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Troubleshooting Tips
To help with that, we've compiled tons of carburetor troubleshooting tips taken directly from the hottest sources. Everything from the pitfalls to tuning tips, common adjustment problems, and plenty more that should get your ride running better than ever. And one of the best parts is that these are economical and easy-to-fix solutions. So whether your carburetor woes have your engine stumbling, idling rich, or just not making the power it used to, we aim to help.
After years of service, the throttle lever can work loose on the throttle shaft. This problem is easily solved by tack welding the shaft to the lever.
On this Edelbrock Performer Series carburetor, the float should be adjusted with the lid upside down, 7/16" above the gasket. An accurate and easy way to measure this is by placing a 7/16" drill bit underneath the open end of the float.
Next, turn the lid right side up and measure the float to provide the recommended (at the front of the float) clearance found in the instructions. This dimension is typically about 1".
Before installing the accelerator pump on an Edelbrock Performer Series carburetor into the main pump, fill the cavity half full with WD-40. Then, by hand, install the accelerator pump and depress it several times. If everything is working correctly, the pump will squirt the WD-40 into the carburetor venturis.
As with all carburetors, don't over-tighten any screws. A common problem on many Quadrajets is over-tightening these rear screws, which causes the top plate to bulge out, hanging up the secondary air door and keep it from opening properly.
Make sure to blow out all passages with compressed air. On this Holley carburetor, the airflow blown through the front of the main body travels upwards and out of the top of the air horn on the primary side. This can be monitored for even flow by placing your hand above the air horn.
Accelerator pump covers found on many Demons and Holleys are often over-tightened and warped. To check them, place a straight edge across the mating surface. If they are warped, they can typically be sanded down on a flat surface to become true again.
To check the float level on Demons and most Holleys, allow the engine to idle on a level surface and adjust the float level so that the fuel is just barely below the sight hole. You can verify this by gently rocking the car. Be careful and only adjust one side at a time.
To adjust the idle mixture on most carburetors, begin with the idle mixture screw out about one-and-a-half turns. For most musclecars and performance engines, adjust to the highest idle (rpm) or the highest manifold vacuum. Some Holley carburetors have adjustments that turn in the reverse. Watch for labels. For most carburetor tuning, you'll need a vacuum gauge and a handheld tachometer.
On engines equipped with Quadrajet carburetors, make certain that this plastic cam that raises the secondary hanger is not worn. If it is, the secondary operation will be diminished and reduce full-throttle power.
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