Help with Dist Cap

Look down the throat of your carb with the engine not running using a flashlight, when you steadily move the throttle towards full open you should see two streams/squirts of liquid gas. If there are none it will be hard for the engine to pick up RPM until it is fully warmed up. This function is called the accelerator pump and is designed to smooth out the transition between the idle circuit and main circuit in the carb.

 

These are such great simple carbs I personally would keep an original and rebuild it myself. There is a lot of intermixing of parts on these carbs when they go to a "rebuilder". They were even used on marine applications and had two differnt size bases. Pic is of my coupes engine all the carbs are small base rotten chesters that I put together from the junkyard I set these up to run proggressive as I eliminated the idle circuit in the two outboard carbs.

 

Well I did this...no vaccuum gauge yet, but for sure on both sides of the carb base it causes a very noticeable increase in idle speed.

Upon closer examination, the gasket on the carb base passenger side, is incorrect.
There are tell tail signs of form a gasket, and the gasket does not extend to all four bolts.
So....a gasket change is next....question...how do I find the correct gasket.
And, if I unhook the linkage \, fuel line and 4 bolts are there any surprises that I should know about in advance like flying springs or delicate parts etc.

 

What Sparky said, if you can, replace these bolts with stainless steel ones coated in antiseize when you put it back together. The gasket can be found at most NAPA's.

 

Thanks Guys..and looks like they were replaced , and I tightened them today so they should be ok....I'll report back.
Thanks Agan

 

OK: I changed the carb gasket today. The old one was different and had a seperator section in the middle which was all buned and metal showing through.

I also found that the emmissions hoses coming out the back of the carb had been previously plugged, but leaking....so I removed it all and put a plug in the rear outlet of the carb.

So, now it won't start and idle yet....I'm wondering about how to adjust the mixture screws as each time I start the Jeep huge flames come out of the carb....?

 

Flames coming out of the carb would kinda mean timing is an issue. The carb screws should be run all the way in and backed out like 1 1/2 turns or so (IIRC)

 

:iagree: timing issue

 

did you set the points before or after you set the timing? point gap will change timing,but timing will not change point gap

 

Well, I did set the points, but need a feeler gauge to do it spot on....I have a dwell meter, but am not quite sure how to use it yet.
I have been read ajusting the timing today, and have got past the carb flames, but still have the choking out on accelleration.
But...when I spray carb cleaner in the carb and then accellerate, it reves up....dies when the carb cleaner is gone....but ....


So, what do you all think.....I can taste this thing running now,....LOL
My wife thinks i'm insane.....but it will work soon...!

 

OK....I figured how to use the dwell meter....the readiing is way above 30......I read not good....

 

Well Iworked on it all day non stop.....NO Luck.

I tried 3 sets of points, and could not get the dwell below 40 and mostly it was 50.

I took out the distributor, just to see what that would be like....it was easy. I could
not figure out how to move it forward a tooth as it says in some threads....seems like a round gear, with a key at the base....the key inside the engine remained in the same place even though I turned the engine with a ratchet like to find TDC. Put it back in...no problem.

There may be a bit of vacuum leak, form some of those manifold ports but very slight if any as I plugged them all pretty good.

Seems no matter what when it gets throttle it dies, sometimes as it's dying two quick throttles will allow it to come back to a rough coughing idle and then smooth out a bit....but that's as good as it gets.

So it's out there.....it's grille is looking at me.....LOL It tried as hard as I did today...and I know we have roads to travel together soon. But I don't know what's wrong with it. And seems like it doesn't either.

If I knew what it was....I would fix it.

So what's next. I set the dwell about 100 times....reset the timing each time. I can't say it is running better than when I started.

I also looked into the top of the carb, and turned the screw a bit that affects the squirt of fuel when throttle is applied....Gas came out each time, the screw did affect the flow a bit and I just adjusted it for the best stream.

That's it. Should I get a different distributor or carb.....
Should I take off the valve covers and examine the valves.....?
Should I get DUI ignition, or pull the HEI out of my 1978 Chevy 250....if so would it work.......

Lots of questions....big frustration.....

 

I just got tired of trying the dwell.
I see how it works....I think, but, it would not go within range 29 30.
So....I'll Keep trying. I also tried setting it with a match pack, and the top of a spatk plug box. And, I always got it set at those gaps, but , it just didn't seem to change the way the engine died.

With the meter....a two wire Sears dwell/tach meter it was in the 50's @ wires, both connected to the coil...+ and -..? When I put in different points it did change a bit, but not enough I suppose to get er done.

 

oh ,the dwell meater one side connects to the - side of the coil the other connects to ground some where on the engine other than the coil,also make sure the meter is zeroed before you start and set to the correct # of cylinders,what the hell do i know mine is prob older than yours <the meter>