Holley vs. Edelbrock
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 119
Likes: 0
From: Davison
Holley vs. Edelbrock
i have a holley 4bbl 1850 and i have read many bad things about it so i want to get your opinions. i have priced the edelbrocks and they are not that expensive. the carb is going to fit a 351m. i had the holley on there but my truck kept backfiring and i think i ruined the power valve. i retorqued the vavles and i found that the number 7 was way off so i think i got the backfiring fixed if not i am going to invest in a MDS 6a. well thanks for your help
Ford Man
1978 f-250 ext cab
Ford Man
1978 f-250 ext cab
Senior User
Joined: Nov 1999
Posts: 179
Likes: 0
Holley vs. Edelbrock
I just had a friend put a holley on her pickup and Im not really that impressed with it. In cold weather the pickup will hardly run and has an extreme dead spot in the carb. I know that Holleys have much more tuning and tweeking that can be done on them for racing but for on the street I would go with an Edelbrock or try a Street Demon carb, I have heard really good thingsa bout them.
Nitro
Nitro
Post Fiend
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 8,238
Likes: 3
From: Oregon
Holley vs. Edelbrock
A street demon is really a Holley dressed up. Barry Grant just took the Holley design and tweaked it slightly (although they are better carbs). In fact, ol' Barry got sued by Holley and had to change the look of the demons since it was such a close copy. I prefer Holleys myself, but if you have a stock engine and don't plan on tweaking your carb you will probably have good luck with an edel carb.
Junior User
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 83
Likes: 0
From: Decatur
Holley vs. Edelbrock
I like the Edelbrock carbs, myself. Easy to tweak & tune, easy to rebuild, very reliable. But, these are the main carbs I've played with and am familiar with, so I am biased.
Holley makes excellent equipment, and they, too, are relaible, and for those more familiar with them, easy to tweak/tune as well.
Regardless of brand, it sounds like this carb is not properly calibrated to your friends engine, or may be used in conjuction with some other equipment that may not be suitable for such a carb. Total-package is a tough thing to get right!
Holley makes excellent equipment, and they, too, are relaible, and for those more familiar with them, easy to tweak/tune as well.
Regardless of brand, it sounds like this carb is not properly calibrated to your friends engine, or may be used in conjuction with some other equipment that may not be suitable for such a carb. Total-package is a tough thing to get right!
Elder User
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 997
Likes: 0
From: Corydon US of A
Holley vs. Edelbrock
[updated:LAST EDITED ON 06-Jan-02 AT 03:01 PM (EST)]I would stay away from the Edlebrok, i've had nothin but trouble from it. It gives a hickup when accelerateing, and always has. There isnt really anything to rebuild in them, all you can do is clean them. but thats just my opinion. Maybe other people have had better luck. but if i has enough money to get a new carb right now it would be a Holley. However I would go with an Edlebrok intake they're hooked up pretty good.
Dave
1979 F-250 4x4 351M "Red Line"
Dave
1979 F-250 4x4 351M "Red Line"
Moderator
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 56,984
Likes: 2,738
From: Virginia
Holley vs. Edelbrock
Regardless of what type of carb, holley or original motorcraft, every ford I've ever had, car or truck, would not warm up and run well without the original air cleaner with the snorkel hose going to the exhaust manifold heat shroud. Not one. I bet this would be the case for an edelbrock too. I drove many of my vehicles for years without the hot air set-up, but in cold damp weather, you always had to play with the throttle and keep them from stalling. I am throwing this out now, since lots of people are driving in cold weather now, and may be wondering what's wrong with their truck.
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 248
Likes: 2
Holley vs. Edelbrock
[updated:LAST EDITED ON 06-Jan-02 AT 03:48 PM (EST)]Go Edelbrock 1406. 600 CFM, electric choke. The ONLY things that my freinds and I have ever had to do to tune them was change the pump shot, and tune the a/f of course. The elec choke just plain works without muking with it out of the box. The trucks we have them in get the crap beat out of them, they just don't hiccup.. We're running them in a Chevy 350, a Ford 289 (mustang, but it gets beat on the road) and I had one in my 78 F150, but I sold the truck. We also have on in a 80 Malibu with a 13:1 350.. They just work.
The carb in the 350 has been running for over 3 years now, and it hasn't even needed to be rebuilt yet. We haven't needed to put the offroad needles in it either.
The carb in the 350 has been running for over 3 years now, and it hasn't even needed to be rebuilt yet. We haven't needed to put the offroad needles in it either.
Trending Topics
New User
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
From: Ash Grove USA
Holley vs. Edelbrock
[updated:LAST EDITED ON 07-Jan-02 AT 00:31 AM (EST)]The newer Holley carbs have power valve protection. Did you hook the choke up or try to tune the carb to your truck? If you have a flat spot in your carb have you tried different springs for your secondaries? Have you tried different size jets? Are you sure you don't have any vaccum leaks? Is your distributor vaccum advance hooked up to the right port? Just some questions..
FTE Stories
Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts
Rezvani's Latest Post-Apocalytic Monster Is a Ford F-150 Raptor Underneath
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Most Expensive Ford Trucks Ever Sold on Bring a Trailer
Joe Kucinski
2027 Ford Super Duty Buyer's Guide (Every Model, Engine, & Package)
Brett Foote
Top 10 Ford Truck Tragedies
Joe Kucinski
AEV FXL Super Duty - the Super Duty Raptor Ford Doesn't Make
Brett Foote
Lobo Vs Lobo: Proof the F-150 Lobo Should Be Even Lower!
Michael S. Palmer
Ford's 2001 Explorer Sportsman Concept Looks For a New Home
Verdad Gallardo
10 Best Ford Truck Engines We Miss the Most!
Joe Kucinski
2026 Shelby F-150 Off-Road: Better Than a Raptor R?
Brett Foote
Logistics Pro
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 3,565
Likes: 9
From: Sun River St. George
Holley vs. Edelbrock
Edelbrock 1406. Out of the box, on my truck and 15000 miles later not one problem. Smooth running hot or cold and really smooth without stumble in the cold. Call these Folks and give them the info on your engine and follow their recommendations. I have a 390 ci stock cast iron 4BBL manifold, manual choke, with a hot coolant plate and open exhaust gas passage under the carburetor. I do not have an exhaust heat riser. In winter and damp climates you must warm up the incoming air. Yea it gets cold down here, 30 this morning.
Wlliam in Atlanta
Wlliam in Atlanta
FTE Chapter Leader
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 3,862
Likes: 5
From: Beachville, Ontario
Holley vs. Edelbrock
Edelbrock 1406. On a mild 351W, Edelbrock intake, open element air cleaner. Started and ran just fine around freezing before I stored the truck for winter. Works excellent right out of the box but needs a bit of WOT tuning in the spring. Very easy to tune too.
Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 1,613
Likes: 2
From: Gainesville, FL
Holley vs. Edelbrock
X-,
The Holley 1850 is the worst carb Holley makes. I think you can get one for $120. I guess you get what you pay for. The 41XX series is much better. These are great carb series and if you have a Holley book you can accomplish just about anything you can imagine.
The Elderbrock 14XX are strong carbs and perform well out of box. I think I bought a couple 1404 for $199 each about a year ago. Get all vacuum ports covered and it will behave well.
Good luck, Have Fun,
KingFisher
The Holley 1850 is the worst carb Holley makes. I think you can get one for $120. I guess you get what you pay for. The 41XX series is much better. These are great carb series and if you have a Holley book you can accomplish just about anything you can imagine.
The Elderbrock 14XX are strong carbs and perform well out of box. I think I bought a couple 1404 for $199 each about a year ago. Get all vacuum ports covered and it will behave well.
Good luck, Have Fun,
KingFisher
Senior User
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 268
Likes: 0
From: North Texas
Holley vs. Edelbrock
Holley vs Edelbrock: I've had good luck with my Holley carbs, but I got a really great deal on a box full of them, so first cost didn't enter into my decision. They make good power, are easily tunable, and spare parts are available everywhere.
One problem with them is that the air bleed holes around the airhorn are really quite small and very susceptible to plugging. A tune-up for them requires squirting carb cleaner using the little red tube directly into the bleed holes, until you hear them come clean. This will need to be done about once every couple of months, maybe more often in dusty environments.
If you don't do this, it feels like there's no power, or it won't run well cold, or it won't idle properly, depending on which bleed hole(s) are plugged.
But first, get the HP Books "Holley Carbs" book, and study it. Before you can tune one for your truck, you must understand how it works, or you'll never be happy with it.
Regards,
- R
One problem with them is that the air bleed holes around the airhorn are really quite small and very susceptible to plugging. A tune-up for them requires squirting carb cleaner using the little red tube directly into the bleed holes, until you hear them come clean. This will need to be done about once every couple of months, maybe more often in dusty environments.
If you don't do this, it feels like there's no power, or it won't run well cold, or it won't idle properly, depending on which bleed hole(s) are plugged.
But first, get the HP Books "Holley Carbs" book, and study it. Before you can tune one for your truck, you must understand how it works, or you'll never be happy with it.
Regards,
- R
Junior User
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 97
Likes: 0
From: Modesto USA!
Holley vs. Edelbrock
Am I correct that Edelbrocks are made by Carter?
If so, what does Edelbrock do to add anything of value except the name?
I had a small (maybe 500 cfm) Carter AFB on a 390 once that I loved. It was in a '68 short bed that looked like my grandpa's work truck, what a sleeper!
As I remember (I have made many grey hairs since then
) it had amazing throtle response and the mileage was no worse on the freeway than the old 2v. And it must have been simple cause I was only 18 or 19 and was learning to wrench out of a book.
Anyway that's what I'm putting on my latest 390
MB
If so, what does Edelbrock do to add anything of value except the name?
I had a small (maybe 500 cfm) Carter AFB on a 390 once that I loved. It was in a '68 short bed that looked like my grandpa's work truck, what a sleeper!
As I remember (I have made many grey hairs since then
) it had amazing throtle response and the mileage was no worse on the freeway than the old 2v. And it must have been simple cause I was only 18 or 19 and was learning to wrench out of a book.Anyway that's what I'm putting on my latest 390
MB
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 119
Likes: 0
From: Davison
Holley vs. Edelbrock
thank u guys so much. i will check into a trick kit and if that don't work then i will check out some carters or edelbrock. should i stick with a 600cfm? i also have a 460 that i am rebuilding just waiting to with the lottery and would the 600cfm be a good one for the 460?
Ford Man
Ford Man