edelbrock carb instead of holley?

[salty87]

i have a PCM chevy 454 engine with holley 4 barrel carb that needs a re-building. the kit plus someone to help me re-build and then tune it will cost around $150 give or take a few. a new edelbrock marine carb runs about $300 shipped.<br /><br />i never really had any 'problems' with the holley but i don't really know that it was running properly. the holley came with it when i bought it a few years ago. i've always had some smoke on start-up and a little sheen on the water when starting cold.<br /><br />so, i'm thinking of switching to the edelbrock and am interested in hearing about past experiences with making this change and with running an edelbrock carb.<br /><br />thanks

 

[f_inscreenname]

Re: edelbrock carb instead of holley?

I have run about every carb made. My preference is the Edelbrock by far. One thing I like about them is the whole thing is on piece (except for the top). Second they are real easy to tune and if you ever do have a problem with it the rebuild kit is only 35 bucks and if you could figure out how to make a post here I am sure you could handle rebuilding it yourself.

 

[flashback]

Re: edelbrock carb instead of holley?

ive "heard" the holly's are bad about accelerator pumps leaking around shaft. never had one but i repaced a rochester with a edelbrock 2-3 years ago and its been great so far...........

 

[Scaaty]

Re: edelbrock carb instead of holley?

I've had zero probs with my Edelbrock 600cfm on my 350....Q-Jet went to ebay

 

[Laddies]

Re: edelbrock carb instead of holley?

Ebelbrock is a knock of of the AFB it don't get any better than that and anything is better than a Holley

 

[jonmurr]

Re: edelbrock carb instead of holley?

Old Holleys are a pain if you get a dud. Their quality control was spotty back in the day. Eldelbrocks are nice that you can change the cruise and power mixture independently by means of the stepped primary rods. Holleys are fixed in their relationship between the two, unless you get into replacing the high and low speed air bleeds, not a task for the average DIY person. My Holley works great. A Holley will generally make more total power over similar size AFB/Edelbrock, but the difference for a marine application is dubious at best. Our restrictive exhaust systems,small camshafts, are a larger factor. If you have a good Holley I'd leave it alone, if I was changing I would consider an Eddie. (I'd consider TBI myself, but I like tows back to shore too) <br />Jon

 

[jimmbo]

Re: edelbrock carb instead of holley?

Actually it isn't too hard to recalibrate a holley for good mixtures for cruise and power on the primary side. Find which jets do the best cruise mixture, then then the best for power. Calculate the area of each jet, then find the difference in area. Measure the restriction in the power circut add the previous difference in area to these and select the appropriate drill and resize the power restriction.. It wouldn't take holley too much effort to make this circut with changable orfices

 

[montanaman]

Re: edelbrock carb instead of holley?

I've been running an edelbrock on my chevy 350 for 10 years and only had to re-calibrate it twice. First time when I moved from MT to NC and then again when I moved back. About 3,500 ft of elevation change. Once you get it dialed in it's set. The holley is a good carb just not quite as user friendly. What color is the smoke at start-up?

 

[moderator1]

Re: edelbrock carb instead of holley?

Moving to I/O and inboard questions.

 

[salty87]

Re: edelbrock carb instead of holley?

the smoke is grey/white, after engine warms for about 3 mins and you rev the throttle 4 or 5 times it seems to blow out and settle down.<br /><br />right now, the holley is messed up. i have no experience with carbs so i'm going to butcher this...the trailer was parked with a lean to port. the throttle had been left nudged forward, out of gear....i don't know if that had anything to do with it. but the next time i tried to start up, gas was just flowing down the throat of the carb, not spraying but flowing even after letting off the throttle.<br /><br />i don't know how old the holley is, i've never had it worked on, and it's backfired so many times since i've owned it i figure it probably wasn't running too good anyway.<br /><br />bottom line...the edelbrock is on it's way. i'll either get the holley rebuilt before i sell it or just sell, i haven't looked at prices for them.

 

[rjherrman_1]

Re: edelbrock carb instead of holley?

Where did you buy the Edelbrock from? Do you have to purchase an adapter to use it on your intake manifold? From what I understand, the Holly uses a spead bore and the Edelbrock uses a square bore. Am I wrong on this?

 

[jonmurr]

Re: edelbrock carb instead of holley?

All Edelbrocks are drilled with both bolt patterns. Some manifolds will need a thin spacer that comes with many Edelbrocks to seal correctly. Is is also available separately.<br />Jon

 

[salty87]

Re: edelbrock carb instead of holley?

jeg's... http://www.jegs.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ProductDisplay?prrfnbr=691&prmenbr=361

 

[Bondo]

Re: edelbrock carb instead of holley?

Holly uses a spead bore

Traditionally, Holley uses a Square bore......<br /><br />Rochester uses a Spread bore........

 

[Scaaty]

Re: edelbrock carb instead of holley?

Summit Racing (or Jegs) have them all on there websites or catalogs, along with whatever bore plate kit you would need..I prefer Summit for clairity

 

[jimmbo]

Re: edelbrock carb instead of holley?

Holley makes both<br /><br /> http://www.holley.com/HiOctn/ProdLine/Products/Marine/FMS/FMSC/0-80552.html <br /><br />My carb

 

[salty87]

Re: edelbrock carb instead of holley?

robby6950....i hadn't ever been to summit's site but you're right, it's packed with information.

 

[rodbolt]

Re: edelbrock carb instead of holley?

hello<br /> the power valves on a holley will blow out on a backfire. the valves are controled by engine vacum. the primary metering jets thread into the metering block. does your PCM holley use the one piece top or does it have a removable fuel bowl at each end ? does it have externally adjustable floats or preset ones. what you have is a needle valve problem. can and will happen if the fuel has trash in I dont care who made it.<br /> the power valves are made in 1/2"Hg increments from about 13"Hg to about 3.5"hg. the primary jets are in sizes from about.030 to about .175<br /> there are several sizes of needle seat assy depending on how much fuel you need to flow.<br />try to post a few pics of this carb.

 

[Buttanic]

Re: edelbrock carb instead of holley?

Hollys now have a check valve in the power valve circiut to prevent blowout on a backfire. They offer a kit to retrofit olders carbs that do not have the checkvalve.

 

[nms1991]

Re: edelbrock carb instead of holley?

If your engine is mounted on an angle you should use a wedge plate to level off the carb if it is a direct drive inboard. There should already be a adapter plate on the intake for a square bore carb.