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I'm having a little bit of a problem setting the idle on this puppy. Its sitting atop a edelbrock EPS performer and the car is side-piped. Its a 76 L-48. When we fire it up, the idle does not rest at a constant RPM, instead it revs in a cycle. We've of course messed with the idle screws and the float, and have even played with the timing some.
I know this is a popular carb to use so I would expect many people to have it. Would there be anything else that would settle the idle that we just aren't thinking of? 650 cubes.
Ok, what is the vacuum tube coming from the master cylinder? The tubing on there now is a cheap piece of tubing that actually gets sucked flat when the motor is running.
Thats what supplies vacuum to your power assisted brakes.
You are going to need that for your brakes to work correctly.
Just plug it for now and see if it idles smoother.
Is this a stock motor? Do you know how much vacuum the motor pulls at idle? This should not be an issue but I would check the vacuum and make for sure its not pulling open you power valve. What do your plugs look like? I would still suspect a vacuum leak most likely.
I suspect that the secondaries are not seating correctly when the throttle is released. (This actually used to happen to me with my dp.) Check the setting on the secondary side for proper slot exposure and be sure that there is no binding of the linkage.
Adjust primary throttle idle stop so that it allows about .020" of the transfer slot to shot (see this from the under side). Close secondary slots. Put carb back on car.
Set your timing to factory specs for the engine. This affects vacuum, which affects signal to the carb, which affects A/F ratio.
Something in the range of 30-36 degree BTDC after all the mechanical advance is in (depends on dist. when this happens. Just run the engine up and watch the timing mark. When it stops advancing, you're at max mech. advance. Do this with the vacuum advance disconnected and plugged.)
Once the timing is set, put a vacuum gauge on the manifold and adjust each of the idle mixture screws for highest, steadiest vacuum.
Adjust idle speed at SECONDARY set screw, so as not to disrupt the relationship to the transfer slot at the primary bores.
Recheck all idle mixture screws using vacuum gauge.
Readjust idle speed, if necessary.
Last edited by CGGorman; May 24, 2006 at 09:47 PM.
that vac hose for the brakes is hosed (so to speak) it is not supposed top collapse, its supposed to be a pretty stiff hose, replace it before driving it much.
He said it's a Holley Double Pumper. To the best of my knowledge, all 4150,4150HP,4160,and 4500 series Holleys have secondary idle speed screws. All but the 4160 have four corner idle mixture screws, AFAIK.
I believe that covers all the common models someone might call a double pumper
If not, I apologize. I went back and clarified my instructions a bit.
Best way to find vacuum leaks is with a can of carb cleaner. Spray anything coming off the manifold one at a time, if your idle picks up and smooths out for a second or two, you've found a leak.
Best way to find vacuum leaks is with a can of carb cleaner. Spray anything coming off the manifold one at a time, if your idle picks up and smooths out for a second or two, you've found a leak.
Carb cleaner does a number on RTV sealer (ie: aluminum intake End seals)
I would not recommend carb cleaner.
You can use a propane torch.... DO NOT LIGHT IT, simply open the valve then pass it around any area that may cause a vacuum leak....If the RPM increases you have found a vacuum leak
The carb is a holley 4150. The problem now is that we have found the vacuum leak but cant get the idle down. The idle screws are in all the way and it is still idling too high. Is the carb just getting too much gas?
I suspect that the secondaries are not seating correctly when the throttle is released. (This actually used to happen to me with my dp.) Check the setting on the secondary side for proper slot exposure and be sure that there is no binding of the linkage.
also check the primary side the throttle plates have to be balanced. a good rule is the slot exposed by the throttle plates should be square. there is a stop screw to adjust this. Lars has some good info on this
If you have all 4 idle air bleeds screwed all the way in and its still running, then you still have a vacuum leak.
and/or you may have one or the other throttle plates too far open, because it has to be pulling the fuel from the transfer slot if the mixture screws are closed.