Just took the metering body off of my Holley. The insides were eaten away basically junk, Some of the posts were gone and if I touched any of the ridges inside it crumbled. Its a Holley with 1850-9 stamped on the main body. The carb has only got a couple thousand miles on it, although its been on for several years now. Is this normal and if not, what did it? I usually run 93 octane thru it and some Sea Foam in the winter to put it away, nothing exotic. Thanx, Gary

       

Gary, 55 Vicky, St. Germain, Wisconsin

 

hmmmmmmmmm.....what is sea foam????? never heard of it.....i simply put a bunch of 'stabil' in the tank at the last start before winter storage-----and come spring ---everythings fine.....oh ....you must start the motor and run it awhile so the stabil can get to the carb from the gas tank......with stabil in the carb all winter nothings going to eat up and plug up the insides of your carb.......bye.........ed

I think Sea Foam was developed for wintering boats. I know quite a few people who use it up north because they don't care to drive their classics on salted roads. I bought a 56 Ford that had Sea Foam in it. I drive it from New York to Texas. A couple of years ago I bought a NOS carb on eBay. I took a look inside the old one. It was a good rebuildable core. I think I would look elsewhere than the Sea Foam for your problem.

Kenneth

Fredricksburg, Texas

Gary:

I offer another possibility.  Gasoline.  We're all getting alcohol in our gas in the US, and alcohol and water mix.  Gasoline and water don't, and the water drops out in fuel filter cans and such.  Water will corrode aluminum.  Maybe alcohol will too.  Get the picture?  I don't have an answer, but I think this is part of the problem.  Stabil is probably a good idea.  Government was going to save the environment by burning renewable fuel, but now with gas around $2.00 for regular, ethanol isn't economically feasible, so all the new ethanol plants are facing financial problems.  I figure big oil brought the prices down just to squeeze the ethanol guys out.  MHO.

John - "The Hoosier Hurricane"

I've been using Stabil or Sea Foam in my snowmobiles, boats, family drivers and classics for ever. Sea Foam has better cleaning properties than Stabil and with the gunk I'm finding with the gas these days Sea Foam is getting used more and more. Usually some in the first tank of the season and then some in the winter. Never seen a carb look like that before. I'm gonna pull the carbs off of the snowmobiles and check them, but I do it every season and never any damage to them. I'm waiting to hear a reply from Holley. 

       

Gary, 55 Vicky, St. Germain, Wisconsin

 

Just got off the phone with Holley tech. They said that they've had some metering block casting issues and that I'm not the only one with that problem. They are sending me a new carb in exchange for the old one. I asked for a different carb instead of the 600 as it's to much for my motor. They are sending a 465 instead....has anybody ever run this....it's one of their Y-Block carbs. Gary

       

Gary, 55 Vicky, St. Germain, Wisconsin

 

From your description the corrosion sounded like water damage of which a single load of fuel with water in it is all it takes.  As John brings up, alcohol laced fuels are a great carrier of water.  But it’s nice to hear that Holley is working with you in providing you another carb as a replacement.  That’s great customer service in my book.  And you'll be happy with the 465 as it's a very suitable carb for a stock engine.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)