[Braddock]

I am getting very frustrated with this car!
So I repalced the cat with a pipe. And as it does run a little better, I continue to spew deep grey gas-scented exhaust. Tomorrow I cut the plug out of carb to adjust the mixture.



What I need help wrapping my head around is, why does my car act flooded every time i try to start it? What about the carb would make the engine so reluctant to start after its just been running for 35 mins? Shouldnt it be warm? Even after warming up, it starts no better than it did when it was sitting in the cold(Canada) all weekend? Could the carb be dumping gasoline into the engine even after it stops? When I want to start the car, even when its nice and hot, It involves a screwdriver holding carb open, my charger in 100A boost, holding the accelerator down to the floor, and 11 seconds of cranking time, which is murder on my battery, if it doesnt start the first time, we lose 10 mins of working time while we recharge the battery. (Note: the battery is at full charge, but I lose alot of power trying to start it without the charger, that i use it as well as my charged bty to limit loss and minimize time lost charging)


How could such a dramatic change in fuel mixture come about? Tomorrow Ill be giving it more air and adjusting idle speed to compensate, but if the carb is plugged(capped) and set at factory, why would both carbs have this same problem?

[91LQ1Lumina]

Just a thought, if your battery is dieing after only 11sec. of starting time I think you should have a look at all of your cables. If you have a bad power connection it could be causing your coil to lose power and make it hard to light off the cylinders, this would cause a very rich condition as the gas is unburnt.


Hope this helps

[Braddock]

well its rich when the car is running too though. it doesnt miss when its running. i have spark. Btw, what is good procedure for tuning carb? i just realized i dont know how to adjust a carb.

[Braddock]

ok, im going to try your advice.

current symptoms continue to be:
stalls when put in gear
white smoke from carb after engine shut off
have to floor accelerator while cranking to make it start

[Braddock]

can you make this thread unresolved/unimportant

[55trucker]

The car is an '86 Ciera?....carbed?....not fuel injected?.............sounds as tho the carb float is stuck open and the carb is constantly flooding. Dirt may have managed to get passed the filter and get jammed in the needle causing it stay off the seat.

[Braddock]

86 Ciera carburated. I resovled the stalling, it was bad valve lash.
But the mixture is very rich and adjusting carb wont fix it, i figured carb float is hooped. I dont know how to fix one.