Carb Stalling Troubleshooting...Flooded ?

[Tynan918]

Based on other posts and the underhood pics, I'm sure you have multiple issues. What is the base timing set at?

 

[DRIVEN]

Timed at 0 degrees? With a timing light? After verifying the timing marks match actual TDC? The reason I ask is that you mentioned not being able to get the curb idle low enough. That could be indicative of retarded timing. If the timing isn't correct first, no amount of carb tuning will make it run right.

FWIW, it sounds like there is also a fuel pressure or delivery issue too. But wanted to bring up the timing first.

 

[Tynan918]

High idle issues make me want to also go through and hunt for a vacuum leak. The old carb cleaner trick is you spray around the gasket surfaces and places you can't visually confirm. If it sucks in and the idle blips faster you found a leak, either a break in a seal or a warped surface. Your rubber hoses and such you just need to check routing, and check condition. Anywhere its plugged off from factory you need to spray test for a leak to see if the plug they inserted is holding fast. If you see cracking on a hose it needs replacement. Flex the hoses. A hose can look OK at rest and when bent by hand show cracks.

Did multiple vacuum leak tests... Spraying carb cleaner around the carb, hoses, and intake manifold...doesn't raise the RPM's...

Did a smoke test using a cigar and blowing smoke into the middle vacuum hose on the front of the carburetor... Smoke only came out of the carburetor mouth.

Here is a pic of the vacuum reading...

When I rev the engine up using the throttle on the carburetor, the gauge drops and jumps back to the 25-26hg mark and slowly drops back down to 20hg...

I would assume no vacuum leaks...

 

[Tynan918]

Because you played with the screws on the carb so much you probably have another fight on the horizon. And, it's a reason so many ejunk carbs used to appear at swap meets used. You tried to tune to a problem, rather than have the problem fixed. So you're settings are all skewed a bunch of different directions from the start point, and, you'll need to slowly and frustratingly fight your way back.

Right now unless you wrote in a notebook every turn of each screw, how far you went, what direction, you can't precisely backtrack. But then again, even if YOU did. If the previously owner didn't, who knows if he mucked it up for you. And that's where so many of those edelbrocks got a bad rep for tuning and tossed at meets.

Yea I have played with the screws a bit lol I just tighten them down all the way and back out 1.5 turns and adjust them from there until the engine runs smoothly, and I know neither of them control just air or fuel alone, but still don't have the actual concept of how they work. But when I retry I always tighten them down and back them out 1.5 turns first.

I bout some rebuild and calibration kits, I'm going to take it off and rebuild and clean it, and add an inline fuel pressure regulator, (and maybe a new electric choke because this one gets hot) and hope that fixes things with this carb because I can't afford another carb or EFI swap.

 

[Tynan918]

also, those glass filters are fire hazards. quite literally. get the metal canister filters instead. its nice to see fuel flow, but not nice to see your car on fire on the side of the road.

The glass filter is to replace the plastic filter near the engine, not the metal canister near the fuel tank. I have that also...

Thats near the rear passenger coil spring for location reference

 

[Tynan918]

Timed at 0 degrees? With a timing light? After verifying the timing marks match actual TDC? The reason I ask is that you mentioned not being able to get the curb idle low enough. That could be indicative of retarded timing. If the timing isn't correct first, no amount of carb tuning will make it run right.

FWIW, it sounds like there is also a fuel pressure or delivery issue too. But wanted to bring up the timing first.

Yea but I would assume the engine would run rough if the timing was retarded or was wrong in anyway...

I bought a timing light with a dial but its confusing to use. With the groove painted white, I still can't see where the groove hits when the light flashes or if I have a light on in the area I'm working in...

I just assume timing is correct because of the way I did it as I was told and seen in some videos about SBC engine timing, only difference is I have 1 groove line instead of 2 on the harmonic balancer.

Factory specs say 6° BTDC and drop in the distributor with the rotor pointer pointing at cylinder 1.

And yea, I'm being told the fuel pressure is causing the carb to flood and thats the reason why I'm bucking and stalling every 8-10 miles, the carb can't handle the fuel pressure and floods. Figured I'd open the carb up and clean and clear out any clogs and grime and adjust things that aren't adjusted right... I'm also running 91 octane, gives me better gas mileage.

But damn I hope the timing is correct, I'd hate to go to my moms garage and do that all over again...

 

[ck80]

Timed at 0 degrees? With a timing light? After verifying the timing marks match actual TDC?

This should also be on your list.

Through the years I've seen some really dumb things guys do on their cars. Back in high-school a guy I know realigned his marks to "read as 'zero'ed in where I want it" which.... well, it was also a 4x4 so after he blew the rear diff he just drove around in 4x4 claiming to have a fwd pickup.

Guys last name was 'jackman', guess he thought it means he needed a jacked up pos to drive?

But back to your car, since we're great at giving you to do lists... all these pics I see a rats nest of red wiring. But tracing them in the picture, it looks more than a stereo or alarm. It ALMOST looks like they cut the factory wire harness off and MADE a wiring harness?

 

[Tynan918]

This should also be on your list.

Through the years I've seen some really dumb things guys do on their cars. Back in high-school a guy I know realigned his marks to "read as 'zero'ed in where I want it" which.... well, it was also a 4x4 so after he blew the rear diff he just drove around in 4x4 claiming to have a fwd pickup.

Guys last name was 'jackman', guess he thought it means he needed a jacked up pos to drive?

But back to your car, since we're great at giving you to do lists... all these pics I see a rats nest of red wiring. But tracing them in the picture, it looks more than a stereo or alarm. It ALMOST looks like they cut the factory wire harness off and MADE a wiring harness?

Yea I wondered that...they all run from a small 6 slot fuse box on the passenger side near the coolant reservoir jug...

The factory harness and l believe all of the connectors are tucked away in that area as well

 

[ck80]

Yea I wondered that...they all run from a small 6 slot fuse box on the passenger side near the coolant reservoir jug...

The factory harness and l believe all of the connectors are tucked away in that area as well

Yep, at best it's messy and asking for issues. At worst it could create problems.

If it was me I might look into the remaining factory harness. Trace and compare what's left to what OEM would've had. Could be OK, likely butchered.

Then, if need be, grab an engine-side harness from a v8 sbc parts car to swap in. Use the plugs you need, and just bag/zip tie to the loom leftover CCC plugs.

I can't think of any good reason to have that mess and it interferes with forum assistance on electrical problems because the wiring doesn't follow gm manuals and normal cars. The sooner you can cut it out of there the better IMO.

 

[Tynan918]

Yep, at best it's messy and asking for issues. At worst it could create problems.

If it was me I might look into the remaining factory harness. Trace and compare what's left to what OEM would've had. Could be OK, likely butchered.

Then, if need be, grab an engine-side harness from a v8 sbc parts car to swap in. Use the plugs you need, and just bag/zip tie to the loom leftover CCC plugs.

I can't think of any good reason to have that mess and it interferes with forum assistance on electrical problems because the wiring doesn't follow gm manuals and normal cars. The sooner you can cut it out of there the better IMO.

Yea eventually I'm going to track and tackle all of the wires...