Hi all! My '65 has or is developing a cough. Well, it's started to balk/buck whatever you want to call it. Mostly at low speeds. It seems to pull OK when I accelerate but the miss seems to be getting more frequent. Plugs are new AC R45s and the points and timing looked OK this weekend. The carb is a Carter AFB. Engine is a 327/300 and the car has a Powerglide. Distributor is a dual point Mallory with mechanical advance.

If this is fuel problem, where do I start? I suspect a rebuild kit is in order for the carb but I don't know why the car has started behaving the way it is. Can't recall doing anything that would cause this. Could this be a problem with the choke? It is finally cooler here in Texas but not that much.

Do any of you have any experience with the Edelbrock Performer series replacements for the Carter? If I went this road I guess I'd need to go to the electric or manual choke. Any thoughts on this?

On another note, I'd like to begin some work on my door panels. I want to replace the missing door panel clips but some if not most of the holes in the doors are stripped or enlarged. Whats the best way to restore the stripped out holes. Do I need to epoxy in some plates inside the doors for new holes. I know there are plate kits for the 63-64. I guess if one doesn't mind seeing rivets this is one solution. Any tips or tricks ya'll have used would go a long way!

As always, your help is most appreciated folks!

Thanks
Dave Z

 

Carter carbs are fairly simple. It is easy to pop the top off and clean the passages with some aerosol cleaner. I've had an old style Carter with the small neck, a new style AFB, and an Edlebrock. I'm not familiar with the '65 carb, but the aircleaner may not fit the newer carbs because of a change in neck size. I liked my Carter AFB because it was low maintenance and easy to set up. But, It would stumble in hard cornering. I am happier with the Speed Demon from a performance point of view. The 300 horse intake may also be tapped for a Holley.

 

Check the inside of the distributor cap. See if there are any carbon color lines on the inside. I had what sounds like the same problem in my first car a '71 Chevelle. It turned out there was a crack in the distributor cap which was causing the problem. My $.02.

 

Dave, as you see from the other posts, there are numerous things that could cause you symptoms. Like David B posted, most such problems are ignition related and that's where I'd look first. The choke should be fully open once the engine has warmed up. Pop the air cleaner lid to check and, if it the choke isn't opened, you may have found the problem. Like GreaseMonkey posted, a bad distributor cap could be the problem. It doesn't have to be cracked, just some moisture inside of it due to condensation from cooler temps can have the same effect. Also check ignition wires, and their connections, and dwell (haven't messed with dual points in years but I think they use a different figure than factory single points).

You didn't say if you had an original type AFB or a later one with a Holley patern intake. If it is a carb problem and you decide to replace it rather than rebuild, keep in mind that modern AFB's, as well as the Edelbrock versions, are not bolt on's for the factory manifols. As already posted, the bolt patern and air cleaner base size for the later AFB's are the same as Holley and they don't interchange with a `65 AFB.

 

As to your door panel question, many people have used the plastic inserts intended for drywall screws with some success. Plates epoxied inside the door would be better. The rivited plates work very well underneaththe door panel where the are not visable. You could also place a couple of layers of glass mat saturated with resin inside the doors, if you can reach the forward areas.

 

All above suggestions are great. I didn't see a remark about plug wires. I have had them do it to me twice in the last three years, and I use braided Accel wires with a lifetime warranty. Accel replaced them twice. The last time, one of the brass plug wire ends "melted" away inside the distributor cap socket. Go figure.

 

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone. Also for the heads up on the dfferent carbs and suggestions for door panel repairs. Car was really rough today. Got it started, had a few backfires (carb) and some missing, never really got it to smooth out. Cooler here today but not real cold. I will follow your leads and try to remain patient. After all this is a hobby, right? Just much more fun when it's running well and driveable.

Here's a few numbers from the carb. Left side bears the # 0-1552. Pad on lower right front by choke bars the stamped # 3720SA with an F4 below it. There's what looks like a 6-1516 on the top behind the choke area. A couple of observations. The choke seems to be open all the time and the butterfly is quite "floppy" for lack of a better term. The line on the choke cover is no where near where it ought to be if I'm looking at the correct marker. It's about an inch counterclockwise of the mark on the carb.


Thanks again guys! This prof really appreciates your teaching!

Dave Z


[Modified by DZVette, 4:00 PM 12/9/2001]

 

The carb is the correct one for the engine. AFB's are the easiest to maintain. Pull the 2 hairpin clips off the linkage rods (use a magnet to keep them from disappearing), remove 2 screws from LH side linkage, disconnect the fuel line (with a rag under the connection), remove 2 main jet rods from under the small covers in the top of the air horn, remove all the air horn (top) screws and pull the air horn straight up. If there is dirt in the fuel bowls, wipe it out with a rag. Carefully flip the air horn over and make sure the floats are parallel to the surface of the inverted air horn. If your carb has brass floats and you want to check for cracks (usually caused by water in the gas and freezing temps) - remove the floats and (with needle nosed pliers) immerse them in a pot of hot water. If a stream of bubbles is emitted, the float needs replacing. That's it. Reverse the procedure to assemble the carb. If you are careful with the air horn-to-body gasket when you pull the air horn up, you don't even need a gasket.

Check the plug wires. Check the weights under the rotor for free movement and return to collapsed condition under return spring pressure.

This is a great hobby. The only thing that is almost as much fun as driving a Corvette is working on one.

PS: In my experience, a dual point distributor without a vacuum advance is great for racing - high rpm with a warm engine, but not so great for cold engines used in traffic. I prefer standard GM (with or without Pertronix) with (Accel adjustable) vacuum advance for street use with pump gas.


[Modified by magicmachines, 5:33 PM 12/9/2001]