Need quick answer for carb

[MOPEkid]

Hey everyone, I found a used Carter Thermo-Quad on eBay that has a current bid of 10 bux. It was originally off a Dodge van, and hasn't been rebuilt or cleaned. I'm about to e-mail the seller and ask how well it works and how long it's been sitting. I want to put this along with a decent 4-bbl manifold on the 318 in my '70 Duster. Is it a good deal? OH YEAH, as of now the auction has 4 hours left.

EDIT: It was actually off a mid-'80s Dodge van, not a 1980, if it makes a difference.

[RacerHog]

As long as it is in usable condition. Why not? Ask him to take it back if it don't work.

[dodger1]

For ten bucks you can't lose. Jeez, we drop a tenspot for a couple of burgers!! A carb kit for $30 or so and you have a very flexible TQ. Never mind even asking the guy if it works, but do ask if it's complete with linkage, both choke and throttle. Buy it!!

[rumblefish360]

There an easy rebuild. 10 for the carb, 30 for the rebuild kit a can of carb cleaner from NAPA, 30 more????
Cheap carb.

Year of the carb helps. The newer ones do not lend themselfs to well to mods on the engine. But they'll work well.

[MOPEkid]

Oh well, it doesn't matter. I forgot about the auction until 10 minutes after it ended, so I guess I'm not getting it anyway... Sorry for wasting your guys' time.

[TrashedCharger]

If you feel like taking a trip up to Pull n Save, they had a '70's dodge ram with a complete quadrajet and intake. You could probably nab everything for under $40

The thermoquad makes a nice driver. They are high CFM rating, but they don't function like a regular four barrel and the primaries are as small (if not smaller) than a two barrel carb and make for a great street carb.

If you need parts for it, let me know.

[Satty71]

Ditto on that, they have good street manors and lots of get up and go when stabbed. I go tmine from sizzler for a whole lot less then you will spend on a brand new carb now a days. I let it sit for 6 months and it fired up with no problems and drove great. No it is sitting for 6 more!!

[MOPEkid]

Alright, I guess I'll keep looking. TrashedCharger, which Pull 'n Save are you talking about? I'm guessing you're referring to the one in Aurora.

[73charger528]

I had a thermoquad on a 440 they work quit well and have huge secondaries.

[rumblefish360]

On the 318, IF you can find the smaller primary T-Q, the 318 will like it better. Use with a 340/360 T-Q factory iron intake and small valve heads and mill'em down some or replace the pistons in the block with a zero deck unit.

She'll move for ya.

[dodger1]

Pretty well any TQ core you find in the junkyard will be an 800 cfm (small primary) version. Very streetable, even with 360 heads and factory iron manifold, as rumble says. Plus demonsizzler has a good rep here for setting TQ's up at a very reasonable price.

[rumblefish360]

Really? I like your luck. I only find the big bore versions.

[BELVEDERE2]

Go to Demonsizzler. I got his 890cfm Twister for my 340. Couldn't be better. Much better than the ole Holley.

[MOPEkid]

How much are they?

[BELVEDERE2]

$275. I didn't have a core to send to him so I went with that one. I believe it would cost less if you sent him a rebuildable core.

[MOPEkid]

No, that's way too much for me. I'm looking for something at most $50 off eBay or from the junkyard.

[hotrod7043]

there are actually 3 primary bore sizes on the tqs my buddy went thru it with his318 s/s car

[rumblefish360]

I only have listings for 2 sizes, 1-1/2 and 1-3/8.

$50 for a running carb is a needle in a haystack deal. Good luck.

[MOPEkid]

It doesn't necessarily have to be running. I'll buy a rebuilt one for max $60, but I don't need a modified hot-rod carb. Just something cheap that will work well for the time being.

[dodger1]

Back to square 1 for you, then. I don't know where your town is, but if you're anywhere near Denver I would think the Yellow Pages might turn up a j/y TQ for you. Don't even be concerned about the year or engine it came from (except feedback carbs from early 80s) as they'll be fine for your stated purpose after cleanup and kit. I personally would look for a truck unit as they'll be less likely to be feedback style. So any car or truck from early 70s to early 80s with the same trans as your car (for correct linkage) should be the donor. Cheers!

[rumblefish360]

I'll buy a rebuilt one for max $60,

Again, good luck and happy hunting for that one.

[MOPEkid]

Okay then, fine. I'll look for a non-rebuilt one.

[dodger1]

MOPEkid - I should have mentioned that old TQ's can have leaking jet wells . They are a part of the phenolic (plastic??) main body and are repairable with epoxy, so don't be scared off if you find a donor with that problem. (Rumble, I guess the northeast got all the bigblock TQ's and we wound up with the 800's)

[TrashedCharger]

You can get a new plastic body for cheap.

The 800cfm one that I had, was rebuilt by holley at some point in time and had excellent components. I actually made a bracket for the edelbrock/ carter electric choke unit to work on it with a custom made ratio arm. It worked quite well on the car that it was on. They are getting easier to find parts for.

Even though the smaller ThermoQuad is rated at 800CFM, you have to remember the difference in size between the primary and secondary tubes. It acts like a 450-500cfm carb when cruisng and will only use as much fuel/air in the secondaries as that engine can pull, thanks to the adjustable spring on the secondary butterfly.

I have a super clean 4966S Carter AVS that I would be willing to let go of. Those are very easy to convert to an electric choke. They have the bungs on them that the AFB have. You just have to drill and tap them to accept the electric choke unit from an AFB. The 4966S is correct for a '71 non high performance 440 (and maybe other motors), but makes for a very nice carb on a hotrodded 318, because it's 625cfm. 650 is a bit much.

Autozone wants $288 for a rebuilt one without a core exchange. I can rebuild this one to stock specs for you and it would look new. Unlike most cores, this one has no rust on the steel or nasty corrosion on the aluminum. This is a nice, complete carburetor that was drained after running and stored inside. unless you have a small block four barrel square bore manifold with the heat stove and the thermostatic choke, the thermostatic choke will run you about $50 by itself. An electric choke from a parts edelbrock AFB could be had for less. Or you could go the hokey way and do a manual cable for $10 that would run like ass.

Shoot me an offer if you can't find anything else. I may have something for you.

That quadrajet was on a Dodge pickup about two weeks ago. It may be gone by now. I wouldn't make a trip up to Aurora just to find out it's gone. They never know what they have (not even makes/ models) ... It's a field trip for sure.

Your best bet would be to get in contact with a few people here in Denver. I could probably help you locate a rebuildable four barrel carb, even if you can't afford the AVS that I have.

[rumblefish360]

Originally Posted by TrashedCharger

You can get a new plastic body for cheap.

Where? Got a link?

The 800cfm one that I had, was rebuilt by holley at some point in time and had excellent components. I actually made a bracket for the edelbrock/ carter electric choke unit to work on it with a custom made ratio arm. It worked quite well on the car that it was on. They are getting easier to find parts for.

I also did the same. It's posted here someplace. It looks bad, but works well. The rod from the choke to the linkage was standard AFB surplus.

It acts like a 450-500cfm carb when cruisng

Closer to 200 - 250 cfm. There really tiny.

I have a super clean 4966S Carter AVS that I would be willing to let go of. Those are very easy to convert to an electric choke.

A drill and tap from Sears did it for me. Take the attaching screw down to them for a proper tap and drill sizeing. The AVS has the same mounting pads in the same area.
I did it as well. It's posted here someplace.

They have the bungs on them that the AFB have. You just have to drill and tap them to accept the electric choke unit from an AFB. The 4966S is correct for a '71 non high performance 440 (and maybe other motors), but makes for a very nice carb on a hotrodded 318, because it's 625cfm. 650 is a bit much.

Ha ha, he said bung! I called 'em mounting pads. Missed it.
650 to much....naaaaa, build dependent, the tuners abilty second.

Or you could go the hokey way and do a manual cable for $10 that would run like ass.

It's a pain to do that. Looks poor but can run OK if you take the time to set it up.

[rumblefish360]

Originally Posted by MOPEkid

Okay then, fine. I'll look for a non-rebuilt one.

If you go to a pick and pull Junk Yard, look for the oldest T-Q you can find. The rebuild kits run about $30 $35 bucks, give or take.
IF you have a can of carb cleaner you can dunk it in, the extra expense is over the $50 - $60 bucks to rebuild it. But OOOO so worth it.

Take you time and set this carb up following all the measured specs.

From Dodger,

(Rumble, I guess the northeast got all the bigblock TQ's and we wound up with the 800's)

LOL, I guess some guess have all the luck.

[MOPEkid]

Right now I'm looking at one on eBay that's disassembled and comes with a rebuild kit. It has about 20 hours left, and is currently at $17.49. It seems like a good deal, I'm going to watch how it goes. BTW it's an 850 cfm version from a 440.

[dodger1]

www.tomco-inc.com is the link for TQ main body replacements and other TQ parts and kits. They are in St. Louis, IIRC. I have attached their .pdf page for more info.

[rumblefish360]

Tom-co told me there not making them anymore. I hope the guy was wrong when he told me that.

[JD451]

Originally Posted by rumblefish360

Tom-co told me there not making them anymore. I hope the guy was wrong when he told me that.

To my understanding (this was told to me by a VG source) that Tomco was the only makers of the TQ main section sence the dawn of time, Now they parked the mold for many years, just recently (in the last few years) they started making the Main sections again for there rebuilds, well after making so many (don't know the actual #s) the mold broke, this mold was very old & to fix or build another is just too much for the slow market of the TQ, SO they have a small pile of new ones in house, but they are not for sale, just being used as a last resort for the broken or cracked ones that come in on the cores, they will ONLY be used for there purposes.