of the RPM range.. That being said I don't know about that exact model model, but I can't see it being overly different from any of the others. If you want to discuss it in depth Shoot me a text before you go through the aggravation of returning it. I am a huge advocate for their carburetors


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## armyadarkness (Dec 7, 2020)

Yes I know this is a different model, but they are identical except for the Venturi. The only thing the Venturi does is atomize the delivery better. It neither leans or richens it. I find it extremely difficult to believe that this wouldn't be tuned out of it simply. But again I have had these carburetors apart hundreds of times.








EDELBROCK AVS2 FOR PONTIAC - STOP HATING THIS CARB!


Since I see weekly carb postings on this site, and no one seems to love Edelbrock carbs or include them in the GTO options, I figured that I'd make a post to at least enlighten folks about why this carb can be great. First of all, Edelbrock has improved their carbs and they now have an AVS2...




www.gtoforum.com


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## Baaad65 (Aug 29, 2019)

System said:


> Who wants to play the mechanical vs. vacuum secondaries game with me? I have until Sat to decide as it's sales tax weekend here in MA so I'll order then. Vacuum unit is listed above. The mechanical option is:
> 
> 
> 
> https://www.summitracing.com/parts/qft-hr-750


I've heard and read that if you have a manual trans go with a dp, and with light throttle cruising around you're using only the primary circuit anyway. And I think you can use an 800 cfm, I'm running an 850 and it's not to big, you can always jet it down but at least you have the air. Also do you need a choke, I don't have one and it starts great but I don't drive it when it's under 50 degrees. I started with a 750 Street Avenger , vac secondary and choke but I just thought the car should have more power than it did, I'm really happy with this carb now. Of course I'm no expert so you better fact check me 😉


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## System (7 mo ago)

I ran a 4150 on my Camaro years ago and had it pretty well dialed in. As to the choke, I didn't have one back then and it was a pain in the arse on colder days until it warmed up. Even at 50 degrees. Perhaps i don't need it but the modern electric chokes seem so easy to set up.


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## Jared (Apr 19, 2013)

Funny thing about this. I wonder why they specify just those 2 carbs and why a bigger performer carb would be OK. I'm running an 800 CFM Performer on a Torquer II with zero hesitation issues. I wanted to go with an AVS but they have been back ordered since last winter. Evidently that hasn't changed. I bought the Performer as a rebuilt and it's been fine. To add to this, I had the 1406 on mine for the break in period. It was way too small for the engine I have but I knew it ran good on the old low HP 400. That carb didn't have any low RPM issues installed on the torquer II either.


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## lust4speed (Jul 5, 2019)

System, would you happen to have the link to the page on the Edelbrock site? I've went through their listed information and the instruction sheets and can't find that quote. Everything I read says that the carbs are infinitely tunable.


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## System (7 mo ago)

I believe it was an answer to a question posted somewhere there. Not really sure where it was though...


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## lust4speed (Jul 5, 2019)

Okay, found it. Very last question in the FAQ's after clicking on Carburetors: Edelbrock.com: Edelbrock Product Frequently Asked Questions

Not sure why they classify those two carbs as economy carbs in the FAQ's but not in the sales information. Some of the other FAQ's were a little strange also in the answers. One of my favorites was a person asking why there wasn't a front fuel inlet offered and the answer was that the front 3/8" fitting was a vacuum inlet for the PCV valve. The tech made no reference to the available L shaped inlet pipe offered as an accessory that allows for a front fuel inlet. Some of the other answers were pretty hinky also.


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## armyadarkness (Dec 7, 2020)

lust4speed said:


> System, would you happen to have the link to the page on the Edelbrock site? I've went through their listed information and the instruction sheets and can't find that quote. Everything I read says that the carbs are infinitely tunable.


Yeah, after I read this thread I contacted the OP and discussed this in depth. 

While the boosters are not a swappable part, they also dont control the mixture. And although it migh move the power band, a manifold wont control it either. I can see (almost) Edelbrok stating that a base calibration would be insufficient for a particular setup, but certainly a 750 CFM carb on an Edelbrock manny, and anything under a 400 cui, wouldnt be lean.

This all may be true, but on the surface, Im very skeptical.


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## armyadarkness (Dec 7, 2020)

I met the Tech Dept manager at Edelbrock, Dave Stinson, several years ago, and we've stayed in touch. I met him because I left a review somewhere that one of the Edelbrock support techs was an idiot. He responded that "several of them were".

I mean... why are we even designing a 750 cfm carb for economy? Anyone with an engine big enough to mathmatically require a 750, already owns an uneconomical car, so what's the point? Why not just put a 500 cfm carb on it? 

And Im even more curious as to what specifically about an Edelbrock Performer "richens it up" enough to work with an economy carb. How can a 600 cfm carb work perfect on a Performer, but 750 cant? 

Sounds to me like the tech is trying to insinuate that the boosters on a 750 cfm carb, arent capable of handling 750 cfms.


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## System (7 mo ago)

It certainly doesn't make a lot of sense to me either. Jegs has a disclaimer about compatibility on their site too. But get this... the owners manual for my Performer RPM intake specifically lists the 1411 as one of the compatible carbs! So, who knows...


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## Scott06 (May 6, 2020)

System said:


> It certainly doesn't make a lot of sense to me either. Jegs has a disclaimer about compatibility on their site too. But get this... the owners manual for my Performer RPM intake specifically lists the 1411 as one of the compatible carbs! So, who knows...


Agreed Like you and Army I have found eddy carbs to be very tune able. I suspect this is a way to push more customers to the newer AV2 carbs that admittedly have more tuneability, better boosters, and features. I'm assuming builds targeted at higher rpm where parts mismatch may be an issue require a more talented tuner, this may steer the buyer into a larger window of success vs the base performer carb. Would bet that comment wasn't on their website before the AV2 carbs came out...


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