Loose carb
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Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 87
Likes: 1
From: Davenport Iowa
Loose carb
Just got off work popped a beer and pulled the carb off that has my blood boiling. Car ran perfect until a 60 mile drive three weeks ago now won't idle at all so gonna rebuild it but to my surprise I find it is so loose on the manifold that I can turn all 4 screws by my fingers when I get it off the gasket is falling apart could this be the first time this carb has been off the car in 33 years. The inside of the manifold is completely black can I clean this and would the loose carb be causing problems.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
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From: Crossville TN
Don't worry about the "black" surface inside the manifold..as long as there is nothing that has any size to it. Yes, your problem is likely the gasket falling apart and creating air leakage into the manifold. Get a new gasket and a can of Seafoam [fuel additive] carb/intake/valve cleaner. Install new gasket, torque carb bolts properly; then dump the Seafoam into your 'greater than half full' gas tank with a warmed up engine. Follow directions on the can. It should get rid of any carbon build-up in the carb, intake, & valve system. (Oh, don't aim your exhaust pipes at the clean sheets your wife is drying on the line. 
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 2,625
Likes: 242
From: Russell Ontario
St. Jude Donor '09
Good advice all around , and keep an eye on the carb bolts and the screws , they back off all the time , if the carb is off , tighten the 2 screws on the bottom , the also get loose , Ron
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 876
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From: Canastota Ny
now the seafoam is a whole new debate in itself. some say dont use it cause it loosens up to omuch crap to float around others say use it. personally i would love to try it but way too many horror stories on it so far for me.
here is an informational video on its usage http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...90865726229173
here is an informational video on its usage http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...90865726229173
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
Seafoam is to be put into the fuel tank...not the oil. Lots of concerns about breaking 'crud' loose if you put additives in the oil...and I agree with that thinking. The only areas the Seafoam contacts are the carb, intake manifold, valves/head, and the cylinder walls/rings/top of piston. If that stuff had anything but carbon on them, I don't know how it got there; and loose carbon is not hard enough to do any damage to an exhaust valve, etc. I don't know who has problems using Seafoam, but I think that's a bunch of 
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 876
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From: Canastota Ny
agree...maybe im just reading the oil change/engine failure horror stories on the import forums. i too say dont use it in the oil what so ever. especially when you have a stock cam and everyone praises zink zink zink. you dont want to make the oil anymore UNprotective then it is these days for these cams. but...... im going to give it a try in the fuel tank this weekend though just for the heck of it. but...7T1...if its taken in through a vacuum line and into the intake then its just a fuel air mixture correct no oil mixture?
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
I have no idea how it would work going through a vacuum line. It's meant to enter the fuel system as a diluted mixture of gasoline and Seafoam. If you let the vacuum line suck it up, that's 'straight' Seafoam going into a localized area of the intake manifold [assuming the vacuum line goes directly to the manifold, not through the carb]. That's not something I've ever tried...nor is it something that I would ever do, unless several others tried it with success first.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 53,648
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From: Southern Cal Ca
St. Jude Donor '22
I have no idea how it would work going through a vacuum line. It's meant to enter the fuel system as a diluted mixture of gasoline and Seafoam. If you let the vacuum line suck it up, that's 'straight' Seafoam going into a localized area of the intake manifold [assuming the vacuum line goes directly to the manifold, not through the carb]. That's not something I've ever tried...nor is it something that I would ever do, unless several others tried it with success first.
1/3 can in the gas tank
1/3 can in the oil
1/3 can into the carb/throttle body/vacuum line to the power boaster.
I have used a whole can through PCV vac line.
Pour slow so you don't hydrolock.
I have success when using it to decarb
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 87
Likes: 1
From: Davenport Iowa
The quadra-jet is rebuilt and back on the car the accelerator pump was cracked and was dirty as hell. Pumped the pedal 5 or 6 times and popped right off idles like a new car. Runs well until wot then starts to miss at red line then evens back out after it shifts didn't do this before what is the cure for this.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,664
Likes: 162
From: columbia city in
Seafoam advertises 3 methods for using their stuff.
1/3 can in the gas tank
1/3 can in the oil
1/3 can into the carb/throttle body/vacuum line to the power boaster.
I have used a whole can through PCV vac line.
Pour slow so you don't hydrolock.
I have success when using it to decarb
1/3 can in the gas tank
1/3 can in the oil
1/3 can into the carb/throttle body/vacuum line to the power boaster.
I have used a whole can through PCV vac line.
Pour slow so you don't hydrolock.
I have success when using it to decarb
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,526
Likes: 2
From: Oak Ridge NC
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 53,648
Likes: 878
From: Southern Cal Ca
St. Jude Donor '22
I have a NorthStar motor.
It is famous for carbon buildup.
The PCV was the best way too get the seafoam in.
My brother has a FI motor and the pcv makes it easy too.
On both these motors, low load ping went away.
I do not put it in gas or oil.
