Holley vs Edelbrock Carbs

[snowball]

I currently have a C code 67 coupe. It is an auto which still has the standard 2 barrel carb, and 2.79:1 diff but has the following mods:
edelbrock performer intake
cam (inlet lift .4536/exhaust lift .4779)
twin exhaust (2 inch)

Car is only street driven. I would like to liberate a few more horses, but don't want to go crazy due to the price of fuel here in Oz. I have in mind a 600 cfm carb, vacuum secondaries, with either a manual or auto choke (doesn't matter which).

Which carb is better, an Edelbrock or Holley? My knowledge of carbs is limited, but I have been told Holleys can be difficuly to tune. My carby guy has recommended an Edelbrock.

What do you guys think?

 

[D.Hearne]

Holley------------Nuf Said. Difficult? Bull****. My 331 six pack with 3 Holley 2 bbls now have been there almost a year and guess what? Zero adjustments after dialing them in initially. Get a set of headers. If you want to try a Holley, just get either a 350 or 500 cfm 2 bbl. Either is a direct bolt on from your Autolite 2 bbl. The 350 will give you better fuel economy over the 500, just by virtue of it's 30cc accellerator pump. And forget the auto choke, big waste in a warm climate. Good for sticking. Manual choke and either wire it open or remove the whole choke assembly altogether.

 

[67GTCOUPE]

Don't bother with Edelbrock carbs....

Since you have a performer intake..you will need a Holley 4 barrel...I would do the 670 street avenger.

If you want better performance...those gears are killing yours! Get 3.55:1 or even 3.70:1 gears..it will feel like a rocket ship.

 

[D.Hearne]

Don't bother with Edelbrock carbs....

Since you have a performer intake..you will need a Holley 4 barrel...I would do the 670 street avenger.

If you want better performance...those gears are killing yours! Get 3.55:1 or even 3.70:1 gears..it will feel like a rocket ship.

And at the same time probably kill his mileage.

 

[davishokies]

I have the 500 cfm Edelbrock #1403 (auto choke) and was very easy to install and performs great. Select your carb based on your engine build. The last thing you want is an over-carb'd engine that performs poorly.

 

[snowball]

Holley------------Nuf Said. Difficult? Bull****. My 331 six pack with 3 Holley 2 bbls now have been there almost a year and guess what? Zero adjustments after dialing them in initially. Get a set of headers. If you want to try a Holley, just get either a 350 or 500 cfm 2 bbl. Either is a direct bolt on from your Autolite 2 bbl. The 350 will give you better fuel economy over the 500, just by virtue of it's 30cc accellerator pump. And forget the auto choke, big waste in a warm climate. Good for sticking. Manual choke and either wire it open or remove the whole choke assembly altogether.

Thanks. Must admit I hadn't considered a two barrell. What are the advantages of a Holley 2 barrell over the Autolite? BTW, headers are part of the shopping list a bit later on.

 

[WarrenC]

I have a 600 Edelbrock (1406 I believe) on my totally stock 289 A code, and it worked great right out of the box. Had to modify the linkage a little, but that's it. Just a basic idle mixture adjustment, choke adjustment and it has been trouble free and much more responsive than the stock Autolite (which probably needed rebuilding).
Haven't had a Holley for some time, but they are good carbs also. I just heard the Edelbrock was easier to tune and I got a good deal on it.

 

[Hissing Cobra]

I've had both and definitely recommend the Edelbrock 500 or Edelbrock 600. On my first buildup, my Holley was rebuilt twice and I could never get it right. I switched over to the Edelbrock 600 and my troubles were over.

For my next buildup, I went with a dual quad intake and two Edelbrock 500's and they are finely tuned and work in perfection with each other. I bought a calibration kit for each one and changed the metering rods, jets, and springs without leakage all over the intake. They're very simple to tune and even come with a 20+ page guide on how to tune them. I recommend a calibration kit to go with it.

Also, I've heard many people claim that you can't make power with them. Well, I've run 12.70's-12.80's @ 107-110 with two of them. Once I get my 60' times down, I'll be in the low 12's.

 

[D.Hearne]

Thanks. Must admit I hadn't considered a two barrell. What are the advantages of a Holley 2 barrell over the Autolite? BTW, headers are part of the shopping list a bit later on.

The Autolite is a really simple carb to rebuild, just that in the few I've done, they've always had problems. Last one had warm start issues. Took it off and replaced it with a Holley 500 that I bought (used) off a member here and it worked flawlessly. Had this same carb on three different engines and it worked as well on each. For one the Holley float adjustment is easier than the Autolite and not guess work(that may have been the problem with the last one). Otherwise the mixture and idle speed adjustments are similar. I see now that you've got a Performer intake with a 2 bbl , I was under the impression that you had a stock 2 bbl intake. If you want both Performance and fuel mileage go with a 4 bbl, you can always disable the secondaries to give you the mileage and to overcome your foot's temptation in opening them on demand. On a Holley vac. sec. carb all that's necessary to do this is remove the "C" clip securing the vacuum rod to the throttle shaft, it can be readily replaced whenever you want. An even easier retainer here is to use a small rubber "O" ring in place of the clip. Easier both to take off and replace than that tiny assed "C" clip.

 

[snowball]

The Autolite is a really simple carb to rebuild, just that in the few I've done, they've always had problems. Last one had warm start issues.

Funny you should say that. I've had mine rebuilt a couple of times and it's still got a flat spot on take off and is hard to start if the car has been garaged for a few days. Following a set procedure for cold starting minimises the problem, but that's not the point.

It seems that so far the camp is clearly divided with the Holley devotees leading by a nose.

 

[10secgoal]

A holley is FAR more adjustable than the edelbrocks. Yes most of the time they will bolt on and run. But the small tuning issues is what will be the problem. Mainly the pumps ( or the lack there of.) Most of the time they fall on there face when stabbed becaus the secondaries have no pumps. But they aren't really a vacuum secondary either. Holley's are either or. the pumps are very adjustable, to include how much, and how fast you want a shot of fuel. Every motor is different. Edelbrocks have 3 adjustments, and all three are linear. So make one of the three changes and hope it works, because that is all you get.

 

[mustangman70]

I have an edelbrock on the car now, and i just got a holley 650 double pumper rebuilt for a dollar from my uncle! lol

Im putting it on tonight ill let ya know what I think!

 

[Rapid]

I have the 500 cfm Edelbrock #1403 (auto choke) and was very easy to install and performs great. Select your carb based on your engine build. The last thing you want is an over-carb'd engine that performs poorly.

I totally agree. My 65 289 with the same gears and about the same setup has a 500 cfm Edelbrock and has been great. I do not race it but do drive it daily. 16.5 hwy nad 14 cith with enough power to burn rubber if I feel wastfull. Also very easy to tune.

 

[zookeeper]

That sounds a bit low for a stock 289. My wife's 427 Corvette gets 17mpg, my stock 289 got about 20-ish. A 500cfm carb on a small block should at least get the same mileage as a bigger motored, heavier car, don't you think?

 

[Hack]

That sounds a bit low for a stock 289. My wife's 427 Corvette gets 17mpg, my stock 289 got about 20-ish. A 500cfm carb on a small block should at least get the same mileage as a bigger motored, heavier car, don't you think?

427 gets 17 mpg.. yeah right.

I would believe 7.

 

[snowball]

With my current setup I'm getting up to 25 mpg on the highway and down to 15 mpg city, but this includes stop/go peak hour traffic as well. This obviously depends on how enthusiastically I drive.

I'm not too fussed about losing a few mpg's with a four barrel but don't want to get down to the stage where I can't drive past a petrol station.

 

[LMan]

Theres no definite answer to this, its almost a religious question by now. Ive had plenty of Holleys, just happen to be using a E-bok right now, but that could change tomorrow

 

[D.Hearne]

427 gets 17 mpg.. yeah right.

I would believe 7.

I believe him. My 427 Stang used to get 15-20 out on the highway at 70-80 mph. You're talking about an 11+to 1 compressioned big block that takes very little throttle to keep it going at those speeds. If you can keep your right foot disciplined, up to 20 mpg is possible. My Mom's old 70 Olds Delta 88 with a 455 used to get 20 mpg regularly at freeway speeds.

 

[12sec67]

Also, I've heard many people claim that you can't make power with them. Well, I've run 12.70's-12.80's @ 107-110 with two of them. Once I get my 60' times down, I'll be in the low 12's.

then can make power....i ran a 12.60 with a 750 edelbrock but i had the biggest jets drilled out in the front and back and smallest metering rods and lightest springs


for pure street driven, i would go with the edelbrock 600, no matter what anyone says- it is less tempermental.

 

[10secgoal]

then can make power....i ran a 12.60 with a 750 edelbrock but i had the biggest jets drilled out in the front and back and smallest metering rods and lightest springs

.

Then you swapped it out for a box stock holley 650 and dropped time first time out to the track, too.