I'm going to be rebuilding my carb tomorrow with a kit and was wondering if anyone has any tips? My dad said to check some rods that go through the carb and see if they're leaking..???? And if they are, then it's not worth the rebuild. True? If that's the case, I might just end up cleaning it out and wait until tax returns come around and buy a new one for $200.
Dave1987,
Tip #1....Don't let it scare you. You can do just as good a job(if not better) then the carbs that are rebuilt or remanufactured. Two questions...What kind of carb are you doing and do you have a digital camera to show the rebuild along the way as I help you?
High_Horse
If the rebuild kit comes with plastic floats, and your carb has brass floats, KEEP the brass floats in it provided they aren't damaged (pinholes, dents, cracks, etc.)
Also, I recommend a VERY clean workbench, and I have an old clear glass ashtray to hold the rolly-polly pieces so they don't go rolling to wherever.
Good luck!
--Doug
That's one thing I was looking around trying to figure out. As far as I can tell I think it's a Holly 5200. That's what my brother said it is and from the pictures in the shop manuals I believe it is as well, but I can't say to be 100% sure. It's a two barrel carb with an electric choke.
I do have a digital camera to take pictures of it throughout the entire rebuild, and plan to take A LOT of pictures just to play it safe.
I've got a dozen or so of the plastic souffle cups (with lids) that I used to use at work (McDonalds) that I plan to use for things like screws and what not.
I'd really love to keep this carb and just repair/replace what's bad in it. I really want to keep as much of the car that's original and just tune it all up and replace what can't be fixed.
I'm hoping to fix my gas milage problem. I seem like I'm getting less than 20mpg from my engine. I've changed all my filters and valves and still no change. I don't drive the car hard and rarely if never floor the pedal. I haven't calculated my gas milage but I just started tracking it to find out for sure how much I'm getting per gallon from the car.
Dave1987,
Under the circumstances another thing I would replace along with the carb rebuild is the vacuum advance unit on the distibuter if the distributor is original. The vac. advance and carb powervalve work hand in hand if one is new the other should be. So take a pic of your carb. and post it.
High_Horse
The distributor is original. However upon the 20th of this month I plan to install a new distributor unit, including the valve, cap, rotor, wires and plugs. The current distributor has bad bearings which grind and I can hear it over the engine. I will be taking lots of pictures though. Dad has a nice computer that's fast, so I won't be shy of using it to keep everyone up to date today. :)
Well, me and the fiance had some misunderstandings yesterday and the rebuild got delayed until about 6-7PM. Unfortunately I was stressed out to much to worry about taking pictures during the rebuild. However, I'd like everyone to know that it was a TON easier than I had originally anticipated. There were far less parts than I expected to see and the inner workings of the Holly 5200 are pretty simple really.
I got it installed and tuned up around 11PM and it idles smoother, accellerates smoother, and overall just runs a whole lot better now. I took my fiance to school this morning and came home. Usually I'll see the fuel meter drop about half a quarter, so far no drop. Perhaps it's fixed my gas milage issue to? I can only hope!
As for replacing the distributor, I'm probably going to let my dad worry about that. He might be getting this 78 Sedan back on wednesday and I will no longer be driving it....
On my way to Schucks to get the rebuild kit I noticed a yellow 72' runabout in a brake shop parking lot. It's for sale for $1500 and the seller has someone interested in it already. If he doens't hear anything from the already interested father and son, then my dad is going to buy it for $1200 for me and I'll pay him back. He'll be shaving $300 - $400 off what he pays for it for all of the time, work, and parts I've put into the family's 78 Sedan already. I sure hope I get the runabout, I would REALLY love to have a hatchback car!