Nightmare

Currently I have a 318 v8 4 barrel carb in my charger. I use it as a daily driver, everytime I start it I have to let it warm up , then I have to pump it up when I'm at a red light , I live in a urban area so there's quite a few lights and stops. Overall it's just a pain in the ***, which is why I wanna go with a fuel injection setup. How much would this cost to convert over?

bremereric

Nightmare

Oh wow

TVLynn

Stock carb ?? Check and adjust the choke ???

Nightmare

Yea it's a stock carb. I just had the carb rebuilt and adjusted, cause the guy I had bought the car off had it misadjusted. Doesn't feel right though.

440roadrunner

This is a sure sign that whoever "adjusted" the carb didn't know what he was doing.

WHAT is the carb? That is what model, how old, is it an aftermarket replacement, etc?

Several things are possible. You might have a fuel delivery problem, but if it's in the carb itself there are several distinct areas

A bad accelerator pump, or one that is improperly installed can cause much of your symptoms. You must have one that has a good "leather" (synthetic cup, nowadays), is properly installed, AND has the proper check *****/ check needles installed.

Because you may be suffering fuel boil -- off during shutdown, try this: Next time you have some time, when the engine is cold, start and run it a minute or so, then shut it off.

Remove the air filter, use a flashlight if need be, and block the choke open so you can see down the throats. Move the throttle while looking down the carb throats. You should INSTANTLY see fuel being expelled from the acellerator pump nozzles as you move the throttle.

ADDITIONALLY

If the float level is too LOW, this can cause a too -- lean condition

The choke could be misadjusted so far as the cold condition

The idle mixture could be way too lean, or

PASSAGES in the carb could still be plugged with goop even though it has been "cleaned."

Here's another thought----- if you are shakey on maintaining carbs, WHAT are you gonna do when your aftermarket EFI gives trouble? I can assure you that most mechanics won't want to have anything to do with it.

Archer

NM -

440 is correct, but you might have to consider a few other facts of life first. Old style engines need a little babying from a cold start, even with a perfectly operating choke. (Guess we've all been spoiled with the newer cars, that are just turn the key and go.)

Having to pump it up at a red light is a problem. That's when you have look at 440's suggestions.

OR, switching to an Edlebrock carb will be as hassle free as you're going to get, not zero, but pretty much out the box ready. That assumes that the rest of the fuel delivery system and electrical system are intact.

Archer

Nightmare

It's a 650 edelbrock, it randomly stalls on me though.

This morning after driving a few minutes I had to stop to turn on the main road and it stalled on me, then after a few lights and 15 mins driving on the highway I pulled into a parking lot made a turn in the parking lot and it died on me midturn, started it back up, drove down to pull into a spot , threw it in reverse and as I'm backing up it died again. What the ****. I know the ignition is fine, and the guy at my local shop who sent the carburetor out to the carb shop says "these things take a few adjustments before they get right". How do you not notice something like this on a test drive?

440roadrunner

You need to find a new "carb man," he doesn't know what he's talking about

Is it fairly warm (80s, higher) where you are? Could also be fuel boiling/ vapor lock or some other fuel deliveray problem.

bremereric

440 probably nailed it. I say vapor lock also. One quick way to check is to add a half inch phenolic spacer under the carb and if the syptoms go away then you know the fuel was boiling away.

Nightmare

The car finally crapped out on me tonight, wouldnt even start or turn over nothing, but i checked the headlight wires on the battery an it still had juice in it.The problem I've noticed is that the car will only idle in park, when I have it in drive and I'm stopped at a red light or have to slow down the car wants to stall.

The guy I bought the car off of had misadjusted the carb, which is why I had it sent out to be fixed. Apparently they don't know what the frick their doing over there cause I don't know how You could adjust it AND road test it and not notice the car trying to stall.

I go to school for auto mechanics, this is my first carburetor car, I told my teacher what's been happening and he said the idler or something under the air cleaner is not open enough and that's probably why the car won't idle under a load.

I'm still learning and I probably don't know half as much as most of you guys so any advice or insight is appreciated.

PK1

Its an Eddy correct?

And your in school for auto tech? Good for you, good career!

Time for you to start with your collection of tools. Or ask your teacher for a loaner.

You need a vacuum gauge. 15-50 bucks depending on quality.

Then follow this procedure for the carb. ( Someone pipe in if im wrong here, Ive been dealing with injection for many moons now).

-Car off, in park, wheels chocked.
-Turn both idle air screws in front of carb all the way in clockwise. Bottom them out.
-Turn both out 2 full rotations. So counter clockwise for two rotations of the clock. -Do not pay attention to the orientation of the screw driver slot in the head of the screw. Machining tolerance will have both screws in different orientation.
-Start car.
-Adjust idle screw so your car is running fast idle. 800 plus rpm.
-Let it warm up.
-Once car is warm and water if flowing bring idle screw to desired idle 700rpm or what you like. (You will have to play with the setting to best fit your combo)
-Connect the vacuum gauge to a port in the intake UNDER the carb throttle blades. -You want constant vacuum.
-Then adjust each screw independently and watch the gauge. You want highest vacuum reading. Once both screws are set, readjust idle.
-Then get in and put car in gear, foot on break, read ilde rpm. If too low, turn car off and make small adjustments to car idle screw. No more than 1/8 turn at a time. A little adjustment goes a long way.


Good luck with school!

Nightmare

Thanks@PK

I'll try that.

Archer

Night -

What PK suggested is pretty a basic carb set up. If that doesn't work, and it may not, it implies that the is something either physically wrong with the carb or the problem is somewhere else in the fuel delivery system (that includes the fuel line itself).

The other thing you might want to look for is a simple vacuum leak. A small one might not be noticeable with a vac gauge. Applay a soapy water solution or quick start to vacuum line ends and manifold gaskets and listen for changes in rpm. It's not likely, but should be ruled out. (You do have all the unused vac ports sealed, right?)

The Edebrocks are known for out of the box performance, with little (not zero) adjustments).

Lastly, did you ever check for a fuel smell when the car stalls? That alone is pretty diagnostic.

Archer

440roadrunner

In addition to what PK1 posted,

FIRST set the timing. Or at least check it. If you have a fairly stock cam, I'd start with around 10* at idle speed, with the vacuum line disconnected. If you cannot get the idle down far enough to set timing, just rough it in for now, do the best you can with the carb, THEN reset the timing afterwards and LAST retouch the carb adjustment

you will have to go "back and forth" between

adjust the idle speed

adjust the two mixture screws for max RPM / max vacuum

readjust idle speed

re-adjust mixture screws

readjust idle speed last.

It MAY be possible that you have a vacuum leak, a carb problem (dirt, gum, wrong float level, or fuel dripping over into the throttle bores, etc, etc)

bremereric

A stuck float flooding the car out will make it stumble. Been there done that. If that's the case a quick oil change is in order. I would check the oil for a gasoline smell just for SAG's.

scotts74birds

For what they quoted for an aftermarket F.I. system, you could install a 5.2, or 5.9 F.I. Magnum motor with a compatible cam upgrade.
As far as keeping the carb and tuning it, I cant give you better than what has already been said. Good advice guys!

Nightmare

I just changed the oil last week, and I haven't smelled anything like gas lately.

Currently: the car is back at the shop getting the carb adjusted right (for free). If they mess it up this time I'm just gonna do it myself.

I have kind of a dumb question. Since you have to keep your foot on the gas pedal to feed fuel to the carb, how come if I'm stopped at a light and I have the car in drive, why do I have to keep my foot on the gas to keep it running but if I have it in park it'll stay running without even being in the car.

Archer

Night -

Ah, no. The carb has an idle circuit that feeds fuel due to engine vacuum. You don't have to keep your foot on the gas. The reason you don't have problems in park/neutral is because there's no load on the engine, and it's getting enough fuel or spark to keep it going. In gear, you're not getting enough fuel/spark to keep it running due to the extra load (engaging the tranny).

Archer

440roadrunner

As above, additionally, that is why I mentioned that after you get the carb roughed in close enough to keep it running (if needed) you check the timing, then reset the carb

CURB IDLE SHOULD always be checked LAST IN GEAR

So tuneup order is:

(After diagnosis and parts replacement)

1 Set point gap and dwell

2 set timing

3 warm engine, and "rough" in idle speed if needed, then adjust carb mixture

go back and forth if necessary, mixture/ idle speed/ mixture / idle speed

4 set idle speed LAST and check idle speed IN DRIVE LAST

Nightmare

Oh ok, I just figured there would be like a backup line or valve or something that would pick up the slack.