Edelbrock 1406 - Stiff mechanical secondary open

[Kyle K]

Hey folks, probably a simple one for you, but have a question. My terminology may be wrong on this, so please correct me if so. I have a new Edelbrock 1406 4-barrel carb going onto a SBC350 crate (1973 Chevy Blazer).

I haven't fired it up yet, but when just pulling the throttle lever on the carb by hand, it's MUCH stiffer than the old carb that came off (roughly same carb). So the first 60-70% of lever pull is easy (primaries opening), last 30% pretty stiff. In holding it, that's the part where the secondaries finally open. I'm changing the throttle cable too, and when hooked up it's a lot of pedal pressure it feels like to open those up.

I wrote edelbrock and they said "all Edelbrock Carburetors have a Secondary Lock Out Prevention, the Choke has to be connected and functional for the Choke Blade to be Fully Open for the Secondaries to Open, so I can see why when you tried this before installing the Carb...". I'm not sure I understand their response. I get the choke plate won't open without hooked up, but not sure why one carb in my hand is way stiffer than the other when pressing throttle to WOT.

Here are three very horrible pictures trying to explain what i mean. Basically between 2 and 3 is when it's stiff/tight. Any way to adjust? Thoughts? Thanks!

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[Kyle K]

Oh yea, a couple of clarifying points...the secondaries do open when I do it by hand fully, it's just very stiff to do it. So nothing is binding on the intake or anything (I do have an adapter plate). I don't understand the lockout if it's fully opening. Stiffness is where my concern is.

 

[Bextreme04]

There is a lockout to keep the secondaries from opening when the engine is cold. You are forcing the secondaries to open when they shouldn't be opening. The electric choke has to pull the choke off fully before the secondaries are supposed to open at all, which is why it is so stiff. That is how the quadrajets are also. I haven't had any experience with edelbrocks, but that is what they are talking about.