A Holley-Edelbrock debate

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The last Edelbrock carb I had was nearly new and given to me, I gave it to another friend. While I have a vehicle I could use it on I'm not a fan of the boiling fuel problems.
 
My Ramcharger currently has a 1406 eddy on it. Been great actually. First one I have used and pleased thus far in the 10,000 miles that I have on it. Just came across the new Holley 80457 and was thinking about switching just to see and for something to do. My only complaint on the Edelbrock is the choke when I first start when cold. It needs a mid step from high idle to low idle. This is where the Holley may have the advantage.
Maybe I will go change it today and then again I should just leave well enough alone...

First, let me say that I only run original Carters designed for our high performance engines on street cars. Second, I hate vacuum actuated secondaries, power valves, fuel bowls that bolt on sideways, fuel leaking over your engine when you make jet changes, fuel transfer tubes, and accelerator pumps that leak fuel over your engine when they fail. I can get original Chrysler/Carter choke systems to run almost as well as fuel injection. My two friends that race, run Edelbrocks on their street cars, one of them even sang the praises of how well the AVS 2 ran on his street rod after swapping out the Holley.

I have never taken the time to dial in the electric choke on any carb. It should be as simple as making sure the choke is closed when you "set" it on a cold engine. As soon as it starts, it should open a set amount as measured with a drill bit. From there you adjust, usually by bending the correct linkage rod, a smaller opening for too lean a condition or a larger opening if too rich a condition. Also adjust the fast idle. When the temperature reaches operating level, the choke should be fully open. Repeat as necessary until you are happy with the way it runs. If you don't need a choke when starting cold, you are running way too rich.

As for tuning Carter/Edelbrock with larger than stock cams, I don't have a problem. I even ran the stock 273 AFB with a 284 duration cam in the 64 Barracuda no problem after pulling and selling the 600 Holley.
 
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I'd take the Carter Design. Better Transfer circuit design allows for better distribution between cylinders and better metering system also better emulsion design.
 
I can attest to that with a 650 AVS2 on a street dominator with headers. I never did get the secondary side richened up to where it needed to be before I decided to go with a spread bore double pumper. The primary side responded well to one size up on jetting and then next smaller size metering rod, which is more than a little increase.

Was the holley an older TQ or QJ replacement carb ?
 
The last Edelbrock carb I had was nearly new and given to me, I gave it to another friend. While I have a vehicle I could use it on I'm not a fan of the boiling fuel problems.
That can happen with any carb, easier to do with an aluminum carb. A thick .333 for example gasket should do the trick. Edelbrock has such a gasket. This cured my fuel boiling issues.
 
I’ve been building a couple of the Holley 6711’s lately for myself and a group of friends, but have a 7004 vacuum secondary (650 cfm). Those models along with 6710 800cfm 4165 mechanical secondary (the holy grail to me at the moment) have Mopar specific throttle linkage and bowl vent to hook up to Mopar vapor recovery system. I like the clean hot soak starting characteristics and not smelling gasoline after shutoff and hot soak.
 
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My edelbrock has been great. Opened it up out of the box, bolted it on and drove it. Had to change the metering springs and go one notch leaner with the choke. Perfect for me. Other than it going from 1500rpm to idle at the tap of the toe, no complaints. Like it better than the spreadbore Holley it replaced. I have always run a Holley until now and the eddy has been easy and reliable except on a few of the days that were in the teens temperature wise and got a bit quirky.
I quest the only way to truly find out which is better on the beast is to try it out.
Then again, maybe I should push the Duster in the garage and get it done instead!
 
I like the '71 charger in your photo garage, but you had me with the word "Duster". What's your plans on it and do you have any pics?
 
Let's add sumffin new to the mix. lol
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It's missing the bowl vent rod assembly, but you can see the Mopar specific linkage. I really like the Predator, though!
 
If I had to buy a new carb, I'd be looking at a Edelbrock AVS 2 or a Street Demon, TQ knock off. I never liked Holleys on the street. Did a search on that Holley, list number and nothing came up.

1406 eddy has been my go-to for 20 years. But I have had good luck with the Holley 1850 also. But you can dial the eddy in if you spend the time and has always seemed more reliable for me.

Opinions vary and that's mine,
JW
 
That's a street carb for sure. LOL Have you run one? I always wanted to try one.
Sure have. As long as you get one with the idle circuit, they are really good on the street.
 
I like the '71 charger in your photo garage, but you had me with the word "Duster". What's your plans on it and do you have any pics?
About what the outside looks like. So far, my least favorite car I have ever owned. new quarters, floors, rockers... all new drivetrain, suspension, steering etc. Next time I drag it in I will finish the bodywork and paint. About ready to sell it.
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Looks like a really nice job for a "least favorite car".
Thanks! I take pride in my work. I call it Pandora. I bought it from a clown that used to be on this forum. Completely screwed it up bad. Had the 1 piece AMD floor pan held in by a dozen screws and house caulk. When I jacked the front end up when I got it home, the center of the car flexed and well...
I completely stripped th down to the shell and started over. I get pissed with it and out it goes until I feel like looking at it again.
 
Thanks! I take pride in my work. I call it Pandora. I bought it from a clown that used to be on this forum. Completely screwed it up bad. Had the 1 piece AMD floor pan held in by a dozen screws and house caulk. When I jacked the front end up when I got it home, the center of the car flexed and well...
I completely stripped th down to the shell and started over. I get pissed with it and out it goes until I feel like looking at it again.
muh huh. Sounds like the same guy that sold Adam a similar car.
 
Thanks! I take pride in my work. I call it Pandora. I bought it from a clown that used to be on this forum. Completely screwed it up bad. Had the 1 piece AMD floor pan held in by a dozen screws and house caulk. When I jacked the front end up when I got it home, the center of the car flexed and well...
I completely stripped th down to the shell and started over. I get pissed with it and out it goes until I feel like looking at it again.
It looks like "you won" though. lol
 
This is my 2 cents and my own personal general rule as to what has worked well for me over the years:
Street driven car- go with Edelbrock. Why? reliable and very easy to tune.
Drag Racing - go with Holley Why? they make more power than Eddy's but I never liked how they acted around town.

Just my experience.
Exactly true !!!
 
If I had to buy a new carb, I'd be looking at a Edelbrock AVS 2 or a Street Demon, TQ knock off. I never liked Holleys on the street. Did a search on that Holley, list number and nothing came up.

Yes, 750 AVS
 
I dispute the part about Eddies being easy to tune . Maybe if your engine is really close to stock and pulls 18+ inches of vacuum at idle . But they are a PITA if you have any kind of cam . I would rather pull the bowls off a Holley than jack around with all the little screws and micro-clips on the Eddie. Then there is the parts availability... try to buy any part other than a metering rod or jet for an Eddie.
That being said I run an AVS-2 800 on my Barracuda because I like the annular boosters . Took me forever to get sorted out though .
And I run a Pro Systems Holley on the 408 in the Swinger .

I have to disagree on the part about stock engines. I had an Edelbrock 1912 800cfm on my 440, ported heads, headers, Hughes 3842 solid lifter cam, idle vacuum around 12 and I never had running issues. I did buy the tune kit to get it dialed in but it worked right out of the box. I had to fatten the wot a bit. But I was also tuning with an O2 sensor so I was able to see where I needed to go.

I also have a 1407 on a modified Poly 318 that runs great. Biggest selling point for me is drivability out of the box, jet/rod changes without dumping fuel, ease of maintenance. I had phenolic spacers on both, live in the desert and hot starts were good.
 
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