Holley Carb questions and answers

[Michael C Henry]

I thought that I would bring all my burning questions concerning holley carbs and everything connected to one location. you guys have supplied answers and sources to many subjects like who does what, has or has done what, tools ,parts etc.I've learned a lot recently ,stuff I should have learned thirty years ago.
My situation while not unique is not common. I'm running inline dual fours, Holley1850's.They are a fit everything, short, and cheap carbrueter. I have them on a Dove tunnel wedge 2x4 intake manifold.It has open flange rather than four small holes for each carb. The standard practice is to leave the center three base screws out because they may fall into the engine, I can see that now.I didn't know this before.
The 1850 has vacuum channels underneith that arn't used and are outside the manifold mounting flanges. They make a plate to go between the carb and manifold with another gasket.I'm allready height chalanged and I do not need to rais the carb another 1/8". So I had the unused channels filled with epoxy.This operation was originaly done for me by Guessford Machine.
I milled off the choke towers my self because there was no butterflys in the carb anyway. I had several fires and backfires so the carbs weren't pretty. I had these old carbs gone through and redone .I ,at first couldn,'t beleive that they were the same carbs. after some examination I found some potential problems.
The current problem is that the white plastic float bowl vent baffel (whistles) had been removed. I have these on a big FE in a small car and I drive like you'd expect.I'm sure the fuel is sloshing all over the place. I've been told that the whistles are not to be used with the side hung floats. besause they may stop the float from closing the needle and seat, I have Nitrphyl floats . the secondary floats were altered By Quick fuel Technology for their metering plate kit to clear the replacable jets. The secondary float was altered and sealed with what looks like Epoxy. I plan on trying to alter the floats in the primaries by notching the tops to clear the whistles. I have now read that the nitrophyl floats absorbe gasoline over time and quit floating ( Car Craft Jan 05 pp37) . One question is the surface finsh on the black nitrophyl critical to keeping the gasoline out? Is ther a new better float material? Is ther a special epoxy?Any thoughts, remedies, sources , etc.?
Please add your questions concerning Holley's to this thead so I (and others) can absorbe the answers.You guys have helped a bunch.