3.8 Buick

[Street Sweeper22]

If everything is working you're only supposed to pump the carb one time.
Look down the carb (engine off overnight cold) and see if you can see fuel shooting out of the discharge holes as you open the throttle. It will run out eventually after a few pumps. If there is no fuel coming out, the accel pump is bad or there is not enough fuel getting into the carb.
I have noticed a very clear difference in how my v6 and now my 350 run on ethanol laced fuel vs straight gasoline.
If youve ever overfilled the tank it can back up through the vapor line into the charcoal canister and cause issues. Temporarily unhook it from the carb and see if it runs any better.

I have a new accelerator pump. Do you know how to take the spring off the old one and put it on the new one?

 

[MrSony]

I have a new accelerator pump. Do you know how to take the spring off the old one and put it on the new one?

What kind of carburetor do you have? Post a picture.

 

[Street Sweeper22]

What kind of carburetor do you have? Post a picture.

I’m pretty sure it’s the original one.

 

[Street Sweeper22]

Colorado? Like mile high? My guess, you need altitude adjustment. At higher speed the throttle is open, so more air. The air is thinner up there, it needs more air with the throttle plate closed.

would I adjust that with the two screws at the base of the carb? And it’s also throwing code 42 intermittently.

 

[Clone TIE Pilot]

Code 42 is an electronic spark control problem. Probably an open or short in the circuit somewhere.

 

[Street Sweeper22]

Code 42 is an electronic spark control problem. Probably an open or short in the circuit somewhere.

Is there a part that can go bad or how do I solve this problem? I just searched everywhere for a melted wire or loose plug wire. I can’t find anything

 

[Clone TIE Pilot]

Is there a part that can go bad or how do I solve this problem? I just searched everywhere for a melted wire or loose plug wire. I can’t find anything

Its possible the HEI module in the distributor is going bad. The code refers to the HEI module's bypass circuit. The computer applies voltage to the module's bypass circuit and speeds above 500 rpm to bypass it and take over ignition firing.

 

[Ribbedroof]

I have a new accelerator pump. Do you know how to take the spring off the old one and put it on the new one?

You should be able to compress the spring until the slot in the washer/retainer will slide out the groove in the pump shaft

 

[jiho]

would I adjust that with the two screws at the base of the carb?

Yes. Clone can chime in on that, too. You watch a dwell meter while you turn. (Ironically enough, given your Code 42. The distributor has no use for a dwell meter.)

 

[Clone TIE Pilot]

Yes. Clone can chime in on that, too. You watch a dwell meter while you turn. (Ironically enough, given your Code 42. The distributor has no use for a dwell meter.)

Yep, you use an analog dwell meter set on the 6 cylinder scale, regardless how many cylinders the engine has. The idle mixture screws are the course adjustment for both idle and off idle mixtures. While the idle airbleed in the choke horn is the fine mixture adjustment for only the base idle. Most of the time only the idle aif bleed needs adjusting.