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tips, technology, tools and techniques related to vehicle driveline components

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88v8
Ivor Duarte
Gloucestershire UK
(1041 posts)

Registered:
02/11/2010 04:29AM

Main British Car:
1974 Land Rover Lightweight V8

Arrgh the Holley.
Posted by: 88v8
Date: March 26, 2017 05:30AM

I bought a 'rebuilt' Holley.
Connected it, turned on the (electric) pump.
5psi.
Fuel poured out of the top fuel chamber vent.
Took out the needle & seat - it's old. Very old.
Huh!
Not going to waste time complaining to the seller over in the US he's got my money, that's it.

New seat, new float and spring.... but looking at the Holley site, there's a large variety of externally adjustable seats in varying materials. How do I know what size seat to use on my stock 327 ?

And why are Holleys so prone to flooding? I've read that it's a regular problem, and indeed my old carb flooded in the same way, although it did at least drive a few miles before doing so.
It's not an issue with SUs.

Ivor


spridget
bill green
Maine
(68 posts)

Registered:
03/22/2008 01:29PM

Main British Car:
3 1980 TR8, 1 TR7 2 Bugeye Sprite 1 MG midget TR8 3.5 and 5.0, Sprite 1098 and ?

Re: Arrgh the Holley.
Posted by: spridget
Date: March 26, 2017 07:46AM

I have had a problem with floats that leak and fill up and floats that stick. I don't know if there are other problems as well.


BlownMGB-V8
Jim Blackwood
9406 Gunpowder Rd., Florence, KY 41042
(6468 posts)

Registered:
10/23/2007 12:59PM

Main British Car:
1971 MGB Blown,Injected,Intercooled Buick 340/AA80E/JagIRS

authors avatar
Re: Arrgh the Holley.
Posted by: BlownMGB-V8
Date: March 26, 2017 06:26PM

Ivor, the Holley float valve is a minor marvel of engineering and works very well most of the time. You should have a level port on the bowl with a screw in it, and the valve is externally adjustable to set the fuel level even with the port. You can also change it without any disassembly of the carb. It is available in different flow ratings to support a wide range of horsepower requirements. You should be able to find a chart and look up your power output to find the right valve for your engine. Too little flow will limit your horsepower and lean out the engine on the top end. Too much will tend towards leakage.

Jim


88v8
Ivor Duarte
Gloucestershire UK
(1041 posts)

Registered:
02/11/2010 04:29AM

Main British Car:
1974 Land Rover Lightweight V8

Re: Arrgh the Holley.
Posted by: 88v8
Date: March 28, 2017 05:49PM

Fitted a new 0.097" seat.
No more flooding.
Set the wet fuel level.

Then the fuel union leaked. Well, the flare is 54 years old.
Called Real Steel, who tell me Holley invented their own screw threads, and when they need fittings they have to email Holley with the carb # and ask.

So I rummaged around and found a nylon washer that fits inside the union, no more leak.
It's hard when there's no local support. Local means the whole of the UK. Quite a few Holley users over here, but little knowledge and few parts.

Tomorrow if it stops raining so I can open the garage doors, I'll set the idle mixture. I normally set with my CO meter - about 4% ?

Ivor


88v8
Ivor Duarte
Gloucestershire UK
(1041 posts)

Registered:
02/11/2010 04:29AM

Main British Car:
1974 Land Rover Lightweight V8

Re: Arrgh the Holley.
Posted by: 88v8
Date: March 30, 2017 06:21AM

Set the idle mixture with the CO meter.
Started with about 2% - carb rebuilder's setting, and ended up with approx. 4%.
I hope.

Actually it was very hard to set, as when the engine got properly heated up the CO would rise to 8,9,10%, presumably due to heating of the fuel chamber. There is an insulated spacer in there already, so I guess there's not much I can do about that, other than using Premium fuel to minimise the ethanol.
Shame to do that in my 8.5cr engine.

No wonder PO said it got lumpy when idling for an extended period.
Fine for the make believe world where there's no traffic, but how it will cope in the summer I don't like to think.

Is this really how it is with Holleys?

Ivor


Mickey Richaud
Mickey Richaud
Townsend TN
(198 posts)

Registered:
08/25/2015 06:36AM

Main British Car:
'03 Jaguar XK8 Jaguar 4.2

Re: Arrgh the Holley.
Posted by: Mickey Richaud
Date: March 30, 2017 08:35AM

The Holley on my 3.4 V6 seems to be fine. No flooding, no leaks, starts right up every time and idles nicely. Not sure why yours is so recalcitrant.


DiDueColpi
Fred Key
West coast - Canada
(1365 posts)

Registered:
05/14/2010 03:06AM

Main British Car:
I really thought that I'd be an action figure by now!

authors avatar
Re: Arrgh the Holley.
Posted by: DiDueColpi
Date: March 30, 2017 01:01PM

That Holley should hold idle just fine Ivor.
The variable CO feature, that you got for free, isn't a normal operating characteristic of the carb.
What kind of Holley do you have?
A model # would make it easier to nail down a fix for you.
If your talking about a single float bowl, is it a 2 barrel?

Live like you mean it
Fred



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/31/2017 04:01AM by DiDueColpi.



88v8
Ivor Duarte
Gloucestershire UK
(1041 posts)

Registered:
02/11/2010 04:29AM

Main British Car:
1974 Land Rover Lightweight V8

Re: Arrgh the Holley.
Posted by: 88v8
Date: March 31, 2017 05:07AM

It's a 2300 so it's a 2bbl.
Here it is.
Or at least, here's the old carb that I took off.. The new one is the same but painted gold by the rebuilder.

http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb76/88v8/Rambler/rambler%20009_zpsrnquelvm.jpg

I see that Holley list a thicker insulated spacer #17-72. The one on there is around 1/2". That might help a bit.
They also have a heat shield kit for the 4-barrel #108-70, but sadly nothing for the 2bbl.

With the big old 1963 pancake air filter sitting on top it could have been designed as a heat trap.

Ivor


BlownMGB-V8
Jim Blackwood
9406 Gunpowder Rd., Florence, KY 41042
(6468 posts)

Registered:
10/23/2007 12:59PM

Main British Car:
1971 MGB Blown,Injected,Intercooled Buick 340/AA80E/JagIRS

authors avatar
Re: Arrgh the Holley.
Posted by: BlownMGB-V8
Date: March 31, 2017 11:29AM

OK, two questions:
What engine is that? and;
Why are you messing around with a 2-bbl?

Can't get a 4bbl intake maybe?
The 4bbl often gets better economy than the 2 due to smaller primaries and obviously gives more power. It's always been the first step over here in any performance upgrade.

Jim


DiDueColpi
Fred Key
West coast - Canada
(1365 posts)

Registered:
05/14/2010 03:06AM

Main British Car:
I really thought that I'd be an action figure by now!

authors avatar
Re: Arrgh the Holley.
Posted by: DiDueColpi
Date: March 31, 2017 02:11PM

Looks like the old Studebaker 259 to me Jim. Could be a 289 but they had 4 bolt valve covers.

As far as the carb goes, set your float level with the engine warm and running.
Bias it towards the low side to prevent fuel percolating out of the boosters at idle. You should just see fuel at the check hole. It shouldn't be running out freely.
I would take a hard look at the power valve. A leaking diaphragm will cause idle mixture problems. And old valves become sticky causing all sorts of tuning headaches.
The next most common fault would be plugged air bleeds. These are very small and plug up easily. Possibly paint?
Lastly the metering block. The gasket can get old and hard and leak internally. The mating surfaces also get warped when the float bowl is over tightened. But a fresh gasket will usually accommodate that.

Hope that helps.
Cheers
Fred


mgb260
Jim Nichols
Sequim,WA
(2461 posts)

Registered:
02/29/2008 08:29PM

Main British Car:
1973 MGB roadster 260 Ford V8

Re: Arrgh the Holley.
Posted by: mgb260
Date: March 31, 2017 04:42PM

I thought he said it was 327. Probably AMC/Kaiser.


DiDueColpi
Fred Key
West coast - Canada
(1365 posts)

Registered:
05/14/2010 03:06AM

Main British Car:
I really thought that I'd be an action figure by now!

authors avatar
Re: Arrgh the Holley.
Posted by: DiDueColpi
Date: March 31, 2017 06:53PM

I stand here humbly corrected Jim,

Didn't even think about the early AMC engines.But that's exactly what it is.

Cheers
Fred


88v8
Ivor Duarte
Gloucestershire UK
(1041 posts)

Registered:
02/11/2010 04:29AM

Main British Car:
1974 Land Rover Lightweight V8

Re: Arrgh the Holley.
Posted by: 88v8
Date: April 01, 2017 04:47AM

Right.
AMC 327 first gen.

Even in the US, factory 4bbl intakes are not easy to come by , and being iron (no alloy option) they cost a mint to ship. And then, with the Holley 4150 4bbl it only made an additional 20hp over stock, and that with a higher cr of 9.5 vs the stock 8.5, so just putting a 4bbl on there would give little gain.
For me, the glory of the engine is the 340 lbft at 2,700 rpm.

What I'm missing is these learned-in-the-cradle tuning tips that you don't find in the TSM, like setting the wet level with the engine hot. Thankyou. Like a noddy, I set it cold. I'll look at that, and order a new power valve.

Ivor



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/01/2017 04:48AM by 88v8.


BlownMGB-V8
Jim Blackwood
9406 Gunpowder Rd., Florence, KY 41042
(6468 posts)

Registered:
10/23/2007 12:59PM

Main British Car:
1971 MGB Blown,Injected,Intercooled Buick 340/AA80E/JagIRS

authors avatar
Re: Arrgh the Holley.
Posted by: BlownMGB-V8
Date: April 01, 2017 11:54AM

Ivor, power valves come in several flavors, same as float valves. They have a rating for vacuum, for instance a common value might be 6" or 8", and also a value for flow. You want the vacuum value to be such that it comes in as you get into the power but not for minor throttle excursions while cruising. Fred might have a good idea of the preferred range. The higher the number the earlier it comes in. 2bbls probably use a slightly different range than 4bbl.

Then some valves have drilled ports, some have windows. The size determines the flow capacity. Match that to engine demands of course.

These carbs are infinitely tunable. Between jets, PV, squirters, cams, and even mods to use screw-in bleeders, a meticulous tuner can get them exactly right all across the board. Also there are jet tubes but those are generally for the rear bowl of a 4bbl to prevent starvation. You might want a vent whistle though if the car accelerates hard to prevent excessive enrichment. Swapping to a center hung float bowl will help you in the corners.

Jim


88v8
Ivor Duarte
Gloucestershire UK
(1041 posts)

Registered:
02/11/2010 04:29AM

Main British Car:
1974 Land Rover Lightweight V8

Re: Arrgh the Holley.
Posted by: 88v8
Date: April 02, 2017 04:25AM

Thankyou for the warning. Don't want to make too many errors buying parts as I have to wait two weeks or more for them to arrive.

Fortunately, the TSM has an exhaustive parts list including the # for the power valve, also I have the previous carb as a reference.
As to tuning, there is a chap 30 miles away with a rolling road who claims to have a good knowledge of Holleys. This may come in handy if I start messing with the exhaust - atm, it's too quiet, and I'm told a freer exhaust is the first way to get a little more from these engines.

Ivor



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