Hey guys,

The stock carb on my 81 works well but it idles kind of crappy. The other day I sprayed carb cleaner over the idle air bleed screw and throttle shaft area and the idle smoothed right out indicating the the carb has vacuum leaks and has seen better days. It also has a slight flat spot on acceleration. Also bubba shoddily installed a new choke at some point which never works like it should. Here is my question. I am looking into remaned carbs and I like what I see on this website: www.smicarburetor.com. Anybody ever had any experience with these guys? It seems like their remaned stuff is pretty legit. I had a bad experience with a remaned carb on a past vehicle that I owned, where the carb looked like an idiot assembled it and the throttle linkage was bent. I was wondering if this company is any good or should I stay away?

PS. I dont want to rebuild my carb because I dont want to have to wait several weeks while I send out the carb and not be able to enjoy the car. I dont trust myself the least when it comes to doing a rebuild. And im also **** about wanting everything to be 100% on the car and what better way than a "new" carb?

 

V8FastCars@msn.com

Request a quote on a rebuild.

 

For what it is worth.

I can not comment on the company you had found and looked into....BUT...I can say from experience that All American Carbs in Florida us where I get my carbs rebuilt with GREAT success.

I prefer to send out the correct carb when ever possible...if the carb is correct for the engine, etc. If the engine has been beefed up and "things" changed...then I let them know so changes can be made if needed to get the original carb to work on the newly beefed up engine.

I would not buy a new carb...unless the company KNOWS what is used inside it...in relation to jets, power valves, etc depending on what type of carb etc.

Also you have to be careful with your mixture control solenoid adjustment. I could only hope that if you choose NOT to send your carb out and wait a short while...and buy a new one...You might have an issue right out of the box.

Spring/summer is just starting...so get it off, boxed up and sent out. If you did not want to wait...you should have done this months ago BECAUSE choosing incorrectly...will give you a possible problem that will make your ride suffer because you are more worried about driving..but yet want it 100%. Also be aware that it does take a special socket to adjust your throttle position sensor to .52 volts....which can change if you play around with the idle speed adjustments. There is a +/- variable which I think is .075 volts...But I always try to set it to the base .52 volts.

DUB

 

All American did my '81 carb, and she ran like new. They do good work so I support what Dud says.

 

The site "briankeery" mentioned, is Q-Jet guru Lars Grimsrud, and really knows his stuff. Good for you to ask about rebuilds, as some are pretty bad. Lars has good papers availible, so good getting your hands on them. Getting your carb dailed in for proper tuning for your car is very important, and something you want done right. I always tune my carbs for engines just right, and well worth the trouble. Even if you do simple things like exhaust, worth doing. Another thing, some 81's used electronically tuned carbs from the factory, so keep this in mind, as the M/C solinoids usually need some attention. Another thing to add. The above picture of a carb with all the gold cadnium plating blasted off, usually isn't a good sign. This means the venturies are also blasted, and not a good thing in my mind.