Technical Got her to start but won’t idle

So I managed to start my car, (thanks to you H.A.M.B. members) but ...she won’t stay idling on her own. She’s a 272 y block.


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Look for a vacuum leak....carburetor base gasket is a prime suspect..
Carburetor could be dirty thus the idle circuits are not functioning.
There’s other possibilities but I would start there.

 

post pic of motor

 

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Does it stay running on the choke(cold) high idle?
How does it die, slowly sputters and dies or just simply cuts off?
Might want to get those wires off the firewall/heater core valve, and get the coil wire out from between all those plug wires as well.
Carb settings?
Idle screws?
Throttle stop?
What rpm is it able to hold?
Timing?
How do the plugs look?

 

Like to diagnose, but too many variables....... Can you tell us what you've done, what your settings are currently, and be a lil more in depth. Easier for us to help you than guessing.

 

I checked for a vacuum leak, didn’t hear any change in the idle.


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She sputters out. It’s a refurbished carb and I don’t even know if she’s compatible because she has a “lean” dial on one side, but not connected to anything. Also, I turned mixture screws one and a half turns out. No idea of the rpm or timing. All new gapped plugs.


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Can’t thank you all enough for your advice.


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If you can take video of it starting, running, then dying, we might be able to help you figure it out. Upload it to youtube, then post a link here.

The "lean" thing is for the automatic choke setting. In the picture, the choke plate is open, which may or may not be a problem...usually, in summer, it should run OK with the choke open, although getting it to idle might require letting it warm up for a few minutes. Turning the black round thing in the lean direction makes the choke plate more open, turning it rich makes it more closed. It has a thermostatic spring in it, to hold it closed when it's cold, then open as it warms up.

But video will tell us a lot...

 

Are you speaking of the black cylinder on the side?
That would be the choke.
If it is not connected then won't function correctly as when the engine heats up it won't kick off and will make it run rich.
If it is turned fully to 'lean' then the choke, when 'on', will stay fully open even when cold.
If that is the case then you will need to keep your revs a bit high for a few minutes til the engine warms up enough so it can hold a steady idle on its own.

If you are starting the engine(cold) and she doesn't hold idle, it's because the engine is cold.
Let it warm up, if you have a temp gauge watch that, if not, close the hood(air filter installed) and that will warm the engine up a bit faster.
Once warmed up the engine will idle on its own without the choke.

 

Check the timing, retarded timing will not idle
.put a vacuum gauge on it.

 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=YCByCnWJoeg


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Done. And ty


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Didn't sound like it was skipping, just can't hold an idle cold.
Try warming it up, hold idle at 1500-2000 rpm, might take about 5mins.
Gently let off the throttle and see if it will idle on its own.
If it is, you need to either hook up the choke or get used to manually warming the car up.

 

Might want to get it warmed up, then find the idle speed screw, and screw it in, so it opens the throttle more. You can watch the throttle linkage as you do this...you will see it move a little in the direction that it goes when you push the gas pedal. Don't go too far, just enough that it will keep running. Then start playing with the idle mixture screws...gently turn each one in as far as it will go, count how many turns. Don't get it tight! just gently, till you feel resistance, then stop. When they are both in all the way, then turn them both out, half a turn more than you had to turn them in (go by the one that took the most turning). If works better, then you can try turning them out another quarter turn each, and see what happens. You'll have to adjust the idle speed and the mixture repeatedly, as one will affect the other.

It takes some trial and error to get the idle working right, and there are several things that could make it so the car behaves the way it is. Keep being patient, and and asking questions, you'll get it eventually.

 

stays running with your foot on gas pedal? - have to feather pedal/giving a little gas then release foot, etc? - filter between gas tank and fuel pump? - looked at fuel line to make no leaks due to rubbing frame, etc? -

 

Turn idle screw on carb to increase idle so it will run without you in the car. connect vacuum gage and adjust both mixture screws until you have the highest vacuum. Then start lowering your idle screw and adjusting your mixture screws to maintain highest vacuum you can. Keep lowering idle and checking your vacuum step by step until you get to the correct idle. Once your are at the correct RPM and your jetting is the highest vacuum possible open the mixture screws 1/2 turn and you should be on the money. You can leave the mixture screws at peak vacuum if you want, but I like to open 1/2 turn.
If your not able to do this you have something else that needs to be addressed,

 

Christie,
I can’t make out the linkage in the photo. I do see the car’s linkage is on the driver’s side and the carburetor throttle is on the passenger side. The throttle linkage where it connects to the car linkage is out of my view behind the carburetor.

The reason I mention linkage...

Check the very simple stuff like linkage. The linkage may be holding it off idle.

Too
The idle screw may be out too far holding you off idle.

Check simple stuff like this.

Another simple thing to check....94s have a spark port for the vacuum advance. Did you hook this up?

 

I put a overhauled 94 on the ‘51.

The ‘51 had 3 carburetor gaskets under the leaky 94 I removed. The first 2 peeled off. The last one had became one with the intake.
Someone not familiar with these may have thought that last gasket was supposed to stay or was the intake.

I stuffed the intake with paper towels broke up some of the old gasket. The rest had to be shaven-scraped off with a razor knife blade. Really a very tedious and time consuming task. The paper towel kept the debris from falling into the intake.

Always make sure the carburetor base is clean.
Pay special attention around the bolts/studs.

 

Any of you hambers out Las Vegas way care to help her out ?

 

Probably got it warmed up and is tearing up the strip.

 

Not yet! going to rent a vacuum gauge and see what happens. Appreciate all this help as I’m learning as I go with her!


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Greetings Christie!...the photo you took yesterday shows the choke blade fully open, was this photo taken when the engine was cold?....even in sweltering Vegas your car may need the choke blade closed some or all of the way before starting the engine. The black cylinder marked " lean" may have an arrow pointing in one direction or " Rich" beside lean. Loosening the screws that clamp the automatic choke cylinder ( the black cylinder) and either turning the cylinder toward the " Rich" direction or opposite of the " lean" arrow and opening the throttle about half way once should cause the choke blade to spring closed. When the engine gets warmer the choke should open, eventually all the way. And has been pointed out make sure there are no open vacuum ports( little tubes a hose could be slipped onto , and are you sure the manifold surface was 100% clean?

 

Check out this video, it shows some basic carb adjustments, including the choke adjustment and the idle air mixture screw. I know this isn't the same engine / carburetor in your car, but the basics are the same. Note: I like to set the choke a little loser than he shows in this video, not quite as tight as he does. But you'll develop a fell for it based on how well the car starts in the morning, and how well the choke turns itself off automatically as the engine warms up. If it's too tight the choke stays on, the engine will run rich, and will stay on "fast idle" too long. If it's set too low it may be hard to start when cold. You may have to adjust it a couple of times to get it right.

Also, when adjusting the air mixture screw(s) I like to roll them in just slightly after achieving the highest vacuum reading, maybe just about 1/4 turn, or until the vacuum guage drops maybe 1/2" of vacuum; this helps to maintain a crisp throttle and reduces the smell of a too rich setting. But different people have their own preferences, and you'll develop your own too.

 

You have better eyes than me Mark.

 

Ok, I attached the gauge but it did not move whatsoever, even when revving the engine. Clearly, I did something wrong. Lol I used the t shaped attachment and put it on the line that runs from carb to distributor. But like I said, no movement on the gauge.


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Also, I let her warm up but that didn’t help with her dying out. She still sputters out if I don’t rev.


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