Engine racing, need thoughts.
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Joined: Jul 2014
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From: Sebastian,FL
Engine racing, need thoughts.
So we have completed our move and after many delays 2 of my cars were dropped off today while I was at work. Now this car drove out of my old homes garage and down the driveway and to the truck with zero issues. When I got home my wife explained that the 2 characters that delivered them said that the white one doesn't run right. When I arrived home it looks as if someone was doing burnouts in my driveway. My wife knew I was about to flip. Anyway the car starts fine but immediately races to near 3000rpm and will not idle down, now they say they didn't drive it anywhere yet for some reason I have visions of the parking attendant in The Ferris Bueller movie. It is just a base 77 with a nothing special 350 and a Holley carb. I did find a broken vac line that appeared to be not recent. Not wanting to make any drastic changes the only thing I did was adjust one throttle adj screw 2 turns, it didn't help so I put it back to where it was. Then I started it in neutral and everything was back to normal and it seems fine now starting in neutral or park. Any thoughts or ideas would be greatly appreciated. Sorry for the long winded story.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2003
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From: Harrisburg Pa
Broken vacuum lines will do just what you said it was doing so you probably fixed it.
To bad you did not right down the miles, you would know if they ran it because its only a few feet to unload from trailer.
To bad you did not right down the miles, you would know if they ran it because its only a few feet to unload from trailer.
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From: Sebastian,FL
Thanks, I thought the same thing. The only thing that seemed odd to me on the vac line was that it had been just taped over on the end, there is no other half that I've found yet. The tape appeared to be quite old. After plugging the end and starting it it still did the same thing.
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
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a small diameter broken vacuum line will not cause a 3K idle speed. You have a Holley but make no mention as to which one and more importantly what kind of choke mechanism. What is your normal cold fast idle after setting the choke by stepping on the gas and then starting without touching the gas peddle again?
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From: Sebastian,FL
a small diameter broken vacuum line will not cause a 3K idle speed. You have a Holley but make no mention as to which one and more importantly what kind of choke mechanism. What is your normal cold fast idle after setting the choke by stepping on the gas and then starting without touching the gas peddle again?
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From: Sebastian,FL
The only # I see is 7445 with a 4 under it. Does that sound right? Here are a few pics of it. For the past 2 days now I can start it by giving it 2 pumps of the pedal, it fires right up idles normal and seems like it always did. This may sound bizzare but it literally seemed like when it happened as if you were holding the pedal to the floor yet it wasn't and none of the linkage was bound up. If it makes any difference the car went from western NY to south FL so quite a difference in altitude.
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Race Director
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the part with the number on it is the metering block. Look at the vertical surface behind it, that is the airhorn and it should have a number on it.
The other pictures show that you have an electric choke and the fast idle cam could have been stuck but 3k sounds high for a choke fast idle.
You may never determine the cause if it was a one time event.
The other pictures show that you have an electric choke and the fast idle cam could have been stuck but 3k sounds high for a choke fast idle.
You may never determine the cause if it was a one time event.
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From: Sebastian,FL
I'm leaning towards never knowing what occurred. I really appreciate your input and thoughts. My last question may seem off the wall, we moved from western NY to South Florida which is a drastic change in altitude, might that have had any impact on things?
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2009
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From: New York
Disconnect the throttle cable , or manually move the throttle and be SURE it stops closed as it should. Not to be rude but the motor looks un-kept . I would check ALL vac lines for dry rot based on what I see in that limited photo
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From: Sebastian,FL
No worries, I didn't take it as rude. The motor is completely void of any eye appeal. Amazingly it runs like a scalded dog, so I've put more thought into what will replace it instead of any beautification of it as it's not the original motor. Back to the subject though, throttle is working properly and vac lines repaired, car is running fine again and I've chalked the entire experience up to something I'll never find the answer to.