I'm hoping somebody here on the campfire can help me out with this. Lots of guys on here seem to know a lot more than me, though that doesn't take a whole lot. Let me preface this by saying I'm mechanical, but I'm no mechanic. If I understand how something works, and someone can explain it to me I can usually get by.

Here goes. I've got a 454 that won't start. It was in a 1/2 ton '76 suburban I bought 9 or 10 years ago off a buddy in OR. It was obvious that it wasn't factory, but it ran. I always wondered why the crossmember under the fuel pump had a big hole torched in it.......

This past summer I bought an 84 3/4 ton suburban that needed an engine. It came form the factory with a small block, but the guy I bought it from had altered it and ran a big block. A buddy with lots of know how talked me into the project, and helped me get the motor swapped over. I had always wondered what the engine came out of originally, so while it was out I checked the engine code. After numerous online searches, I was able to determine it came out of a '75 Chevy car, but not which model. If memory serves it was rated at 315 hp, so I'm pretty sure it wasn't a hot rod. I was on a tight timeline to get it done before my buddy moved back to ND, and he wasn't able to help me much after the initial getting it bolted in. I got it all hooked up and it ran, but not great. I took it to a mechanic in town and they adjusted the timing for me, and evacuated the ac. (it had a front/rear ac unit and between fuel economy and room under the hood I plan to pull it all out). It ran great! Heck if I kept it to no faster than 60-65 and didn't have to fight much wind I could get 10 mpg!

Now for the whole reason I posted this. It had been leaking gas off and on from the fuel pump, and when I had it in the shop I asked them to replace it. But when I picked it up they said they looked for leaks, and since it wasn't leaking they didn't replace it. Last time they get my $. I didn't ask them to check it, I asked them to replace it. With my deer tag filled, and a little time on my hands I pulled it in my shop and figured I'd replace the fuel pump. Now I found out why the cross member was torched on the old ride. When I got a new fuel pump from Carquest, I told the guy I needed a mechanical fuel pump for '75 model Chevy car with a 454, but I didn't know what model. He gave me one (#40963) but it was too tall, and wouldn't fit on the block because the crossmember was in the way. So I took it back along with the old one and said I needed a short one "like this". He looked though his book and found one. I asked for future reference what it went to so if I needed another one I knew what to ask for. He said it went to a '69 Camaro, and I don't remember exactly what package, but I believe it was a higher performance one. (#40727)

I get it back and put it on. Truck starts and I let it run for a minute and call it quits. I head back out a week later and it starts, and I back it out without letting it warm up, riding the clutch just to get it out of the way. I then try to start it and pull it back in the shop and she won't start. She tries, and almost goes, but no. If I floor the accelerator while I'm cranking it put put puts, and sounds sooo close. But it won't take off. I let it sit for a day thinking I'd flooded it and when I tried to start it the same thing happened. I gave it a shot of ether in the carb and was rewarded with a fireball. I know she's getting fuel, when I crawl over the motor while the wife pumps the gas I can see gas squirting in the carb. I was going pull the gas line and stick it in a pop bottle to see if any gas came out while I cranked the starter (just to make sure I was getting fuel) but when I started to loosen the hose clamp gas squirted out. I figured if it's under pressure the pump has to be working.

I know there's more possibilities (coil/distributor/gremlins), and I could certainly be wrong, but it seems to me like the issue is fuel or fuel/air. I've checked, and though my google-fu is weak I couldn't find any specs for the second fuel pump to see if maybe it was a higher output.

1) If it were a higher output could it be the cause of my problem?
2) Is there another pump with the same dimensions that would work?
3) Even thought he pump fits, there's not much clearance between the output valve and the crossmember. Should I (and how hard would it be) to install an electric pump?

If anybody made it though the whole story thanks, and sorry for the long read, but I wanted to give enough background to describe all I could think was pertinent.

Jason

Did the fireball come out of the carb? If so, your timing is off.

In 1976, Chevy did put 454s in 1/2 ton trucks and suburbans (454 began in 1973), just not 4x4s. Last year for a 454 in a car was 1974, so your engine is likely the original to the suburban. I remember back in the early 80s I swapped in a 454 into my 1978 3/4 ton 4x4, and it fit like it belonged there, (because they did). I did not have any fuel pump clearance problems...my thinking is that perhaps your motor mounts are shot, or the motor mount brackets that bolt to the block are the incorrect ones (not tall enough). The fuel pump you replaced yours with shouldn't be the problem, especially if its pumping gas. I would work out the other "bugs" you seem to have; as I don't think you have a fuel devliery probelm, but perhaps a timing issue. Good luck.

How old is the gas? Bottle of dry gas may help. Sounds like some water in the fuel maybe? If you getting gas in the card should burp. Fireball says u got spark but maybe a tad off.. Pull the distributor cap and make sure it is dry and the contacts are free off schmeng.

If it ran before for a minute your fuel pump should be good to go.... That is enough time for the float bowls to require more fuel and it worked...

An electric pump is easy to install. Bout' an hour or less with proper stuff.... Bolt to fenderwell, pump and give it some juice...

Would look for some other reasons first though...

JMO

W

Thanks for the help guys!

Yeah, the fireball came from the carb. The gas is new, or at least not in the can for more than a month or so. The VIN from the old sub says 350 I think. Was a 4x4 anyways. Wish I could find that blasted engine code, I wrote it down somewhere........
Now that it's out of single digits I hope to get out there tomorrow and pull the distributor cap and make sure the connections are clean. Shop is clean and dry with a new metal roof, but heat is via a wood stove. So that ain't getting fired up till the fuel issue is done. Pump would have been an easy fix, now I'm back to pulling out my beard. If all else fails I can come-along it onto my trailer and haul it to town, but if it's an easy fix I'd sure like to save the hassle. And learn something while I'm at it.

Simple stuff, is there a fuel filter inside the carb? Most Rochesters had them there and you'd have to take the fuel line off the carb to get it out. It may be partially plugged. Check your cap and rotor. At least take the cap off and wipe everything off inside. This time of year moisture can build up inside the cap. Check your timing, but know that the distributor could simply be worn out. The gear that connects to the cam was notorious for wearing out. I believe the aftermarket still sells a brass replacement distributor gear. If you have fuel, then the only other thing is spark. If you have a volt/ohm meter, check the resistance on the plug wires. Remove the plugs and see what is going on there. That would also be a good time to do a compression test and see if there are any internal engine problems.

Thanks walt. There is a fuel filter in the line before it gets to the carb (which is I believe a 4 barrel edelbrock). I can pull plug wires and check, and probably will, but I put a new cap, rotor, wires and plugs when I swapped it over.

If you find you need to replace the distributor or any electical parts in it, by far the cheapest way to go is get a NEW HEI from ebay. I've bought two so far, as something happened in my '86 Chevy 4x4's distributor, and rather than start replacing pricey electronic gadgets (module, etc.) I bought a NEW HEI for $48 shipped! Truck runs great now. They are always on ebay for that price.

Oh, forgot to mention that the HEI's come with new coil, cap & rotor, but no wires.

Thanks for the tip! We're going into territory about which I know less and less. I did replace the distributor on my '92 chevy v6 once, but to do it again alone would be a real learning experience. It's not yet critical that I get it running right now, so I've got some time to tinker.

Another thing to check is the plug wire connection at the plug. Most aftermarket wires, regardless of price, simply use a round crimped metal connector that after a few plug changes no longer has good tension against the plug. Easy to test for this, assuming your plug boots aren't frozen to the plugs, just wiggle the plug wire terminal at the spark plug. If you can feel that is not holding the plug tightly, that may be a big part of your problem. AC/Delco wires used a metal clamp with another clamp around the outside to maintain tension on the plug. They were the only brand of plug wires I'd ever use in my old '77 Suburban.

When I was much younger, I did a swap of a 454 into a 75 chevy truck that had a 350.

From your description, I would guess a timing issue rather than a fueling problem. I would take the timing to Top Dead Center and then see if it starts. You do this by using using a very large socket that fits the fly wheel and move the fly wheel (clockwise) until the timing marks to line up at zero. Then you can check where your distributor is lined up to make sure that it is going to spark off the first cylinder. You should also check to make sure the piston is at the top of it's stroke by removing the spark plug and seeing or feeling the position of the piston.

We ended up with timing at idle around 12 degree befor TDC at idle if I remember correctly (been so llllooonnnnggg ago).

We ended up going with an electrical fuel pump to add more clearance to the cross member compared to the mechanical fuel pump if I remember correcly. The mechanical pump as you found out sits mighty close to the cross member / frame and our 454 had a lot of torque and got uncomfortably close to hitting it when hitting the gas and letting off.

The HEI unit is a great suggestion too.

More good help, thanks. I went out last night with the intent of pulling the cap checking for good connections and pulling wires and checking them. I said why the heck not and tried to start it, and I'll be darned if it didn't fire right up. So I took it out for a spin and she ran like crap, about died several times. Didn't want to idle, sounded rough too when it was running. After filling the shop with fumes, I figured I'd get after it again this weekend when I have time. If it is a timing issue I guess I'll have to take it in somewhere. I got the names of a few mechanics in town today.

And I'll definitely be exploring an electric fuel pump this summer, as the clearance is not confidence inspiring.

Make sure and check for vacuum leaks, That could be your rough idle. Vacuum lines at the carb and make sure your carb bolts are snuged down good. Normally a chev will have a Quadrajet, If you have a carter afb there might be a spacer between the intake manifold and the carter, You might find the problem there. Best of luck, Deen.

I have an 85 3/4T Suburban with a 350 and about every 3 or 4 years I find myself changing the ignition module in the distributor. The first time it went out I was pulling a hill and I didn't think it would make it over the top. Took it to the dealer the next morning and because it cooled down overnight, it ran like a champ. They changed the module on a hunch and it ran great for a couple years until one day it didn't have the power to pull itself from a wet paper bag. Changed the module and off and running again. I've seen them act up when hot or just fail entirely. I carry a spare in the glove box with a phillips screw driver and a 1/4" nut driver. Depending on the vintage of your distributor, this could be an issue for you too.

Thanks for the help and ideas guys. So now in the last couple days I got a fuel pressure gauge and regulator. I put the gauge in first and it read at 8 psi, which from what I've found is within the range it should be, but I figured I had the regulator so I tried it. I put it on wide open and it read over 9 psi and with it running I cranked it down to 6 psi, but no change. It still ran poorly. So I pulled them off and ran the fuel line directly from the pump to the carb again. I pulled the wires and cap, and I did find one wire that was all corroded up at the clip where it snaps over the plug. So I replaced that one and a couple others that were sitting too close to the headers with wires that had 45 degree booties. I also replaced the ignition module. One thing to note is that all 8 of the plugs were carboned up really bad, as in it wouldn't just wipe off on my coveralls, I had to scrape it off with a knife.

So tonight with a new module, and good plug wires I tried her again. She fired up and idled, but didn't sound quite right. At higher rpm is sounded better/smoother, but at idle it wasn't a purr. I can't really describe it but it just didn't sound right. I took it out and drove it around for about 10 minutes and it just got worse, to the point it stalled. To get it to start I had to floor the accelerator and wait and after a few seconds the rpms picked up and I limped it back in the shop.

I think I've now exhausted all I can do with my limited knoweledge myself. A buddy offered to let me borrow a timing light, but I don't know how the heck to work on timing. When I pulled the cap off the connection points inside had a little buildup, but nothing that didn't scrape off pretty easy. The wires do look pretty old and it was a little rusty in there.

Do you have an exhaust back pressure valve? That's not the correct name, but I can't remember what it used to be called. Anyway, it should be located right where the exhaust manifold meets the exhaust pipe at the rear of the engine, usually on the passenger side. It looks like a spring with a weight attached, and you should be able to rotate the weight by hand. Its purpose is to hasten engine warmup, but if they become stuck they cause all manner of drive-ability problems. If you can't rotate the weight, try spraying some penetrating oil on it and leave it sit overnight.

Hmm I'll check tomorrow, but I don't think so. I believe it's just headers straight back to the mufflers and tailpipes.

I believe he mentioned that he has headers, which would eliminate the exhaust back pressure valve of the stock exhaust manifolds.

I would go on eBay and order up a $48 delivered NEW HEI distributor, and buy a new set of wires and spark plugs and install it. I bet that fixes your problem.

Sounds like you might have a carb problem. It sounds like it's running rich and loading up, hence the having to hold the pedal to the floor then clearing up. Needle and seat may be worn or the floats are bad.

Highly recommend getting the timing light and checking to see where the base timing is, as well as making sure the advance is working. I don't remember what base timing should be off the top of my head, but a chilton manual will have it as well as instructions on how to check the timing.

Bad plugs, wires, cap, rotor/points can make a motor do funny stuff.

With all that carbon build up, it sounds like it is a timing or fuel problem. When you had the timing adjusted the first time, it may have helped, but with the mixture of carbon, bad wires, and crusty points, it may be wigged out again.

I'm far from an expert on this stuff. It sounds to me like you're checking the right stuff.

I'm going to dive into the carb this weekend. Never looked in one before, always thought they required voodoo to understand/work on. But heck, I'll learn something, probably quite a bit, and if I can get her cleaned up and maybe rebuilt it'll help. I won't get the timing light from my buddy for a couple weeks probably so I'll do this in the mean time.

I'm sorry I haven't opened this thread until now. Tzone brought it to my attention.

Please leave your timing and all ignition related items and adjustments alone. Don't go chasing gremlins that aren't there.

You have a fuel problem. I saw it from your first post and every post you have made since your initial post confirms it.

You are flooding, plain and simple.

Your black plugs, the sluggish running, the heavy fumes, having to hold it open to clear the cylinders to get it to start.

Rich, rich, rich.

You have gone down the right path on your own with fuel pressure gauge and regulator, this tells me that you also suspect a fuel issue.

Mechanical pumps like you have installed usually aren't going to give a problem with overpressure that will overpower your float unseating your needle and flooding your carb.

I do like around 6 PSI myself for a street application where your engine is sucking it's air through a carb.

Overpowering your float with too much fuel pressure is the first suspect and possibility. It's more common in cases where an IFI set up with elect fuel pump has been replaced with a carb but the guy is still running the old efi pump.

Do you have an edelbrock 4 barrel like you spoke of earlier? looks like an old Carter AFB?

does it look like this?



This one pictured has an electric choke, does yours have that or is it a manual choke?

here are a couple other possible carbs you might have on your big chevy.

holley:



this is a rochester quadrajet:



Please tell me it's not that ugly sumbich you have on your engine....

Check your engine oil too gruff, pull the dipstick and see if the level is high, smell it and see if it smells like gas.

If your old pump was leaking they can leak into the engine and put fuel into your oil. It's a diaphram that causes leaky fuel pumps, if the diaphram cracks then fuel leaks through to the dry side of the diaphram. Usually there is a weep hole on the dry side that allows the fuel to leak outside of the engine but gunk or other things can cause it to basically have "internal bleeding" as in, the gas leaks into your engine block instead.

great suggestions northern dave. But why the hate on Q-Jets?

Shortest answer I can provide is... I'm a Ford guy lol!!

That being said... I actually had a Q-jet on my 360 ford in my plow truck until just recently.


Q-jet in all honesty is a remarkable fuel delivery device, it stands far out from the croud of conventional jet and power valve metered carbs.

But, it can be a love hate relationship. High maint IMO.

If gruff does have a q-jet, I'd suggest running that fuel pressure in the 3-5 psi range, no more than 5.

I'd also suggest he look at the float first as the plastic foamish floats are kind of notorious for becoming saturated and not being able to close the needle. The needle has a wire clip that has to be installed correctly as well. it is very common for q-jets in particular to have this spring installed incorrectly. Also the welch plugs often leak in these carbs, it was common for them to be installed and also JB weld sealed on rebuild to help prevent leaking.

We'll let gruff come back with an ID on his carb before I go dishing out too much trouble shooting though.

I won't be able to look at it till tonight, but I'm pretty sure it matches the Edelbrock in the top picture. And it has the electric choke. Right after I did the engine swap it would start and run, but after a while die out. I checked the choke and it wasn't opening even after the engine was well warmed up. So I bought a new thermostat, but either didn't put it in right or something, so I ended up wiring the choke open and running it like that for awhile till I took it to the mechanic. I specifically mentioned it to them, and I know they replaced the wire to it (old one showed hot when the key was on so I don't know why it was bad) and I'd hoped it was fixed. As to the leaky fuel pump, I honestly don't know where the gas was coming from. Sometimes it would be a real steady drip, which naturally worried me, but then it would stop and wouldn't leak for several days. But it wasn't an all the time thing. It was coming from the pump though, and not just running down the fuel line from higher up. I have to add oil regularly as the rear seal is leaking. I'll check for a gas smell tonight. I would have loved to replace it before I put it in the new truck, but I was crunched for time with my buddy and so on his advice I just figured I'd add oil every so often until such a time as I either acquired the right tools and know how to pull the motor again a do a whole overhaul, or saved enough pennies to pay a mechanic to do it.

The Q-jet is a great carb when they are right...when its time for a rebuild..they are a nightmare!!

I'm with you Dave, also wish i had seen this thread earlier. Its a fuel issue, too much...way rich!

I do hope its an Edelbrock carb, it can be rebuilt with his eyes closed!

Man, I love this site! You all you guys are a big help.

True, the Edelbrock/Carter (I call them Carters, cuz that's what they ARE...Edelbrock bought the rights and started making them years ago) are way easy to rebuild. Anyone can do it. I would buy a rebuild kit online and do it yourself, as carb shops get an ungodly amount of $$ to rebuild carbs. Case in point: I have a one barrel Holley model 1904 on my '60 GMC 4x4 305 V6. Carb shop wanted $175 to rebuild it!!! I bought the rebuild kit online for $38 and did it myself in about 30 minutes!

One other thing I was thinking about...without going back and reading the entire thread...I had my 64 Suburban act like it was running out of fuel at odd times, not all the time. Turns out it was the rubber fuel line from the fuel pump to carb had a lengthwise slit in it from age, and would allow air to enter, causing all sorts of hard-to diagnose driving issues, as it was not a consistnet problem. Perhaps look at your fuel lines carefully to insure they're not in bad condition? I tell ya, by looking at my fuel hose, it wasn't obvious it was bad, until I started flexing it and saw the slit. Just some more things to check that are free! Good luck!

If it was almost anything but an edelbrock I'd say power valve.... but sadly the edelbrock doesn't use a power valve...

But that does simplify it a bit.

Check your choke, see that it is opening when warm. That black plastic round thing on your elect choke side has a bi metal spring inside of it. When the spring heats up it loads the choke plate shaft twisting the plate open. the spring travel can be adjusted by loostening the screws (usually 3 of them) that clamp the black plastic housing in place. You can loosten the 3 screws and dial the plastic "knob" clockwise or counter clockwise. It will say "lean-rich" on the knob telling you which way to turn it.

You might need to turn it in the lean direction to help the spring flip the plate open all the way.

But you'll want to test this with a hot spring and a cold spring, you don't want it would too tight in either direction. If you have it wound too lean then it won't choke fully or at all when it's cold and you need the choke closed.

If you know that your choke is working then I'd go after idle mixture screws next. those are the 2 adjustment screws on the front of the carb. Take a screwdriver and turn them all the way in making sure to count the number of turns for both screws. This way you can go back to where it was set in case this is not the issue.

Some carbs find the right idle fuel feed at 1 turn on each screw, some like as much as 5 full turns, there is no one set rule.

I'd take a stab at saying you might settle in at around 3 turns each but I wouldn't bet on it.

Count your turns on both screws to turn the screws in until they stop, write the number of turns down. Figure an average for both screws (left one is 4 turns, right one is 3, go 3.5)from all the way in (closed) turn them both out to your average number between the 2 and start there.

With the truck running start turning them in and listen for the idle to clean up and rpm to rise. Go half turn in on both, half turn at a time. Keep the adjustments even for the 2 screws. See if you can find a sweet spot.

Find your cleanest, highest RPM idle setting now with 1/4 turn adjustments on each screw, (fine tuning) find the sweet spot on a warm engine then go out from there a 1/4 turn on each screw and leave it.

Hint, if you can turn the screws in all the way and the engine still runs, then it's flooding inside and you need to go after float/needle/seat.

My thinking here is if it was weak on fuel supply with a bad pump, someone may have been trying to compensate by spinning the idle mixture screws out beyond the norm.

Thanks man! I'll get after it tonight. The thermostat on the choke, it warms up via the hot wire right? If so how long after the key is turned should it take for the spring to expand and open the choke? Then with a hot spring I can adjust it till the choke plate is open, then check it after it cools to see it closed. If I understand it right? FWIW one of the things I did when it started acting up this most recent time was wire the choke open on a warm engine and it did not help with the running rough.

Ok, that makes sense to me then. I wondered how it could go from adjusted and running to out of adjustment and not running without me tinkering.

I'm scared to get my hopes up, but that really makes sense to me. All the issues started when I replaced the blasted pump.

the stuff I explained just now is still good stuff to do regardless... but...

Since you now have a fuel pressure regulator do me a favor and try getting your fuel pressure down under 5psi at engine idle rpm (750-ish) and see how she acts.

You honestly don't need more that 3 psi even if you were making wide open throttle runs on 1/4 mile.

This all started when you switched pumps.

that should always be the first question when trouble shooting "what did I change or do different that might have caused this"

Try that first, fuel pressure.

Alright, will do. I'll put it back on tonight and crank it down. I'll post again this evening. Thanks again Dave.

I don't think the AFB (edelbrock) likes much if anything over 5 psi, and like I said, 3 is really enough.

If she still actually floods with low supply pressure and good choke function and good idle mixture setting, then you'll have to go after the float/needle/seat stuff.

Maybe just a little chunka dirt in the needle/seat area from the pump change out. Easy to get a little crusty crud into a line when doing that. It's usually filthy down by them pumps.

I tried to tun a 650 Eldebrock on my 78 camaro with a 350 in it. I had nothing but problems with the acc. pump and needle seats. I was having the same problmes you're having. I bought the carb new and it did fine for about 6 months. I switched to a 650 holley and never had any trouble again. I may have gotten a bad one but the fuel pressure may have been the problem all along like Dave said. I never thought of that.

They have 2 floats, 2 seats, 2 needles... fuel bowls are on the sides left and right. Easy to figure out when you take the top off the carb.

Yea I know, had mine apart several times it just never crossed my mind about fuel pressure. That was over 20 years ago and I was just learning how to work on them. When I read your post I said to myself that was the problem most likely but that was a long time ago. You learn something new all the time. Where were you 20 years ago.

20 years ago I believe Northern_dave was serving his country in one of those uncomfortable sweaty lands.

Yeah, I know it was a rhetorical question...

John

yeah you is right John. LOL!

but when I got home I slapped a brand new 600 cfm edelbrock on my 327 chevy which i still have today.



For me it was always kind of a toss up between the edelbrock of the time and the current 4160 plain jane holley single feed vac secondary 4 barrel.

I had one of each at the same time, both new.

I still say I liked the holley just a little bit better.

And you said you were a Ford man!!

he is. 2 bbl motorcrafts were easier to work on.....

I have my weaknesses.

Ok, I put the fuel regulator on and set it to 5 psi at idle. She chug chug chugged. I then started screwing in the adjustment screws on the carb and she kept running. So as per your prior post Dave, that means I need to pull off the carb and do surgery?

I also checked the oil and there is gas in it now. I check oil level out of habit on it all the time, and before I started it time before this it wasn't that high. It's now reading over and definitely smells of gas. Could that be from the flooding going on?

Edit to clarify it ran with the adjustment screws turned all the way in. They had been sitting about a turn and 1/4 out.

Yeah you are flooding a bowl then, left or right. But you don't need to pull the whole carb. You will have to detach a couple of linkage items. Likely fuel pump linkage (drivers side front corner) and choke linkage, fuel supply line too.

here I stole this photo off the web and drew some arrows pointing to your needle/seat areas.

Must have got a chunk of crud in the line when you changed pumps.

You can try one last desperate farmer trick before taking the top of the carb off.

Start the truck and let it idle with those idle mixture screws closed. Then with the air cleaner off use a good heavy screw driver handle and give a few raps on the 2 back corners of the carb top.

Here and here (red arrows)



That sounds corny as chit but you'd be surprised to learn how many float needle problems can be cured with a few raps directly above the needl/seat areas on the carb lol!!

You'll know if you've got it because the engine will run out of gas and die since you have the idle mixture screws closed.

If it works then you can crank your screws back out to there previous settings and you should be good to go.

Thanks a heap Dave!

I'm assuming the gas in the oil has probably thinned it to the point I'll have to drain that out and replace tomorrow. I'm gonna put the kids to bed here shortly and go smack the top of the carb and see if it works.

Should that not work, will I need to pick up a rebuild kit or might I get by with cleaning it out? I guess that depends on what I find after I open it up probably, I'm just trying to save an 86 mile round trip to town.

If you have to crack the top off the carb just be gentle so not to rip the gasket.

Pull the float hinge pins and lift the needle out of the way. Then with the fuel line disconnected you can try just reverse flushing the seat ports with a can of carb cleaner with the straw attachment. Protect your eyes when squirting that stuff.


Flush em good so the carb cleaner juice flows out of the fuel line hook up.

Then stick it back together gently and carefully. Don't force or bend anything.

Ok I pulled off the top of the carb. Here it the underside of it.


The carb had a lot of grit and dirt in what I presume to be the bowls?


I'm going to suck up the fuel with some paper towels and wipe out the dirt and wipe off the fouling. I was able to keep the gasket intact but for the piece in the middle. So I'm going to try and find the model # on it and get a gasket kit before I put it together. I also forgot to pick up an oil filter so I've got a couple things to pickup in town on monday before I fire it up again.

Is there anything from the photos that looks jacked up? I'm guessing with all the grit in the bowls that maybe some of that migrated to the holes the needles sit in and allowed the fuel to run in?

looks normal to me.

Blow some carb cleaner backwards through the fuel inlets to flush the supply line.

Add an inline fuel filter between the fuel pump and carb inlet.

There was a filter there, reckon it needs replaced. I'll have it all back together tomorrow night. Hopefully I'll be taking her out for a spin.

Well, I cleaned out the carb, and put it back together. Hooked everything back up and went to start it. It wouldn't start. Doh! I still had the idle adjustment screws turned all the way in. So I opened them 1.5 turns each, and she fired right up. I then started screwing them back in to find the sweet spot but it kept running even with them all the way in. That is bad. Right?

The rebuild kit I bought for the carb had a bunch more gaskets and some other little parts in it. I'm wondering should I go to the trouble of figuring out how to take the whole bloody thing apart and replace with the parts from the kit.

The oil had a lot of gas in it. I let it all drain out, then poured a quart of oil in with the plug still out to flush out any gas still in there. By the end of that quart it was running straight oil as far as I could tell.

Thanks,
Jason

Since you got a kit, did you replace the needles and seats?

Or did you just clean the old ones?

I was going to replace them, but the seats were screwed in really tight, and at the risk of buggering them up I just cleaned them out.

So last night turned the fuel regulator as far down as it will go, and got to 3 psi. Then I let it run for just under 15 minutes to warm up. It wasn't up to full operating temp, but it was warm to the touch, and had been plugged in for a full day. I had opened the idle screws up 1 1/2 turns to start it, and after it was warm it turned them in again, but even with them all the way in it still ran.

I'd placed some scrap metal roofing angled off the side of the rear end to try and direct some of the exhaust out of the shop, and boy it wasn't but a couple minutes and the exhaust had sooted them up.

I'm working on a carb issue myself. My problem is with a 4160 Holley 4 barrel. The primairy float bowl gasket started leaking. I picked up a pair of float bowl gaskets yesterday for a 4160 but they weren't quite right. I could make the gasket fit and seal up the bowl but there is an accelerator pump on the front bowl that injects a stream of fuel through the metering block and into the carb throat. The gasket was wrong for this hole, the alignment was off so when assembled the carb just drinks fuel through the accelerator port straight from the float bowl.

I should have my correct gasket today. Apperently there are different variations of the 4160 carb and I guesse wrong on my first try

What's it in?

my snow beast.



I guess I'd change them needles and seats if I were you.

You might need a large slotted screwdriver for the seats, I am unfamiliar with them seats but it's common for seats to be slotted so you can span the seat hole with a large flat screw driver.

Yeah, they're slotted, and pretty soft.

They'll come out.

Big screw driver. doesn't matter if they get damaged removing them, since you have a new set to put back in.

I'd check the float levels as well.

The kit usually includes a little ruler of sorts, usually a square.

Yes, it had one of those rulers. I wondered what it was for.

This thing running yet?

Been too busy the last couple days to mess with it, but I'm going to find out tomorrow. I pulled the carb all the way off, and took it apart, replacing all the seals and pieces that the rebuild kit came with. All I need to do is bolt it back on the block and hook everything back up and give her a go. If that doesn't work Oreilly's has the same carb, Edelbrock 1406, in town for $260. Either way, she should be running in the next few days.

Probably jinxed myself by saying that.

You are toast! If the carb is readily available and at a reasonable price...then it isn't the carb!

Well I went ahead and got the new carb, though I was wrong on the price, more like $310. I'm going to put her in tonight. Hooking it all up is the easy part. Reading the directions on all the adjustments made me a little dizzy though. We'll see.

IT's running. And sounds good, and when I hold my hand in the exhaust it doesn't get spattered with black chunks.

But turning the idle mixture screws all the way in still didn't kill it. All I can do I guess is take it out and run it to see if it runs strong, or dies. And to see if I'm still getting gas in my oil.