Holley 4160, or edelbrock carb?

I'm looking to buy a new carb for my 78. The edelbrock marine 600 cfm is around 100 dollars less money, and everyone I have talked to that has ever replaced a holley with an edelbrock has said how much easier the edelbrock is to get set up, and keep running right.

The Holley has the nice feature of being able to run a PCV hose to the base, and it is what I have on the boat, ad what it came with.

The boat already has an edelbrock performer manifold, so I could eliminate the adapter plate i needed for putting the holley on the edelbrock manifold.

Any thing I can do to keep the height lower ( using as few plates as possible) so i can fit my existing flame arrestor is a good thing. I did cut about a 1/2" off the original flame arrestor, but if I add the stock 1" spacer with the PCV port, it is still too tall. I run the PCV port to a plug in the manifold now.

So, what are your takes on these 2 carbs?

Yeah, I was reading that an edelbrock will require to sit level. On my boat, yes, that will require a wedge, and those are not cheap. After the wedge is added in to the edelbrock carb cost it's probably going over the cost of a new 600cfm marine 4160.

I know my holley sure never at level straight from PCM and had no wedge.

If an edelbrock is so picky about sitting level, then how will it perform on a boat that many times is not level at all once under way?

The one guy that has an edelbrock that I read about on CCF has a newer 1.23;1 tranny that makes the motor sit level compared to the 1:1 of my VD.

The other issue with a new Holley is that the new one will have the different style of fuel inlet. I can add a proper metal fuel line with that, right?

Oh, I agree, going to the reunion would be great.

How many edelbrock carbs do you know of on CC's?

Holley has the market covered on carbed boats.

Just a note on cost of new Holley carb 4160. If you trust mail order and order from skidim, put ccfan in as coupon code to get 10% off. Should put you around $450.00 (brand new). Not sure what you've got priced.

Just some info on price,
Matthew

either carb you get will need some setting and tune up, if you cant tune your current why waste money on a new one?

What's the problem with your current carb?

Pete, I understood the point you were trying to make, but it's a point that is moot. This will be the last carbed boat i will own, well, and inboard one at least. I also don't ever plan on selling it, so I want it to run properly.

I'm aware how long the edelbrock carbs have been in use, I know that they are not something that is brand new and un tested.

Peter1234, you don't need to discount the adapter if I end up going with an edelbrock, I would gladly pay you what you paid for it. What angle is it? I'm assuming mine would be the same angle as yours to get level.

I just don't know if I want to go with an edelbrock. I have learned more about holley carbs than I thought I would ever need to know. But, I definitely am still not anywhere near a holley carb expert.


Matthew, I am all over the 10% DIM discount, I will have to use another code other than the CCF one as you can only use   each code 1x per season:)

Summit has the 600cfm 4160 for like $409, but this does have a slightly different inlet than the original PCM bowl. I don't think that will really give me too much hassle. I can find a work around if the threading is different on the one from summit. I also have a 20 dollar off code for summit, so that will make the Holley like $390.

Luchog, yeah, I know even a "calibrated for 351W" use holley will probably need a little adjustment, but seeing that i understand float height and all that crud now for a holley, I don't know what else would need adjustment on a new holley. Maybe some accelerator pump adjustment too?

Between those issues, and that the needle valve and seat probably are one of the real issues, I don't want to spend 40-50 dollars on a rebuild kit for a carb that still weeps gas from the shafts, and the carb might have other issues.

Since I will be keeping the boat a long time, it makes sense to get a new carb after 30+ years.

The carb body I suspect is not an original carb body from PCM. It might be that it is not a marine body as it does not have j tubes, and new J tubes won't even fit into it. When PCM started to put J tubes on is not certain, so that does not disqualify it being a marine original carb either.   Also, the shafts have weeped fuel at some point, so even if the whole carb was a marine one, that it needs to be replaced.


One more thing, the PO of my boat attempted in vain to put a holley projection TBI kit onto my boat some time before I bought it. That fact makes me thing the carb is not original, and even if it is a marine carb, who knows how many hours the carb had on it? I know the dealer did not have the original carb, and threw one on they had sitting around. One more reason to get a new one to know what i am working with.

My '86 351 restoration project boat came with an Edelbrock. It does not have the angled piece. What happens if you don't have it?

It runs fine at all ranges, except it floods when shut off and it is a hard start when cold. Oh, yes; it idles fine for a few minutes then wants to choke down and die.

peter1234 wrote: Pete how do they become level? or close to level?

Peter,
The "down angle" trans is just that. A set of bevel gears usually with reduction is at the tail end of the trans. This puts the output shaft at a angle close to what the prop shaft is so the engine sits basically level with the stringers.

Thanks Pete. I also run a marine 750 but its on my camaro 454. every other carb i have is an edlebrock they do seem more dependable

If 6 years of easy starts, slow smooth idle, good acceleration, good power, no skips, burps or backfires, 50 mph top end and not a lot of d*cking around with all the aformentioned gizmos that I am constantly reading about getting d*cked around with is mediocre, yup, I guess I am perfectly happy with mediocre. Not being overly mechanically inclined I will take mediocre and reliable over somehow better but fussier and more complex, but thats just me.

I am also perfecly happy with my 76 boat, which is at best a mediocre ski boat compared to a nice 196...anything else you would like to editorialize on my preferences about...my house? car? job?

Somebody had their insecurity flakes for breakfast.

I guess that sounds like more baby boomer sour grapes, can't figgure it out, must be the hardware's fault.

I will concede that in a marine application the Pv is like t|ts on a bull. With no high vacuum economy cruise on a boat, load is always proportional to speed, so it only really needs to stay closed from 14-24 mph or so, and if one ups the mains appropiately, could plug it and any a few could tell the difference.
but, i've never seen one pop.

ok. I'm leaning sour today too.

TRBenj wrote: Not to worry, Larry- I think Tom should be pretty darn familiar with mediocre ski boats too.

doh!