I do my homework before I post. I know all these comments from other builders are one man's opinion. Just letting you know there are opposite opinions. Many carb kits are sold with enough parts to cover variances in models. The Summit kit covers 10 Carters and 9 Edelbrocks.
Even with you trying to overwhelm me with numbers like 150,000 carbs, The fact is the Edelbrock is a Carter AFB, that's all I am saying originally.(when I got the groan)
Mr. Goodwrench is just Mr. Goodpliers who thinks you need to "tune" a carb to be cool. Just clean it, put in the kit and start the motor. Most of us are not drag racers or performance crazy, but we can rebuild a carb., we can read and follow instructions. Don't look down on us regular guys. I haven't worried about gas mileage in 30 years.
Common Problems with TQ:
Cracked/Warped Main Bodies - The plastic construction of the Thermoquad main-body means older Thermoquads are prone to cracking or warping of the main-body, resulting in major fuel leaks. The best solution to this problem is to simply replace the main-body, although repair may be possible in some cases. This problem, and the associated cost of rectification, is no doubt one explanation for the proliferation of Holley carburettors now fitted to vehicles which were originally fitted with Thermoquads. Purchasing and rebuilding a good second-hand Thermoquad will cost roughly the same as fitting a new or rebuilt Holley carburettor.
Flooding/Sunken-floats - Most floats fitted to Thermoquads are made of a lightweight porous resin. With time (many years) the floats can become saturated with fuel and sink, causing the needle and seat to remain open, resulting in severe flooding of the carburettor. The only solution is to replace the floats, which are readily available and cost something around $50.
Stuck Choke - The Thermoquad choke is activated by a bi-metallic spring enclosed in the black bakelite housing on the side of the carburettor. When the engine is cold, the spring contracts, closing the choke. When the engine is running, the spring is heated by a 7 volt electric current, usually taken directly from a terminal on the vehicle's alternator. As the spring is heated, it releases and allows the choke to open. Incorporated into the top of the spring housing is a thermatic switch which controls the flow of current to the spring. This switch is comprised of a bi-metallic disc which is heated by a flow of air from the exhaust manifold, which is drawn via a pipe between the spring housing and exhaust manifold, past the switch, and into the carburettor. Once the switch is heated, it closes and initiates the flow of current to the spring.
This thermatic switch often becomes inoperative with age, resulting in the choke remaining permanently closed. This results in extremly rich mixtures, fast idle speed, and excessive fuel consumption.
One solution to this problem is to bypass the switch as follows. The electrical connection to the spring housing is an extension of a metal cover plate riveted to the top of the spring housing. Drill out these rivets and remove the cover. The bi-metallic disc and it's own small retracting spring is located in a recess under the cover. Remove the disc and it's spring. In the bottom of the recess is a small terminal which supplies current via the switch to the main choke spring. Drill out the bottom of the recess, including this small terminal, to reveal the heavy metal base which the spring is mounted on. Solder a copper strap of at least 1amp rating between this base and the cover plate. Replace the cover plate and screw in place. The air-pipe to the exhaust manifold can now also be removed as it is not needed any longer. Block the fitting to the spring housing with a suitable nut or bolt to prevent the ingress of dirt. This procedure is simpler with the spring housing removed from the carburettor.
Be sure replace the housing in it's original orientation as rotation in either direction affects the choke adjustment. With the thermatic switch bypassed, the choke will begin to disengage as soon as the engine has started, becoming fully disengaged maybe five minutes after the engine is running. This won't be problematic in most cases. See the choke adjustment section below should poor cold-running become apparent after this modification and compensatory adjustment required.
