Holley Carb Street Tune VS Race Tune | Holley Carburetor Tuning | Holley Carb Secrets

Tuning a holley carb for the street or race track? Thats what this video is all about! Today we will be diving into the nitty gritty and everything that has to do with tuning a holley for the street OR for the race track. There are many different ways to get your carb tuned up but once you have it dialed in, theres very few feelings like it but getting it there is most of the battle. Once you understand the differences, you'll be able to make better choices when setting up your own holley carb on your hot rod!
Holley Carb Street Tune VS Race Tune | Holley Carburetor Tuning | Holley Carb Secrets
Lengthy video on tuning the jets on your holley carb. this info can translate to any holley 4150 and 4160 style carbs. Too many people have no idea how jetting even works so this video is to enlighten those people and prevent them from spouting nonsense and giving people bad advice. Once you get the basics of how jetting works in a holley carburetor, the rest is easy as long as you tune in the triangle formula.
#holley #holleycarbs #carbtuning
There's been a raging debate on this topic for as long as I can remember. On one side you have the purists that want everything period correct and on the other you have the hot rodders who will even mill off the choke horns for more CFM. People often ask how to adjust choke on holley carb or holley carb choke removal because they seem to be dealing with a problem that is related to the choke cold start system as a whole. Hopefully this holley carburetor video finds you well and you enjoy this little opinion piece.
Holley Carb Choke Problems And Removal | Holley Carburetor Secrets |
I'm sure most of you have had a flooding issue or a carb running rich and you just don't realize whats going on and even if you do happen to figure out what is happening, sometimes you don't even know what to look for. Holley carbs are some of the most versatile car parts but even they have their own set of issues. holley carburetors depend on a well balanced fuel level in order for them to work correctly. Once the balance is tipped to one side or the other, you can have several problems such and fuel coming out the vent tube, have the holley carb secondaries flood, holley carb running rich, holley carb hard start and even fuel leaks and dripping from boosters. So come by, sit back, relax, and enjoy the show to learn a little bit more about holley carb tuning!
Finally getting around to making this video, everyone loves the HP main bodies because they look super racecar with the adjustable air bleeds on top. What if I was to tell you that you can install custom air bleeds on any holley carb as long as its a squarebore? There is just enough meat on the top of these older holley carbs to allow you to install the adjustable bleeds, but you would be very careful when doing so because you can ruin your main body real quick!
After A long while I have put the most cohesive method of setting up the idle on your holley carb. Setting the idle mixture screws and getting your engine to run clean without having to buy any special tools. In this video I manage to set up the idle in less than 15 mins and also do it quickly and easily. As of right now, the holley carb on the 318 duster is perfectly set up in both idle mixture and idle speed. The carburetor in question is a DEMON 625, an older barry grant holley copy before holley bought out DEMON. It took a little bit of work, but I've got this set up perfectly.
Tuning Holley carbs are probably the most widely used carb is all of automotive history. The Holley 4 barrel is a staple among racers and cruiser a like but too few people really understand what goes on inside their Holley carb and too many decide to ditch the old carb in favor of a new one. I am here to share 5 secrets you can employ TODAY to get that Holley nice and tuned and running better than ever in true DIY fashion. I'm put to work these 5 secretes to get my Carb ls going so these are definitely something you need to keep in mind. Tuning a holley carb is what separates the boys from the racers. Depending on how well this video does, I'll be breaking up and going into full detail of what goes on specifically in the different circuits as well so stay tuned!
How to set idle on a holley and other such questions are answered!Holley carb wont idle? Car wont idle? Holley carb runs rich? Holley carb wont start hot?all these questions AND MORE will be answered TODAY. too many people have no idea how the holley idle and transition circuit work on a holley carb.too many people belong to the set it and forget it line of thinking when it comes to out of the box carbs and not too many really know whats going on and decide to just give the carb a bad rap.Well, today we are going into an in depth tutorial and explaining on how these systems work and how you can get more out of your carburetor, maybe even pull up a few MPGs while you are at it!

[@rooster68able]

Threw my vac secondarys in trash years ago ,never go back, no comparison mechanical all way! For street/ strip

[@NightWrencher]

I actually like vacuum secondaries. They're easier to tune straight up. You done need to worry about secondary tip in or linkage ratio on a VS carb. A mech sec carb runs faster hands down but for someone just getting into it, I always recommend a vacuum secondary.

[@Poncho758]

Me and you gave the best explanation ever thank you so much

[@NightWrencher]

Thank you sir!

[@jamesrobinson9062]

I always learn something from your videos I appreciate it

[@NightWrencher]

Thanks man! lmk when you wanna set up that carb you got!

[@aceprater5397]

great explanation and video. After working through about 5 old carbs I finally gave in and got a Edlebrokc AVS 1450 for my old bronco with 351M headers and sidepipes. With the stock jetting it is much better but I am looking to tune it some and have an AFR installed. I have some jets already from prev carbs but looking for the air bleed sets - I don't see them on Edolebrocks site. It's a brand new line of carb so I'm not sure if they have the tuning kits for them yet. It's more of a street/river truck. Anyway Digg your vids will be watching the rest with interest.

[@NightWrencher]

The VRS-4150 uses all Holley compatible components so as long as the thread pitch is the same, you can use screw in bleeds for a holley carb. With that being said, I would not be trying to change out the air bleeds any time soon. First thing is to dial in the jets and then if find out that the fuel curve is off, adjust the curve with the air bleeds but 9 times out of 10, the stock air bleed setting works fine.

[@bertramlrezenet9311]

Regardless of how much you try, the only precise way to achieve a specific fuel curve, such as the factory OE calibration, is by the use of a flow box. Holley carburetors are air bled carburetors, meaning that the calibration is mostly achieved by the air bleeds. Carter carbs on the other hand are metering rod carbs. While developing a calibration for an engine family or engine application, not only do they have to properly perform during the four seasons of the year, but also at high altitude and below sea level. When we developed original equipment carburetors, we didn't just have a cold room at -10 F and a hot room at 115 F, we would take vehicles to Florida, New Orleans, Arizona and Denver for live driveability and performance tests. How much is too rich or too lean? It depends on the engine and its application. We've set-up carburetors as lean as 21:1 A/F ratio at cruising speed with the distributor advance curve properly set for that carb. Carbs are a mechanical device designed to provide engines the correct A/F mixture on demand. If you have technical abilities and basic knowledge of air and fluid dynamics, you can somewhat do the calibration you're trying to achieve, once you learn the carburetor components and their function. Remember, there are engine performance problems that are blamed on the carburetor, because someone didn't do a complete diagnosis. Keep up the good work!

[@jasonevers3138]

You can and should tune your Holley style carburetor to run as efficiently as possible on the street, but also perform optimally, simultaneously on the track. Just do a simple area calculation for the pvrc's. This is why most Holley style carbs are 6 to 8 jet sizes larger on the secondary. And why there's a power valve in the primary. Tune your primary main jets for part throttle cruise. Once your opening the throttle past the power valve vacuum rating, the power valve opens and enrichens the mixture through the power valve restriction channel (pvrc). Buy the David Vizard book How to Super Tune the Holley Carburetor.

[@NightWrencher]

Its sounds pretty straight forward but actually its more complicated than that. Just like a drag racing carb is tuned differently than road racing carb, a street carb is tuned different than a race carb. To pull the most mph out of a carb, each corner is tuned independantly from each other. Its not uncommon to see 75/77F and 80/82R depending on manifold design. Also, race carbs usually dont run power valves at all. Lastly, a primary accelerator pump circuit on a drag race carb is set up to come in higher in the throttle so it comes on right at the light while you're stalling the converter. Theyre similar, but not the same.

[@jasonevers3138]

@@NightWrencher you're a smart guy. I enjoyed your video. Please, listen, you said yourself most drag racers block of the powervalve in primary and seconary metering blocks. That's perfectly fine if its not street driven. Most carbs have a power valve in the primary side only, very few have power valves in both metering blocks, and most of those are used on dual quad tunnel rams. The reason the carbs with a power valve only in the primary is for street use. Because we tune the main jets in the primary for part throttle. Once the power valve opens, it flows fuel to the pvrc's. Those pvrc's is what you tune for wide open throttle. Again, this is why carbs with no power valve in the secondary has main jets 6 to 8 sizes larger than the primary. Do some area math and now you're square at all 4 corners. If your engine requires stagger jetting, thats no problem. Area math. Pi×R²

[@jasonevers3138]

P.s. this applies to road racing, dirt track racing, drag racing, and plain old grandma street driving. An engine wants what it wants. Drag racing is the easiest to tune for if thats all you're doing. If you drag race plus street drive, it does get a little more complicated. For sure, but can absolutely be done. Road racing requires max efficiency in all throttle positions, which takes more tuning in the emulsion well and air bleeds. You can absolutely tune a 4150 for all conditions. Just takes time and effort

[@NightWrencher]

I understand what you are saying but what I am saying is that you would do better at the track with a carburetor built for the track, that is the purpose of a "race tune" you can make your carburetor run perfect in most conditions but a carburetor built soely for racing will offer you better performance than a carburetor built for the street and optimized WOT performance. That was the main point of the video, you can have 2 nearly identical carbs but with minor changes depending on the intended use. If you daily drive your 600 holley and then remove the PV, rejet the primaries and move the accel pump to the #2 position for launching at the dragstrip, that would be a "race tune". The same idea applies for street tires and race tires which people do sometimes switch out when they race their daily.

[@NightWrencher]

Note that I'm not disagreeing with you, I'm just explaining what the main purpose of the video was.

[@DanBarker-un8fh]

Hi nightwrencher. I have a 1986 Ford e350. Motor home. With a 460 engine. The previous owner took out some of the smog control. I spent 4000.00 on a mechanic and got it back worse. I replaced the carb and distributor. And fuel pressure regulator. As well as plugs wires and coil. It went from extreme rich to lean. It runs better than it use to but will backfire from the intake. Also on cold start it will barely run. It is about 300 rpm until choke is open. Any thoughts on what to do?

[@NightWrencher]

I would start off with verifying ignition timing. I would move the vacuum advance to manifold vacuum and then set the idle to highest RPM after its warmed up. Start there and get back to me

[@chuckdecarlo4456]

I have a '71 El Camino with a 402 punched 030 over. mild cam and headers, Weiand Action plus intake, and a Quick Fuel 750 (single pumper w/ vacuum secondaries.) The car reeks of gas yet is running lean. The car is used as a cruiser. Would I benefit more from stepping down the carb itself (to say 600 cfm) or tuning what I already have?

[@NightWrencher]

A smaller carb size wont do anything except give it a leaner tune all the way around. I would start by making sure your timing is set where its supposed to be and then reset the idle. After that just go circuit by circuit. Running lean will make it hesitate and give it a rotten egg smell. Too rich will make the engine lazy.

[@ronnieyoung7510]

Put some smaller jet in it and go from there

[@They_drew_first_blood]

Another amazing video. You're extremely intelligent.

[@NightWrencher]

Thanks man. Always appreciated 👍

[@andyclark3611]

Any videos on performance upgrades for a Holley 600 street warrior?

[@NightWrencher]

Not really but the street warrior is a solid carb as is. With proper tuning, you can make a lot of reliable power with it

[@andyclark3611]

@@NightWrencher thinking of ordering an adjustable vacuum secondary for it... thoughts? Also in your opinion does a dual feed fuel line make a difference?

[@NightWrencher]

The lid with replaceable top is a pretty good part. Makes secondaey spring tuning a breeze. The only thing dual feed does is it prevents the rear bowl from going empty during a high hp WOT pull. It also helps cars during heavy cornering like in road racing.

[@andyclark3611]

@@NightWrencher so it could help on take off during weight transfer to keep from starving back bowl of fuel etc Have you had any dealings with a power blaster plate?

[@NightWrencher]

I've hear of it but I've never used it, i feel like its just snake oil buy I cant say for sure.

[@dannyvigo5743]

Hello 👋 Night Wrencher love ❤️ your videos they motivate me thank you I have a problem with my swamp wonder if you can help me out my Harley carburetor gets flooded I’m doing something wrong I just install a Aeromotive AFI FUEL PRESSURE BYPASS REGULATOR A1000-6 13109 And A Genuine AEM 50-1005 Inline pump 380lph Bosch 044 style and a C5 corvette Fuel Pressure Regulator filter Kit iCan not get it from filling out too much gas what can I do please help not a mechanicBut I know I’m doing something wrong

[@NightWrencher]

Hello, do you know what your fuel pressure is after the bypass regulator?

[@dannyvigo5743]

I don’t know take a look at it tomorrow and get back to you thank you

[@infamousnova]

Sign me up for the race tune

[@NightWrencher]

Im sure youll be able to dial your set up with your wide band and an o2 on the down pipe

[@infamousnova]

@@NightWrencher I just have a wideband. I'm wondering if the Parameters are the same as the ratios go or do they change since under boost

[@NightWrencher]

Arnt you on e85?

[@infamousnova]

@@NightWrencher yep, just took the carb apart and it looks brand new. The Stabilizer helps keep e85 good

[@NightWrencher]

But sounds like youre tuning using gas numbers and not ethanol numbers. Are you tubing with AFR or Lamda?

[@miltoncatching2869]

I need help with my 68 Firebird I got a LS motor in it with a card no power can you help or you close by or can we hook up can you call me or can I call you

[@NightWrencher]

Sorry for the late response. Reach out to me on instagram and I can help you out 👍

[@TheProchargedmopar]

More Fuel "Economically"😂 Check out the Turbo Bandits KZbin/IG to see some economical driving. 👍 (Russian dudes in Sweden hopping up German cars)

[@NightWrencher]

This is what you get when I get home late from work and have to film, edit and post a video in one night 😂