Thread: Edlebrock vs. Holley?

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I am currently running a stock quadra-puke on my car and I want to up grade to a better carb for my new engine. I am running a 350sb-8 1/2 to 1 dishes-64 cc .194 heads-edlebrock performer manifold-headers-284/458 cam-auto tranny-323 gears in the rear. Which brand and size would be best. I have had good luck in the past with holley but I love the look of the edlebrock. What do you think everyone?

Just me personally, but I've found that the Edelbrock's will stay in tune better and longer on the street. But if I'm going drag racing, then it's going to be a Holley because of all it's tuneablity features. JMO

I think thats a great idea, the shinny works for me! "If it don't go chrome it" theory has always worked for me!! Seriously, your saying that with those gears and cam, I can go with a smaller carb. Thats a good thing with todays gas prices, I am going to look into a 600 cfm edlebrock, Thanks for the advice guys.

well first off, switching to a differant carb may not be an upgrade, a properly tued Q-jet can outperform & out MPG other carbs with your application.
However, if you insist on getting rid of the Q-jet, I think Id almost recomend a 570 Holley....it may be just a bit on the small size at the top end...so Id probably use a 600 Holley.

Firstoff, what car? Be careful because the Edelbrock with an air cleaner will not fit under the hood of many of the mid sixties muscle cars. Secondly, the Edelbrock is a square bore carb and your Quadrajet is a spreadbore. You will have to run an adapter to use the edelbrock on you manifold which will raise it up even more.

The air cleaner designs that MUST be used on an Edelbrock are the types that raise the air cleaner base above just slightly below the carb. This is done to clear the choke, linkage and fuel inlet fitting which is wider that the inside diameter of a 14" air filter. In other words the air cleaner will not fit around the carb because it is too wide. The air cleaner has to sit above the carb which causes interference problems with stock musclecar hoods.

I have an edelbrock and am very unhappy with it for several reasons:
1) for some reason if it sits for more than a week the damn float bowls empty out. I had to put a fuel line bulb from a boat in my line so I could manually pump fuel up to the carb when this happens before starting it. Otherwise I have to disconnect the line and pour fuel down in it to fill the stupid thing.
2) the bowls are TINY. The engine will run for about 10 seconds on the float bowls before sucking them dry.

My next carb will have two big fat holley style bowls on the sides, that's for sure.

Originally posted by Corvette64
Firstoff, what car? Be careful because the Edelbrock with an air cleaner will not fit under the hood of many of the mid sixties muscle cars. Secondly, the Edelbrock is a square bore carb and your Quadrajet is a spreadbore. You will have to run an adapter to use the edelbrock on you manifold which will raise it up even more.

The air cleaner designs that MUST be used on an Edelbrock are the types that raise the air cleaner base above just slightly below the carb. This is done to clear the choke, linkage and fuel inlet fitting which is wider that the inside diameter of a 14" air filter. In other words the air cleaner will not fit around the carb because it is too wide. The air cleaner has to sit above the carb which causes interference problems with stock musclecar hoods.

actually, on his performer intake are both square & spreadbore patterns...either will fit.
Also, you can use a drop base aircleaner now on Edelbrock carbs if you use either a banjo fitting, or there is a hardline available for it also that reroutes the fuel line

Not real sure what everyone else said but if I were you I would run a 600 or 650 first off. Then it all depends on the carb and what you want out of it. I have always heard and have tried both that Holley is more of a strip kind of carb. They are good carbs for better power. Need more tuning but good. Edelbrock are good for plain street motors and stay in tune well. Edelbrocks aren't good IMO for strip or major power, they seem to just be plain street carbs and better on gas milage. If I would have known this earlier before I bought my Edelbrock then I would have gotten a Holley. I am not too happy with power gains from the Edelbrock carb I have. Didn't add no power and actually my 2 barrell seemed to pick up much better and a more snappy throttle response.

Sounds like you need the Tune Up kit Edelbrock sells for their carbs, a bit of tinkering and they will work great. If you get the kit, it comes with a book plumb full of tuning tips and instructions.

Yeah I should do that. Because now that weather got cold the thing wont start. I have to sit there cranking on the 66 8 times... But I don't wanna take over the thread.

No, I have a manual chock.... Works just fine. Just hard to start. Not sure why.

Ok thanks Denny. I tried all sorts of ways like that. A few times it worked when I stomed it to the floor and then let off and put the choke out and it started in about 2 tries. I am going to go outside right now and try it. It's pouring rain out but I wanna try and get the thing half way in the garage and put a new started on it too that I have sitting in the garage because the one on it now is screwed up. That may be part of the reason. Anyways, back to brickmans post. And brickman, when you read this let me know how it went with the radiator number I gave you.
Thanks for the help guys and sorry to like jump in on your thread.

I'll gladly take all the quadra pukes you fools want to throw away.I seem to be able to make them just fine for me. If you really must waste money,use a500 cfm 2 bbl,with 73 jets,and a 70cc accelerater pump. You will get immediate throttle response,and more bottom end torque.

when it was 80 degrees out I had to give 2 full pumps before
starting it.
Around 60 it takes 3 pumps.
This weekend it was 50 at best and 3 pumps didn't start it on the first crank.
I gave it one more then and it fired up.

Denny, I tried what you said... Didn't work. I am not sure how I would adjust the choke. I have it where it opens up all the way basically. The choke opens just as much as it did with the old carb. It never did this before until it got cold....