WARNING!! Holley Carburetor Defect!
 

I wanted to let everyone know that I came across an issue with a Holley carburetor that I installed on a customers car back in 2007. The car has been back at my shop getting some minor changes and it developed a drivability issue. As time went on, the idle became irratic and it developed a stumble at initial throttle. I suspected the carb was dirty but boy was I wrong. Dirty was an understatement. Last Thursday the car would barely idle so I finally pulled the carb to inspect and what you see in the pics is what I found.

I have been repairing and restoring cars for close to 25 years now and have never seen this. I can't even count how many carbs I've rebuilt. I even had a local customer in the shop who is also a racer and huge Holley fan and even he was shocked. The corrosion and expansion of the material was incredible. I went to Holley's website and found a press release pertaining to a recall issued by Volvo Penta and the US Coast Guard relating to what they called "accelerated corrosion" issues with the metering blocks and fuel bowls on the marine carburetors. Holley actually called it a performance issue (made me laugh). At the bottom of the release they also stated that some non-marine carbs could also have the same issue. These carbs were manufactured in 2005 and 2006.

Guys, if anyone who reads this has one of their units manufactured during '05 and '06, pull it off and open it up!!! Some pieces are small enough to make it through and into the motor. You can tell what year your carb was made by the casting clock located on the unit. It will have a 05 or 06 surrounded by two circles and 12 small boxes between the 2 circles designating the month. A dot in the boxes will give you the month. The other way to tell is by the stamping directly below the part# stamp on the air horn.

I called Holley and they are sending me a new unit. They were very courteous and professional and will replace the bad units for free. If you have one of the bad units, you need to call their Tech line at 1-866-GO-Holley and they will send you a replacement.

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Holy crap! Thanks for the heads up! :wow:

I bet the defect is caused by the fuel. It seems not too many considered the consequences of adding alcohol to gasoline.

Actually it is a casting defect. I spoke with them and they told me the issue has not been found to be related to fuel but in their exact words a " casting problem". I have a lot of experience with casting materials since I was a Toolmaker for almost 20 years and worked in a casting facility for a number of years. They probably made a change in the casting material or the process to cut costs and it bit them in the A$$. I have had Holley carbs forever and have never seen this. I have a 650 DP on my shelf that I have been using for 20 years and it looks as good as the day it came out of the box. These new carbs are getting different coatings and there also could have been an issue with the coating process having an incompatability with either the casting material or the fuel. Once the electrolysis starts on parts like this, its impossible to stop it.

Wedged --

You know it's NOT THE FUEL - because it's a specified date of manufacturing. If it was the fuel - it would be every Holley ever made.

Your absolutely correct. The fuel bowl from this carb should have looked at least as bad as this metering block does. It was spotless!!! Not a sign of corrosion anywhere. The rest of the carb including the secondary bowl were spotless as well. This is definetely a manufacturing defect.

Thanks for the heads up....I'll have to check mine out next time I pop the hood.

I have one giving me fits at this time.. It was new last year and ran great, but when I started working on the car again, it runs like total crap... I guess I will open it up..

It's entirely possible that the specific metal they used for the metering block won't tolerate some additive in the fuel and the rest of the carb is made of a different material. I'm not saying I'm right, just that it is possible.

:wow: Holy Cow! Thanks for posting the information and the pictures! Good chance you saved a few guys from a lot of headaches.


:lateral:

Wow
 

Does a Holley have Zinc in it? Could it be a defeciency in Zinc? Just like the oils we use??

I just wanted to get this out there. I was as surprised as everyone who has now seen the pics. It just goes to show you, send in your product registration cards. That way situations like this can be avoided since they probably would have contacted the people who purchased the inferior units. Holley never stated to me that the issue was strictly related to the metering block and the recall also calls out the fuel bowl. I think it was either a bad batch of material or a flaw in the final coating process. Regardless, I would check my Holley carb even if it was made after the recall dates. I know the older ones are fine. I have several.

That's what the majority are made from. They also have aluminum versions now.

This is completely inexcusable.... What has happened to quality? BG carbs are or were junk with the shavings in the bowels, Do these people even understand the basics of machining parts? eventhough good carbs I have lost faith in Holly now. I have heard a few other stories but figured there was a reasonable explaination. I was getting a 650 for my 390 ford, but I can tell I am going to buy a rebuilt carb for a reputable builder... I just don't get it... I can see there being occassional defects but this is completely out of order...

Is the aftermarket now so desperate for profit that alot of crap is being produced out there? I am not saying all, but its alot

Sorry for the rant, but what has happened to good old made in the USA quality... Even things that they say are made is the USA is produced in China....

Blessings,
AMS

Sounds like another reason to visit Patrick James @ www.pro-system.com :yes:

I just wanted to add that the carburetor I found this problem with was a model 3310-10. It was a 750 SP vacuum secondary unit with the aluminum finish. I'm not sure what other models are affected since the recall does not specify a particular model # or surface finish.

My guess would be that they tried to save money by getting the castings done in China.

Charley...

Now be nice! We must be PC and share our wealth with all the world!

You think maybe the guy that was boiling down cardboard and serving it as dough balls filled with pork -- is now in the casting biz??

Yep....China special.

I spoke with Holley today and had a pretty in-depth conversation with their tech guys. They told me that though the problems appear to be in carburetors manufactured durring the end of 2005 and beginning of 2006, they have found that some made durring that timeframe have not shown any corrosion at all and some have had more corrosion than the one I posted pictures of. They told me I should recommend too my customers that they look at their carb and inspect them at the first sign of a problem. If it is corroded, they will replace it for free. I also asked about possible fuel additives causing the problem since ethanol is in almost all fuels now. They stated that they investigated that possibility and found it was not a factor. Their testing concluded that there was a "casting problem" that has been corrected.

My guess is they changed their process, supplier, or both to cut costs and it backfired. It's just a thought :rofl: