Holley carb in a scimitar. Advice.

[si-h]

I've just posted this on a engine thread but would welcome any adeas from the scimitar owners. Cheers.

Hi, first post......... I need some advice on running a 390 holley/swaymar on a essex with stage 2 (big valve ??) heads, tubular manifolds and an apparently well balanced engine.
My position is I have just acquired a 5a scimitar with a crunchy noise from the engine, not sure if it top or bottom job yet. It has an R. S. spec engine built by Robin Rew in 1988 for £586 !! with a new carb at £140. As it doesn’t work I have acquired a replacement engine , however, does anyone know what an R.S. spec was so I can determine if anything is worth salvaging. What kind of carb would be put on this spec? BHP? Ideas welcome


The second part of my request is I have a replacement engine, the above mentioned 3.1 Essex with many improvements ( Is the oil cooler necessary?)
After reading about the 390 holley on this site I am confused as to whether it's overkill for the engine and whether a DGAS will provide enough respiration for the engine.
I don’t intend to redline it every day but want a bit of poke now and then. A few posts suggest a well balanced holley is great for day to day use but others suggest a healthy holley is difficult thing to achieve.
Is the hassle for a few extra bhp worth the bother or should I stick the DGAS on the 3.1 transplant engine? What kind of output/economy could I expect from both options? Cheers. Si

[Boosted LS1]

In brief, holleys are great. Nice and simple to use etc. Can you get a manifold for the holley, if so do it?

Boosted.

[CNHSS1]

there is a holley manifold for the essex, one of the GTE sprint guys Alan Furness runs a holley on his. Turbster on here will probably have all the info tho, sure he will post up soon.

[plasticpig]

si-h said:

My position is I have just acquired a 5a scimitar with a crunchy noise from the engine, not sure if it top or bottom job yet. It has an R. S. spec engine built by Robin Rew in 1988 for £586 !! with a new carb at £140. As it doesn’t work I have acquired a replacement engine , however, does anyone know what an R.S. spec was so I can determine if anything is worth salvaging. What kind of carb would be put on this spec? BHP? Ideas welcome

I would suggest you contact Dave at High Peak Classics, Tel: [phone]. He used to work for Robin Rew so will know what the spec is.

[si-h]

Thanks for the advice guys, much appreciated.

Do any of you know the best way to remove the engine from the car before I start? I've got an old autobook that says the engine must be removed with the gearbox attatched and then split, is this so? or can the engine be split/removed alone with the gearbox still in the car?
Also, I want to use an engine from an automatic car and transplant it into a manual o/d. I have been told (not in great detail) there is something like a bush/bearing that has to be removed from the shaft to make the engine/gbox units compatible. Any thoughts on this will be welcome! Cheers.Si

[Nick_F]

Splitting engine and box with the engine in the car is a pain. They come out together very neatly if you have access to a good engine hoist.

The trick is to remove the carb and then make up a lifting bracket using two bits of angle iron back-to-back and bolt this to the carb mounting flange on the inlet manifold: this will balance the engine and gearbox combo so that it comes our of the car at the right angle.

[Hardparker]

Hi Si-H

getting the engine out is easy, you will need a good hoist with the long reach though - 1.8m at least and capable of holding about 400kg - the essex is a big old lump.

you can lift it via the exhaust manifold bolts/studs (fit old ones as they will get a slight bend) - if you go off the middle studs it'll keep the back down and make the whole engine out easy.

the bearing that needs sorting is in the crank - getting the bush out of the crank on the autos is a complete Tw@t of a job. The spigot bearings can be purchased from Graham Walker or QRG for about £6. failing that I've got about 3 spare ones.

if you haven't already done so change the core plugs - not a big or expensive job and can save a wasted weekend - I had to give myself a slap for not doing that when I fit my 3.1 a couple of weeks ago - but hey who needs free time anyway

regards

'parker

[ben.gough]

I wouldn't bother with a Holley for a mildly modified engine. You can (and I have along with other people) got a reliable (and nice to drive) 180 bhp from the Essex using a modified 38 DGAS (standard carb). The Holley will be great for hurling lots of fuel into your engine. My engine had a standard bottom end, piper 285 cam and ported heads (with standard valve sizes) and a ported and matched inlet manifold. Tubular mainifolds and straight through exhaust and a modified 38 DGAS carb (see JW developments for this). TVR race boys have to use a 38 DGAS carb due to their regs, and they can get well over 200bhp with lary cams and big valves, but they won't drive at low revs. So unless you're going for a really wild engine the 38 DGAS is up to it. Otherwise the Holley may be an alternative to the more common triple webbers.

Ben

[Nick_F]

I'd have to agree with Ben. My motor is the same spec as his was, but uses a version of JW's 290 cam to give somewhere between 185 and 200bhp depending on inlet temp, which it is very sensitive to. It's perfectly useable on the road, but has lost the low-down torque characteristic that otherwise defines the Essex.

A 350 cfm Holley will deliver more air than a single 38DGAS, even a modded one, but unless you're using substantially bigger valves than standard you won't be able to use that air.

If you do have big valves then a Holley might be a bargain alternative to a triple Weber setup, but getting even mixture distribution will take some care and attention.