Many feel the only advancements in fuel distribution come by way of modern EFI. Thankfully, that is not the case, as evidenced by the Edelbrock AVS2 series of carburetors. For this installment of Throwback Thursday, we’ll go back a few years and revisit a story that tells how the folks at Edelbrock improved upon an already proven design.

Chevy guru, Jeff Smith took a deep dive into Edelbrock’s modernization of its classic AVS (Adjustable Valve Secondary) carburetor. He explained how, by adding an annular-discharge booster to the primary side of the carb, the fuel was better prepared to be used by the engine. The laws of physics that allow modern EFI to operate with such precision will also work on the tried-and-true carburetor; the trick is trying to figure out how to use them to your advantage using only the venturi effect! This is exactly what the annular discharge boosters do so well.

Edelbrock AVS2 Annular Boosters

Jeff does an excellent job of describing the difference between the new, Edelbrock AVS2’s annular discharge within the boosters and why this design is a much better choice than the previous AVS carburetor’s single-outlet style of booster circuit. Check out his explanation for the full story. Suffice it to say, the annular boosters atomize the fuel better, which helps the engine utilize each molecule of fuel more efficiently.

The benefits of the annular boosters begin right at idle and continue to build every mile of the highway. Because of the better control of fuel (sounding more like EFI, right?) the engine is capable of using more of the fuel’s available energy. Those benefits will reveal themselves in a crisper throttle response, improved drivability, and when optimized for the vehicle and driving style exhibited, improved fuel mileage. That is if you can keep your foot out of the tall, skinny pedal.

The Edelbrock AVS2 is an excellent carburetor for most mild street applications. It can easily be tuned for optimum performance and fuel mileage.

The AVS2 is offered in multiple configurations including 500, 650, and 800 cfm sizes, and in both manual and electric choke versions. From there, the Edelbrock AVS2 carburetor can easily be optimized for the vehicle it is installed without totally disassembling the carburetor and draining the fuel. Edelbrock offers calibration kits specific to its AVS2 series of carburetors. Edelbrock also offers the AVS2 carburetor in a black powder coat, satin, black plasma, and chrome plasma finishes.

This Throwback Thursday proves that, just like a sensible diet, you don’t need to cut out the carbs completely to get improved drivability and excellent part throttle response. By modernizing its AVS line of carburetors with the AVS2, Edelbrock has kept its line of vacuum-powered fuel siphons on the cutting edge of modern carburetor technology.