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If I close off the end carbs I have to hold it about 2000 rpm for it to stay running and even when I close the end carbs you can still feel them pulling air
If I close off the end carbs I have to hold it about 2000 rpm for it to stay running and even when I close the end carbs you can still feel them pulling air
that's because there is an idle circuit in the end carbs. It is a fixed circuit and is not adjustable. Do NOT adjust the end carbs to try and get an idle, this is done with the center carb.
set your WOT fuel mixture first, then set the float levels. float level is extremely important and setting it incorrectly will have a dramatic affect on idle. do not set the level too high.
obviously make sure everything is clean and no vacuum leaks first, etc.....
If it runs at rpm over 2000 (that's about where the idle circuit quits and the main circuit takes over), the idle circuit on the center carb is plugged. Take out each idle mixture screw (motor not running) and squirt carb cleaner in there. Should come out of a hole on the side of the carb throat under the throttle plate and out of the idle air bleed hole (front ledge of the carb inside the choke tower, facing up). There are 4 holes there - the 2 center ones are main jet bleeds and the 2 outside ones are idle bleeds. You may want to put your hand or a rag over the bleed hole or carb cleaner will go everywhere. Both places should flow freely. If they don't, make them. Afterwards, put each idle screw back in and back out about 1 3/4 turns. That will get you in the ballpark and adjust from there.
I had a Holley once that wouldn't idle. Wasted a lot of time working on it, turned out the PO had installed the wrong metering block gasket. It looked virtually identical to the correct part, but one or two of the holes weren't there (or were misaligned, I don't remember exactly from 35 years ago). Anyway, maybe the guy who rebuilt the center carb used the wrong gasket. Just something to consider.