Carb Trouble

[discot315]

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

[blown 74]

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.

[jaredts]

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.

[discot315]

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?

[TexasRed]

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?

[beastie_3]

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.

[discot315]

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

[beastie_3]

filter placement doesnt matter in those terms.

arrow is flow.

[discot315]

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

[beastie_3]

Could be something else if you cranked it for awhile. The fuel wont completely drain in the lines unless you have a leak.

[discot315]

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.

[jaredts]

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?

[TexasRed]

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.

[jaredts]

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.

[beastie_3]

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.