Holley floods engine

-
HankRearden

HankRearden

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 11, 2017
Messages
975
Reaction score
2,029
Location
PA
I bought a basket case dart with what I assume a stock junkyard ( LKQ markings on it)5.9 a few years back.
Fast forward through the gorey details but I'm finally trying to make it run.
It came with an Assault racing knock off of an edelbrock air gap intake.
I horse traded some other stuff for a few month old holley carb. The air horn is marked 80457-8.
I'm running an electric pump and an automotive regulator set to six psi.
I had the car running but got no squirt from the accelerator pump and the choke wont close. I had to hold the throttle about half way open to keep it running badly and in s few minutes the plugs were all gasoline fouled and I had gasoline running out of the right header.

My suspicion is the carb has issues but the bigger problem may be the fuel pressure was too high for the needle and seat flooding the engine.
I'm not a carb guy. I hate them because I don't understand them. I find carbs almost as frustrating as my wife.
I'm considering a rebuild with spring loaded needle and seat.
I'm considering trying a 750 edelbrock I have on it but I'm unsure if it needs an adapter to work right on this intake.
I'm looking at refurb carbs on holleys website.
The thing is stock now with just headers but it will get a cam and ported heads later so I'm looking at the 750's.

Anyone want to share their two cents maybe point me in any direction.

Hell I always had good luck with thermoquads. Maybe go that way.

Also I ran a compression test on the gasoline soaked cylinders. All were around 90 except #8 which was still blowing fuel out. It was 75.​
 
Last edited:
how much fuel pressure is being delivered to the carb?
 
Pull the hose off and dead head it into my gauge and it is 6psi.
I have backed down to 4psi now.
 
HankRearden said:
I am well versed in performing the shocker but isn't that a little x rated for this site?
Click to expand...
My suggestion like I've suggested too many who don't like playing with carburetors this to get an Edelbrock 1406.. unless you're dead set stuck on a Holley.
 
Any pics of the carb? "A few month old Holley" sounds pretty fishy to me.
 
I used to make the same suggestion a lot. The the ethanol fuel came about. I have had a lot of fuel boiling trouble in two different 1406's on my cj7. I finally gave up on it and went to tbi.

Do I need an adapter for the edelbrock to work right on this intake? I remember they were a little finicky about how they were installed on an old tq or quadrajet intake.
 
HankRearden said:
I used to make the same suggestion a lot. The the ethanol fuel came about. I have had a lot of fuel boiling trouble in two different 1406's on my cj7. I finally gave up on it and went to tbi.

Do I need an adapter for the edelbrock to work right on this intake? I remember they were a little finicky about how they were installed on an old tq or quadrajet intake.
Click to expand...
Well you quoted it as a knockoff Edelbrock intake so I assume the carbs should fit well. There's plenty of room for a spacer if needed for boil over but that could have just been your Jeep problem not an Edelbrock 1406 problem.. it sounds like you have a couple of them worth giving a shot for free. I think @318willrun has videos on how to hook up the linkage... careful you may have to sort through the videos of him eating potato chips and drinking lemonade as well though LOL...:poke:...
 
Also my comment shocking, was just to your opening title of the Holley flooding..
As in I've never heard that before...
I think that's where the term-
"Holley crap! My cars on fire! " came from..
 
You're probably going to have to go through the carb. Check needles for junk holding them open...check for blown power valve...check for fresh, clean fuel (actually,that should be #1).
 
Any carb out of the box will sometimes need adjustments beyond tuning. I just fired my 340 Saturday and my brand new QuickFuel 650 SS need the choke timing to be set to as a fast as it can open and the floats lowered a bunch, the fuel was above the site glass. It was nasty rich on fire (my dad frogging the throttle thinking it needed fuel didn't help). Corrected that and all was good.

Bottom line is they can all flood when the fuel pressure is too high and the floats are set incorrectly.
 
are the float levels set?? Are the needle and seats good??? Both very fast and cheap fixes. Don't throw in the towel because one thing happens.... LOL.
  • I bought a used eddy 600 one time. Put it on and would idle and drive fine but would collapse if floored for more than 4 seconds. Pulled it apart and a pile of crud in the screen restricting flow. I could have screamed "EDDIES ARE ALL JUNK!!!!!!" :BangHead::BangHead: Instead, I took 25 minutes and clean out the screen and it's worked great ever since... and it's still on my wife's RC today.
 
Sorry,I should have mentioned I had it apart as I don't trust anyone selling or trading or selling anything.
I put a kit in it. Cleaned it but it was almost spotless inside. Set float levels and new pump diaphragm.
All about a year ago .

New tank first time it has had fuel.
New clear filter,no dirt in it.
I pulled it off and opened it up after it flooded the engine. Everything "looks" ok but something isnt.
I don't like getting my *** kicked by a carb but I only have a few hours a week to work on this.
I'll try one of the edelbrocks I have next just to save time.
 
dano said:
Any carb out of the box will sometimes need adjustments beyond tuning. I just fired my 340 Saturday and my brand new QuickFuel 650 SS need the choke timing to be set to as a fast as it can open and the floats lowered a bunch, the fuel was above the site glass. It was nasty rich on fire (my dad frogging the throttle thinking it needed fuel didn't help). Corrected that and all was good.

Bottom line is they can all flood when the fuel pressure is too high and the floats are set incorrectly.
Click to expand...
Finally got that motor fired up!?.. you have a link to that thread?...
 
HankRearden said:
I bought a basket case dart with what I assume a stock junkyard ( LKQ markings on it)5.9 a few years back.
Fast forward through the gorey details but I'm finally trying to make it run.
It came with an Assault racing knock off of an edelbrock air gap intake.
I horse traded some other stuff for a few month old holley carb. The air horn is marked 80457-8.
I'm running an electric pump and an automotive regulator set to six psi.
I had the car running but got no squirt from the accelerator pump and the choke wont close. I had to hold the throttle about half way open to keep it running badly and in s few minutes the plugs were all gasoline fouled and I had gasoline running out of the right header.

My suspicion is the carb has issues but the bigger problem may be the fuel pressure was too high for the needle and seat flooding the engine.
I'm not a carb guy. I hate them because I don't understand them. I find carbs almost as frustrating as my wife.
I'm considering a rebuild with spring loaded needle and seat.
I'm considering trying a 750 edelbrock I have on it but I'm unsure if it needs an adapter to work right on this intake.
I'm looking at refurb carbs on holleys website.
The thing is stock now with just headers but it will get a cam and ported heads later so I'm looking at the 750's.

Anyone want to share their two cents maybe point me in any direction.

Hell I always had good luck with thermoquads. Maybe go that way.

Also I ran a compression test on the gasoline soaked cylinders. All were around 90 except #8 which was still blowing fuel out. It was 75.​
Click to expand...

Call FST and order a 750 with NO CHOKE. They are reasonably priced. You will need to fix the tune up, like every other Holley and Holley clone ever made.

Once you do that, you’ll have a great carb. An edelbrock isn’t the answer. Neither is what you have. Sell that.
 
yellow rose said:
Call FST and order a 750 with NO CHOKE. They are reasonably priced. You will need to fix the tune up, like every other Holley and Holley clone ever made.

Once you do that, you’ll have a great carb. An edelbrock isn’t the answer. Neither is what you have. Sell that.
Click to expand...
Why is an Edelbrock not the answer? He's not going to drag race it...
 
Or maybe he is going to drag race it I don't know?... I know a lot of people that are happy with the Holley Street Demon which is basically a thermoquad what he likes...
 
yellow rose said:
Call FST and order a 750 with NO CHOKE. They are reasonably priced. You will need to fix the tune up, like every other Holley and Holley clone ever made.

Once you do that, you’ll have a great carb. An edelbrock isn’t the answer. Neither is what you have. Sell that.
Click to expand...
I don't forget who the guru is here...
 
yellow rose said:
Call FST and order a 750 with NO CHOKE. They are reasonably priced. You will need to fix the tune up, like every other Holley and Holley clone ever made.

Once you do that, you’ll have a great carb. An edelbrock isn’t the answer. Neither is what you have. Sell that.
Click to expand...
Ron's Hat
 
Screenshot_20200901-163928.png
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top