Carburator delimia: rebuilt Qjet vs 1409 Edelbrock

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jopes

Petty Officer 1st Class
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Oct 19, 2008
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I see places that will do a complete over haul and other stuff like bush the throttle shafts, remove warpage, tune it for my engine, ect for about $400

I do not want to change intakes so if I go with a edelbrock I would need a new carb, adapter plate, and fuel hose. New carb is $360, reman'd is $290, adapter $30, fuel hose is like $75 from iboats. So new it is roughly $465 vs reman of $395.

If I went with the 1409 what kind of tuning is going to be needed for a 350 @ 4800 ft elevation?

Would it be a simple bolt on to the intake with adapter and the fuel hose from Iboats or would I need to to other stuff as well?

I read many, many threads that the 1409 is the carb to use now, but the Qjet gets better millage.

How is the 1409 for trolling at idle compared to the Qjet?

Is the remaned 1409 just as good in the long run of the new 1409 but with saving $70 bucks?

And I need to have everything by Friday for my fishing trip I have planned for the weekend.
 
D

dan t.

Lieutenant Junior Grade
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Feb 28, 2008
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Re: Carburator delimia: rebuilt Qjet vs 1409 Edelbrock

Stick with your q-jet, its a far better carb, there is no Mickey Mousing to make it fit. Adapter plates disrupt the air flow, Edelbrocks have a poor metering system compaired to a q-jet. Edelbrocks tend to ice up in high humidity, they are also prone to hot soak. The q-jet is the best carb out there and your manifold was designed for it, stick with it.
 
04fxdwgi

04fxdwgi

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Jun 10, 2011
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Re: Carburator delimia: rebuilt Qjet vs 1409 Edelbrock

dan t. said:
Stick with your q-jet, its a far better carb, there is no Mickey Mousing to make it fit. Adapter plates disrupt the air flow, Edelbrocks have a poor metering system compaired to a q-jet. Edelbrocks tend to ice up in high humidity, they are also prone to hot soak. The q-jet is the best carb out there and your manifold was designed for it, stick with it.
Click to expand...

I don't about "the best carb out there". They are absolutely good carbs, if set up correctly, but that can be a little tricky and one needs to be sure the plug on the bowl doesn't keak fuel into the manifold, which was always a problem w/ the Qjets (there are fix-it kits available for that problem). That being said, the Qjet is probably my least favorite carb, BUT it does get better milage than, say, a Holley. They all have strong and weak points, but there are reasons why Holley is the most common "performance" carb.

There are all kinds of options for the Qjet and any marine "spread bore" with same flange can replace it. I guess it all depends on what you are comfortable with when it comes to tuning and set up. I've used them all and quite comfortable with each flavor.

SOOOO my take is, yes, I would stick with what was origionally intended to be on there, if nothing else, but just for the simplicity of replacement and mating up properly with choke, linkages, fuel line and such. Unless one is a sort of "motor head" and desires to tinker.
 
AZSenza

AZSenza

Chief Petty Officer
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Mar 11, 2008
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Re: Carburator delimia: rebuilt Qjet vs 1409 Edelbrock

I dont worry as much about mileage since the cost of having someone else work on the Q Jet will negate it! I'm a Holley Edelbrock guy. Being a gearhead, I'd change the intake and use an Eddy. Not the greatest "Idle around the lake" carb but SO easy to work on, its worth the swap to me. For the average boater, I'd say get the Q-Jet overhauled, re-install it and have a GOOD mechanic set it up on the water.
 
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John_S

Rear Admiral
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Jun 21, 2004
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4,269
Re: Carburator delimia: rebuilt Qjet vs 1409 Edelbrock

If the Q-jet was already tuned to your elevation and you have a reputable shop near by, probably the way to go.

A reman q-jet, edelbrock, or holley, will probably need some tuning for your approx 5000' elevation. Carb choice, would be geared toward which you have more experience in tuning. If none, then edelbrock is probably the easiest.

Other tidbits:

- A number of people have reported here on iBoats switching from q-jet to 1409 using the adapter, and not reported performance issues. While I would agree that it is not ideal, it seems that it is not a noticeable problem.

- Holley has a 650cfm marine carb that is spreadbore and should bolt up. Might save you on fuel line change. It is priced higher than the 1409, though, and probably negates the savings.

- There is Mercruiser factory fuel line for weber/edelbrock. That and and a 90 degree fitting at the fuel pump is required to replace the q-jet line. Could also "bend your own".

- Factory refurb 1409's should be fine. Ones from anywhere else are dependant on the quality of the shop performing the work.

- I have a 1409 on my 350 vortec. I don't have any issue at idle, but seldom run it that slow. I do run it for extended periods at 1000rpms, navigating through our channel, and putting around the lake. That is stock tuning at about 1200' elevation.
 
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