What if...
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 116
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I uncrimped the line. It starts fine but when i take my foot off the gas it dies. Just trying to eliminate all small problems before i have to really tear into it. The carb is brand new. The fuel filter was really dirty. Just trying to avoid dropping the tank. Could it not idle because it is running too lean?
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,871
Likes: 6
From: Sault Ste. Marie Ontario
I uncrimped the line. It starts fine but when i take my foot off the gas it dies. Just trying to eliminate all small problems before i have to really tear into it. The carb is brand new. The fuel filter was really dirty. Just trying to avoid dropping the tank. Could it not idle because it is running too lean?
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,871
Likes: 6
From: Sault Ste. Marie Ontario
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,116
From: Crossville TN
Do you know that the vacuum can on the distributor is a 'good' one? If the diaphragm in the can is bad, that will allow a big vacuum leak at idle....that is, if you can get it to idle. Pull that vacuum line off of the carb and suck on it. [Yes, that's what I said...] If that hose won't hold suction, the diaphragm is bad and it needs to have a new can put in the distributor. Hmmm...maybe that's why the line was pinched-off in the first place.... 
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Drifting
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,871
Likes: 6
From: Sault Ste. Marie Ontario
Has anyone messed with the idle speed screw or the A/F screws?
I've just been through this with my Edelbrock.
First read the set-up manual. Then set your idle speed to say 800 RPM (the screw on the linkage-drivers side)
From there, turn the A/F screw on the front drivers side in until the motor RPM drops, them back out one full turn.
Do the same with the front passenger side A/F screw and you should have an idle setting you can tweak from there.
I'm just getting into this carb type set-up myself and find the manual is a friend.
Good Luck!
I've just been through this with my Edelbrock.
First read the set-up manual. Then set your idle speed to say 800 RPM (the screw on the linkage-drivers side)
From there, turn the A/F screw on the front drivers side in until the motor RPM drops, them back out one full turn.
Do the same with the front passenger side A/F screw and you should have an idle setting you can tweak from there.
I'm just getting into this carb type set-up myself and find the manual is a friend.
Good Luck!
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2008
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just got another peice of info. I was outside fooling with the car and my wife told me she put a whole can of seafoam in the tank. I had less than a quarter tank of gas in it when she did this. Could this be the culprit, could the seafoam have "diluted" the gas?
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,116
From: Crossville TN
Preferably, a full tank; but if it had 10 gallons or more in it, there shouldn't have been a problem. Now if it was all poured in at once with the engine running....and it all landed on the filter sock (engine fuel intake), I can't conjecture what that would do.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
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From: Crossville TN
I don't think the Seafoam will do any harm to the engine/components. If there is not much fuel in the tank, get a 5 gallon can and pour it in. That should mix up the fuel/Seafoam so you are not ingesting 50%+ Seafoam into your carb. Crank it till it fires and pedal the accelerator until you can keep it running. If the car is in your garage and the tail is toward your door, open the door. If it is backed in, push it outside and away from the door. That heavy dose of Seafoam and the carbon crud it breaks loose will make a real mess of whatever is behind the car. 
(You may even want to put cardboard on the pavement behind the exhaust outlets.)
(You may even want to put cardboard on the pavement behind the exhaust outlets.)
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2004
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Do you know that the vacuum can on the distributor is a 'good' one? If the diaphragm in the can is bad, that will allow a big vacuum leak at idle....that is, if you can get it to idle. Pull that vacuum line off of the carb and suck on it. [Yes, that's what I said...] If that hose won't hold suction, the diaphragm is bad and it needs to have a new can put in the distributor. Hmmm...maybe that's why the line was pinched-off in the first place....
Test and get a new vacuum advance