[slownugly]

I did some trading and ended up getting a 600cfm Holley 80457 carburetor that wasnt in the best shape but definitely rebuildable....or so I thought?


I purchased a rebuild kit and tore into the carb the other night, no big deal. When I got it down to just the body I noticed the coating was blistered and flaking off. It looked bad, but to me not bad enough to scrap it, because I figured as long as the passages were clear, once the gaskets sealed it wouldn't cause a problem.


I got it all back together, except for the secondary bowl because I was missing the secondary metering plate and wanted to call Holley to get a part number and order it. It was late last night when I finished up so I waited til today to call.


I talked to one of their techs and got the part numbers I needed. i figured since I had him on the phone I'd ask what he thought about the metal flaking off.


Much to my surprise, he told me that they recalled a bunch of these carbs due to plating issues causing the metal to blister. He asked me the date code and informed me that this was in fact one of the faulty carbs and that they will send me a brand new one!?


To me, this is awesome!! Not only because Im getting a brand new carb for practically nothing, but the fact that Holley backs their products and when a mistake is made they step up to the plate and knock it out of the park!!! Ive dealt with Holleys techs for a couple years now and everytime they have been very knowledgeable and have helped me out on a number of occasions. So, a BIG thumbs up for Holley!


Sorry for the novel, but I just wanted to post in case somebody had a holley thats plating is blistering. If so, call up there and get them to check your numbers to see if you can swap yours out. Later guys!

[hcompton]

Yes very nice score. Its hard to knock a company that stands behind there products. Edelbrock is the same way. I am always suprised to hear ppl give them/holley or dart a bad rap. These compaines bend over backwards to help there customers.

Lots of people think brand loyalty is about products but its about support and service after the sale. I would rather deal with a great company and a bad product than a good product and no support when you really need it. Since most of the fly by nights dont post the specs its up to them to support the product.

In fact I have gotten a few great items because the cheap on i got from a good company failed and they upgraded me for free to top of the line product.

[Richiehd]

Beats buying that Chinese junk!

[slownugly]

x2 compton!! A companys customer service sells me eveytime. Dont get me wrong, I like a good product, but when youre not buying a stock replacement and trying to match something up to your custom project its nice to have good, knowledgable techs to talk to and insure you get what you need.

Hey richie, I noticed your location, I just moved up to tn from jupiter about 4 months ago...that place is gorgeous! The weather hasnt been too bad up here, but I know as soon as it drops ino the teens Ill be wishing I was at the beach!

[66GMC]

"Nothing beats Reliability - In products or in people."

is a quote that I read somewhere
and it "stuck".

Bravo Holley!!!

[C-10]

Thumbs up to Holley. Always had good luck with their carbs.

[lakeroadster]

Thanks for the post, good to know! Holley is a class act, always has been.

[Blacktop Motorsports]

I live in CT and they use Ethanol in there fuel. It eats up the casting in the metering plates. I have been replacing them with Aluminum plates and it seems to cure the problem.

[cobalt327]

There used to be a forum to let people know about good or bad experiences- Hotrodders Company Reviews. Link is broken now, though.

BUT!! I see the Crankshaft Coalition wiki update is no longer stuck, so I'd like to say thank you for that.

[66GMC]

Originally Posted by Blacktop Motorsports

I live in CT and they use Ethanol in there fuel. It eats up the casting in the metering plates. I have been replacing them with Aluminum plates and it seems to cure the problem.

Regular and "mid-grade" fuels here "may contain ethanol".

Premium uleaded, (92 octane) I have been told, does not.

[lg1969]

Originally Posted by 66GMC

Regular and "mid-grade" fuels here "may contain ethanol".

Premium uleaded, (92 octane) I have been told, does not.

I do not know where you heard that but in NY they use 10% ethanol on 93 octane gas. Every time I put away my Chevelle during the Winter and by the time I bring the car out in April and try to run the electric fuel pumps the car had fuel leaks on the steel braided line in the engine compartment. I had replace with new steel braided line every year.

[ProStreetRob]

Hats off to Holley



Hell I like um so much I got two

[66GMC]

Originally Posted by lg1969

I do not know where you heard that but in NY they use 10% ethanol on 93 octane gas. Every time I put away my Chevelle during the Winter and by the time I bring the car out in April and try to run the electric fuel pumps the car had fuel leaks on the steel braided line in the engine compartment. I had replace with new steel braided line every year.

I buy my gasoline locally at a Federated Co-op filling station, and was told that their premium grade did not contain ethanol.

IIRC, the percentages were:
Regular 10%
Mid-Grade 5%
Premium 0%

I have googled this, and it sounds like there is a push for this in the US, but it appears that you are likely correct in what you say.
Ethanol Free Premium Coalition

All I can say to that is to make your voices heard ... hopefully get some legislation?

[66GMC]

I just found a source that confirms that ALL premium fuel sold in Alberta is ethanol-free ... as long as the data is still current.

Pure-gas.org
(This site lists locations by US state as well.)

Further reading (elsewhere) says that ethanol is a big "no-no" in a marine environment as well as in 2-cycle engines in general.

Also worthy of mention is that NGK says premium fuel might be hard on sparkplugs. I wonder if that statement was made prior to ethanol blending?

High Octane > Problem Solver or Problem Creator?
If OEM vehicle/engine specifications state the use of high octane, or specify an octane level rating to use, this must be complied with to prevent engine component damage. The use of lower octane than recommended can cause detonation and engine damage. The use of higher than recommended can cause fouling problems, even more so in the cooler climates.

The reason for this is – the higher the octane the slower the burn rate which either cools or heats the combustion chamber outside of OEM specifications. This can be especially prevalent in cold climates or 2 stroke applications where the use of the incorrect fuel leads to a high failure rate on spark plugs! Always comply with the specified fuel rating for your vehicle.

Note: Premium fuel is considered 91 or 92 by OEM

Ethanol Free Premium Coalition New York Is Not A Mandatory E10 State

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Prohibit Ethanol Blending In All Premium Unleaded Gasoline

Every mandatory E10 state has exemptions to their blending law, because there are a number of piston engine applications that should not, and some that cannot, use ethanol blended gasoline. Unfortunately the exemptions are not uniform. They vary from only one exemption in Washington, aircraft, to a universal exemption of premium unleaded in Missouri. All states exempt aircraft usage, but most states like Oregon and Washington make it almost impossible to get unblended gasoline. Oregon is the only state that allows for unblended regular and premium gasoline for the exemptions, and then makes it almost impossible to get any unblended gasoline. All other mandatory ethanol states just allow clear premium unleaded gasoline for the exempted classes.

The following piston engine applications should not use ethanol blended gasoline:
■ Any 2 cycle engine used in tools, watercraft, snowmobiles, etc., or small 4 cycle engines.
■ Any engines used in an emergency stationary engine application like a generator or a pump, especially in a humid climate.
■ All watercraft. Ethanol blended gasoline should never be used in a marine environment.
■ Antique and classic cars and classic motorcycles.
■ All aircraft.
All of these users must be able to get ethanol free (E0) gasoline. If you live in a state without a mandatory ethanol blending law, you have no exemptions, ethanol will eventually be blended into all of your unleaded gasoline and there is no requirement in EISA 2007 to label gas pumps with ethanol content.

All of this mumbo-jumbo comes to one thing.
I can see the day coming where the only place we can buy ethanol-free gasoline will be your local airport (or an av-gas distributor)

[77pontolds]

Here in Central Oregon, there are a few stations that sell non-blended fuel, but at last check, it costs about 50 cents more per gallon. I tried some, and my car ran noticebly better and smoother.