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73-87 Chevy _ GMC Trucks => Performance => Topic started by: discot315 on December 12, 2010, 05:44:40 pm

Title: Carb Trouble
Post by: discot315 on December 12, 2010, 05:44:40 pm
So I put a motor in my truck from a 77 Chev and have my rochester 4bbl carb from my 1980 block on it and the vacuum lines are routed completly differnt to the intake manifold and around the carb and such and now my mechanical choke doesnt work. I have tried re-routing the lines a ton of differnt ways but still it wont work. This is the only thing keeping my truck still in the shop so its sorta frustrating. and I didnt get a carb on the 77 block so I have to use mine

One of my buddys has a Edelbrock 650 cfm on his truck and said I should just do the same, So im sorta consitering it. Anyone with the same have any complaints or anything? Where I live is on the side of a mountain so a ton of hills everywhere and I have heard holly and edelbrock carbs flood on steep grades so im sorta hesitant about getting one. If I did though I would probebly get a electric choke, are they hard to wire?  Thanks alot..  -Trevor
Title: Re: Carb Trouble
Post by: blown 74 on December 15, 2010, 11:13:54 am
If you change carbs buy a holley or a quick fuel technology they are good carbs with little issues once they are adjusted.My friend put a edelbrock carb on his truck and has nothing but troubles its rich,then it floods,then it runs good for a couple days and acts up again.
Title: Re: Carb Trouble
Post by: jaredts on December 15, 2010, 02:31:36 pm
If you only have choke problems that is something you can solve.  Is this a hot air choke maybe with tubes going into the choke housing?  A pic of the choke area would help.  I like my Edelbrock, but quadrajets are better.  I've heard people knock every kind of carb. out there, lately it seems everyone I talk to says that Holleys are junk and Edelbrocks are great.  IDK, I have mostly dealt with quadrajets and I like them the best.
Title: Re: Carb Trouble
Post by: discot315 on January 04, 2011, 11:31:01 am
Yeah everyone tells me that Hollys best for strip, like I said where I live is on the side of a mountain with lots of steep hilly roads so easier to flood. One of my buddys sold me a 650 Edelbrock with electric choke for cheap so I stuck it on with an adapter plate but its having trouble getting gas to the carb now. I have a metal line from the fuel pump up to behind the alternator then it changes to rubber hose with an in-line fuel filter right before it goes in to the carb.  What could be causing it to have troubles getting gas?
Title: Re: Carb Trouble
Post by: TexasRed on January 04, 2011, 12:02:35 pm
is the fuel filter turned the right way? As in the gas will flow the correct way? Fuel pump is putting out enough gas? Rubber line is not laying on the intake manifold is it?
Title: Re: Carb Trouble
Post by: beastie_3 on January 04, 2011, 12:50:34 pm
Holly does make a off road carb.

A quick rebuild and cleaning of your carb might be in need. The kit is about 30 bucks.
Title: Re: Carb Trouble
Post by: discot315 on January 04, 2011, 03:00:43 pm
Yeah the truck avenger or what ever, it looks kinda cool. I cleaned the carb and apperently it wasnt run that much it just sat in my friends garage but ya maybe it needs it. And ya I think the filters pointing the right way, theres an arrow that is pointing towards the carb im guessing its for the direction of flow. Im pretty sure its not laying on the intake manifold either. Fuel pump should be, its new.

I had it running for a while and was driving my truck around for about 2 weeks then it sat over a weekend and now wont start. and also when I was driving this happened twice I just ran out of gas getting to the carb and my truck stalled both times on hills.

Would it make a difference having the fuel filer lower down further away from the carb? or no.. just wondering lol
Title: Re: Carb Trouble
Post by: beastie_3 on January 04, 2011, 03:16:57 pm
filter placement doesnt matter in those terms.

arrow is flow.
Title: Re: Carb Trouble
Post by: discot315 on January 04, 2011, 03:23:47 pm
Ok good to know thanks. Could it be because it sat for 3 or 4 days all the fuel drained out of the lines or something? Iv sat there cranking it for a while and still didnt start, I put gas right inthe carb and it started but didnt run
Title: Re: Carb Trouble
Post by: beastie_3 on January 04, 2011, 05:11:06 pm
Could be something else if you cranked it for awhile. The fuel wont completely drain in the lines unless you have a leak.
Title: Re: Carb Trouble
Post by: discot315 on January 04, 2011, 09:16:22 pm
Yeah iv sat there 3 times cranking it trying to get it to run. Its on sorta a wierd angle and I have less than a 1/4 tank could it be not picking up any gas or something? Also I have the fuel lines to the switching valve switched so I can use the gas in the left tank, when its empty im going to switch them back.
Title: Re: Carb Trouble
Post by: jaredts on January 05, 2011, 08:33:37 am
If you just switched the fuel lines at the switch then how can you know that it has gas in it since your gage is still reading the other tank?  Add a couple gallons to be sure or if you know for sure it has gas in it I would pull the fuel line off the carb and let it pour gas into a bucket as someone cranks it to make sure you're pumping gas.  If it doesn't pull the feed line from the fuel pump and see if gas pours out.  Texas Red (or anyone):  Why would the rubber fuel line laying on the intake cause a problem?
Title: Re: Carb Trouble
Post by: TexasRed on January 05, 2011, 10:26:33 am
Vapour lock is my thought. If it's a cast iron intake, it may not be too big of a deal but aluminum throws off some heat.
Title: Re: Carb Trouble
Post by: jaredts on January 05, 2011, 11:20:24 am
Vapour lock is my thought. If it's a cast iron intake, it may not be too big of a deal but aluminum throws off some heat.
O.K., that's what I thought--thanks for the reply.  From what I understand he can't get it to start with a newly installed carb., so the engine is cold I assume.  I asked because mine is laying on the intake, and I thought I saw that setup on the Edelbrock installation video, but could be wrong.
Title: Re: Carb Trouble
Post by: beastie_3 on January 05, 2011, 02:42:14 pm
Its a good idea to get the fuel line off the intake and anything else. It will eventually rub a hole and start a fire.
Title: Re: Carb Trouble
Post by: jaredts on January 06, 2011, 10:04:42 am
Its a good idea to get the fuel line off the intake and anything else. It will eventually rub a hole and start a fire.
Thanks for the advice, that makes sense.
Title: Re: Carb Trouble
Post by: discot315 on January 07, 2011, 09:44:52 pm
Yeah well I had it running with the new carb for about 2 weeks but let it sit in my yard for a weekend and it wont start.
I know theres fuel because the guage still changes when I hit the switch it just doesnt change between tanks so I quickly switched the lines over, But ya il put some more gas in the tank and see if it gets any, and Il try the idea of cranking with the line off into a container.

Also just wondering for something else, Does anyone know if it would be possible to put an electric choke on a stock rochester carb that has a vacuum choke? Thanks for all the replys
Title: Re: Carb Trouble
Post by: 1980c10 on January 07, 2011, 10:45:57 pm
If the carb is correct for the year it probably has a hot air choke. It is possible and common to get a coversion kit to convert it to electric choke.
Title: Re: Carb Trouble
Post by: discot315 on January 07, 2011, 10:51:33 pm
Yeah im pretty sure the 1980 carb was a hot-air choke, had a line going into the intake manifold. not sure what my 77 carb is. Where could I get a kit to convert one to electric?
Title: Re: Carb Trouble
Post by: 1980c10 on January 07, 2011, 11:13:46 pm
heres how:
http://www.edelbrock.com/automotive_new/misc/tech_center/install/1000/1932.pdf (http://www.edelbrock.com/automotive_new/misc/tech_center/install/1000/1932.pdf)
 try a search on summit.
Title: Re: Carb Trouble
Post by: Lt.Del on January 08, 2011, 10:17:53 am
it's easy to rule out/or in a choke problem.  If the engine is cold and hasn't run any, the flap should be closed after you activate the throttle.  If it has run a few mintues, the flap will be open.  

Even if it is slightly open after punching the throttle, when it is cold, it will be extremely hard to start.

Title: Re: Carb Trouble
Post by: discot315 on January 17, 2011, 05:01:58 pm
Thanks. and ya definetly not working then.
I took the fuel line off at the carb and put it in a bottle and cranked the motor and theres definitly gas getting to the carb just not through it..

Also could anyone give me any info on these carbs I have? I have a few spare carbs around and actually looked at them today and am not sure about them,

One looks like a electric choke and the other one I think was off a 74 chevy.
Title: Re: Carb Trouble
Post by: 1980c10 on January 17, 2011, 06:44:17 pm
the top pic looks to be electric

the next pic:
Uses a bi-metal spring for the choke, this is located on the manifold connected by a rod and would be considered a divorced choke. you would need a manifold that accepts this type of choke and this can not be converted to electric.

another newer type is the heat raiser tube type chokes, which have a tube going to the intake manifold to the quadrajet choke housing. This uses the same principle as the ealier type but because of the location of the bimetal coil this can converted to electric with a kit. When converted this does not require a manifold designed to accept it.

I belive there are a couple of electronic versions; non computer and computer and the '82 may have a provision for the esc, hopefully someone here has a little more info on this.
Title: Re: Carb Trouble
Post by: discot315 on January 17, 2011, 11:42:04 pm
Oh ok ya that makes sense, I couldnt figure out how the choke worked on the second one. the first one does look electric but it has a wierd connection thats really big and no spot for a ground wire.  not like other electric ones i have seen before
Title: Re: Carb Trouble
Post by: TexasRed on January 17, 2011, 11:56:20 pm
A lot of times they are grounded to the carb itself.

If you'd like to buy the connector for that:

http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail/DOR4/84739.oap?keyword=connector&pt=01502&ppt=C0189

I realise you're in BC, but I'm not sure what you got there in the way of parts stores. . .perhaps a Prince Auto or something?
Title: Re: Carb Trouble
Post by: discot315 on January 18, 2011, 12:03:26 am
ohhh ok ya that definitly looks like it would fit. Theres 3 different part stores in the town here maybe il search around and see if its available to get then, thanks!
Title: Re: Carb Trouble
Post by: TexasRed on January 18, 2011, 12:14:21 am
You could also take a connector that accepts the blade male and cut off one side of the part that folds over and leave it open.
Title: Re: Carb Trouble
Post by: discot315 on January 18, 2011, 12:19:13 am
yeah true, I might try that to see if it will work