Hot Rod Forum banner

Holly wont run with aircleaner

2K views 15 replies 10 participants last post by  KULTULZ 
#1 ·
About a month ago I changed out my cam, during the process of getting the timing set I had a few back fires. I was using one of those honeycomb air cleaners from edlebrock. Not thinking to check the inside of the carb, I ran the car a few times down the street and it would hardly run. When I pulled the air cleaner off, the black element stuff was all over the inside of the carb like tar. I cleaned the carb and installed 2 new power valves. However the carb still runs rich. I have now gone from 84jets down to 76jets, and as soon the secondaries open the car bogs down. Whats strange is without the air cleaner (I bought a new one) it runs perfect. As soon as the air cleaner go's on it works until the secondaries open then it bogs down. It ran originally with the air cleaner and didn't have a problem. Any idea's what would cause this?

408 windsor
2.08/1.60 valves 215cc alum heads
Victor Jr intake
Cam Hyd roller, 248@.050 .600lift 110ls
10.68:1 compression
Holly 830cfm 4bbl double pumper, duel feed ,An-discharge
dual power valves, 4 idle jet, mech-secondaries
6psi Fuel pressure, stays constant up to 6K rpms
 
See less See more
#2 ·
When I pulled the air cleaner off, the black element stuff was all over the inside of the carb like tar.
I would venture to say the burned foam material the air cleaner used is inside the idle and enrichment circuits of the carb blocking air feeds. The use of an air cleaner cuts off the needed air supply.

What type of cleaner are you using now?
 
#4 ·
Edelbrock should discontinue that air cleaner.

Just like Holley should discontinue the Blue pump and regulator.

ARP has header studs with a 9/16" headed nut. The nut had absolutely no chance of clearing anywhere on my 1 5/8" headers. I don't think they would work in any application.
 
#6 ·
make sure the aircleaner and/or riser if you have one isn't binding the choke linkage. I noticed the riser I had on mine was just a little too small in diameter- it would fit the carb mouth, but just rubbed on the choke shaft enough to keep it from operating correctly.
 
#9 ·
Now, this tirangular air cleaner u guys are speaking of... Is it the Big one for $70 bucks or the smaller one, that I have on my Malibu, for around $30 bucks? I thought that was a good one? On the package it says that the actual element is a K&N brand element, and the small triangle shape fits perfectly with the braces/cutouts in my hood. Why are they bad?
 
#10 ·
This is the piece of crap. It is eye-candy and a company with EDELBROCKS reputation should not be selling junk like this.



Pro-Flo® 1000 Series Reusable Air Cleaners

Fits most popular domestic carburetors
Strong metal inner frame
Minimum flow restriction and good filtering ability
Cleans with soap and water; low maintenance cost
Simple to install
Nicely finished, low profile... only 3" tall

Pro-Flo 1000 Series, with the popular reusable air filter, offers superior flow capacity, low profile, good filtration, performance benefits and long-term savings. Pro-Flo 1000 is an economical and effective way to keep clean air feeding your engine without the expense of a new filter every few thousand miles. Inside every Edelbrock Pro-Flo 1000 Series, you'll find our exclusive reticulated urethane foam element.

Maintaining Pro-Flo's foam element is simple. Just release the spring clip, remove the element, wash in hot, soapy water. Rinse, dry and reassemble. Should you need to replace your foam element, replacement element (#1099) is available. For superior flow capacity, performance and economy, choose Pro-Flo 1000 Series reusable air filters.
 
#12 ·
any air filter that uses a foam element for filtration is bad, because carb backfire, usually the ones with flame, will melt and disintegrate the foam (much like you've already seen with your other one!). k&n filters wont do that since they're cotton. k&n's round and fram's round airhog are probably the filters of choice for any application, since both are made of cotton.
 
#13 ·
In all reality the filter works fine, people have been running them for years. The same basic foam designe has been used on motorcycles, atv's, snowmobiles, etc.... for years. It's the engine backfire that causes them harm. Sounds to me like the vacume port for your secondary diaphram has picked up some trash from the burned filter element. If it were me I'd pull the secondary diaphram housing off and blow the port out with compressed air, also clean out the high speed and idle circuit airbleeds, verify your choke linkage isn't binding, and rejet the carb back to where it was. Sounds like you had a pretty good fire going.

Now, what's wrong with the Holley blue pump? I've got a new one in the box for my NOS system yet to be installed. Bob
 
#14 ·
baddbob said:
In all reality the filter works fine, people have been running them for years. The same basic foam designe has been used on motorcycles, atv's, snowmobiles, etc.... for years. It's the engine backfire that causes them harm. Sounds to me like the vacume port for your secondary diaphram has picked up some trash from the burned filter element. If it were me I'd pull the secondary diaphram housing off and blow the port out with compressed air, also clean out the high speed and idle circuit airbleeds, verify your choke linkage isn't binding, and rejet the carb back to where it was. Sounds like you had a pretty good fire going.

Now, what's wrong with the Holley blue pump? I've got a new one in the box for my NOS system yet to be installed. Bob

From my experience a backfire douses the filter with raw fuel and the flame from the backfire ignites the foam, I have not had the same problem with round traditional type foam air filters.

As for Holley fuel pumps, without a return line to tank the built-in regulator does not work as advertised. How could it, the fuel needs to somewhere to go under conditions of low fuel usage like idling! :confused:
 
#15 ·
baddbob said:
In all reality the filter works fine, people have been running them for years. The same basic foam designe has been used on motorcycles, atv's, snowmobiles, etc.... for years. It's the engine backfire that causes them harm. Sounds to me like the vacume port for your secondary diaphram has picked up some trash from the burned filter element. If it were me I'd pull the secondary diaphram housing off and blow the port out with compressed air, also clean out the high speed and idle circuit airbleeds, verify your choke linkage isn't binding, and rejet the carb back to where it was. Sounds like you had a pretty good fire going.

Now, what's wrong with the Holley blue pump? I've got a new one in the box for my NOS system yet to be installed. Bob
The fuel pump WILL overpower the regulator that comes with it. It will randomly flood the carb and leave you stranded when least expected. Holley should be ashamed of themselves for allowing this product to contiune to be sold.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top