Carter BBD 2bbl woes?

[Marc]

I have an issue with my Carter that I can't seem to sort out. Maybe someone with more carb IQ can help me out. ;)
The Carter I have looks like the standard BBD but it has an electric choke. This carb is going to go on top of my new 318 going into my RV. The motor is a 1969 318, bored .30 over, Mellings RV cam, new everything inside, stock heads with a little gasket matching and clean-up, stock 2bbl intake with the option of a spring actuated choke.
The issues I am having with the carb are:
1: when you open the throttle the motor bogs down and tries to die until you let up on the throttle. (has a new accelerator pump rod and it does squirt gas when I move the throttle)
2: If I can manage to get the motor to rev up and not bog down, the motor crackles and sounds like it is being starved for something when I hold it at an RPM.
I have been through this carb with a rebuild kit and it was running OK for a year or so but then it was doing some sitting for about 7-8 months. I would start up the motor to move it twice a week for street cleaning but that was about it. I don't know if I have to go through it again or if there is a way I can just replace the jets and metering rods and make it run better. It seems to love gas too.
The great thing about the carb is the throttle shaft seems to be pretty ok. lol
I am not very experienced in re-jetting. venturi jets or anything like that as far as fine tuning for power/MPG and the difference they make. :(

Thanks in advance guys!!

-Marc

[lbman]

sounds like something is plugged up in there. If it were mine I would probably take the carb apart and blow it out again. the new GREAT GAS we are using now seems to be causing a l lot of problems with carbs if they sit.. the alcohol causes water to separate. and raise hell with the little small holes. Especially when they sit!
I have a 82 gold wing and work on a lot of Motorcycles. Carbs are the biggest problems. and it seems way more lately .. You could try to run a can of Sea Foam through it and drive it.
I use Marvels Mystery oil in all my rigs." Stable" is another good one for things that sit a lot. I have pulled carbs apart that look terrible due to oxidation from alcohol and water. (from Gas) and it does not take a lot of time...
my 2 cents worth
Larry B

[Marc]

Yeah... That is kinda what I was thinking too. ;) Tomorrow is "work on truck" day for me so I might give that a shot after I get the exhaust manifold gaskets taken care of. I will keep you posted. Thanks!

[WD]

There was an electric choke BBD? I want one...

[Marc]

That is the main reason I am not so quick to just get another carb! I can't for the life of me find another Carter BBD that has an electric choke that doesn't have tons of smog ports or wires coming out of it. I had some bad luck changing my manifold gasket yesterday (my driver's side manifold cracked open at one of the mounting holes before I even got to 20ft lbs?!) and didn't get to cleaning out the carb. :( I guess I will try to clean it out on Monday or Tuesday.

-Marc

[WD]

I think Mopar manifolds might be a bit brittle as a rule. The exhaust manifold on the 1957 230 Plymouth flathead for my other truck is cracked, badly, around one of the bolts. But I can't replace it, the engine came with a hot air automatic choke 1bbl Carter that I'd really like to keep and use in the truck. Instead of the stock cable choke (if I use my baseplate I can keep the hand throttle). I haven't seen any cracks on my 318 yet but I do now have an exhaust leak to deal with.

I sure wish the motorhome 413 had a 2bbl, it has an auto choke but on a giant 4bbl.

[Marc]

I hate to bring this thread back up again but I am still having carb issues.
I FINALLY got to opening up this carb all the way today. I hit all passages with carb cleaner and blew everything out with compressed air. Cleaned it up really nice and put it on my motor.
I got everything dialed in and it was still doing this same thing....
It idles REALLY nice. accelerator pump has a nice and healthy shot etc. I can drive around "ok" but the second I push the throttle a little to much at once it bogs BAD, like I just killed the motor, and sputters... If I hold the throttle there it will "catch" in a second or two and take off like nothing happened.
It is acting like a bad accelerator pump but it's not...
How far through the throttle travel is the accelerator pump supposed to keep being available to pump? Mine seems to be set to finally bottom out at almost half throttle... Is it possible It is pumping through to much throttle travel?
This is driving me nuts... I REALLY wanna keep this carb due to the good throttle shaft and the electric choke. I guess I could make a Franken-carb with the top of this carb and the throttle plate and some other BBD body but I really don't want to do that. Unless that's a good idea? lol
Any ideas?

THANKS!!

-Marc

[soopernaut]

Do you know that it is carburetor related? Could it be further up in the fuel supply such as fuel pump, clogged pickup screen, fuel filter, fuel lines or sludge in the tank?

[Marc]

If I switch to another carb (that I don't really like as it IS a Franken-carb) the motor seems to run great.
This motor is all newly rebuilt. Everything runs great on it. But every time I try this carb on top of this motor it does this. :(
Fuel pump, filter, lines etc are all new. Tank is clean as a whistle.

At one time I completely rebuilt this carb and it ran pretty darn well. BUT It sat on my RV motor for about 8-9 months only getting moved twice a week for street cleaning... After I pulled it off that motor to replace the 318 in my RV the carb sat another 4 months or so.
Before I pulled it off my old RV motor I noticed it starting to do this... I thought a rebuild/clean-out would fix it. But it seems to not be fixing it. Maybe I should try a COMPLETE rebuild (check balls and everything) again.... With a good soaking overnight or something... I dunno... I am sick of hunting for a carb. lol
Any opinions on the Holley 2280?

-Marc

[lbman]

I am having the same problem!
I have been on line for hours looking up info on those ? Simple ? little carbs.?.?.I am going to try the oblong base gasket...I had one on before but Mech at work said to use the one that fit bottom of carb...I called a local carb re-builder and HE said to use oblong base gasket. it sounds like I am blocking the passage which feeds the power valve......I will try this tomorrow
of course everyone says timing issues but the timing is nailed in perfect after the timing chain R&R so that ain't IT!!!!!!
p.s.
who is going to be VP of our "can't get -r- runnin" club???????
LB

[Marc]

Well I definitely DON'T wanna be the President. lol I might maybe take the receptionist job or something in the mail room.
I thought about the base gasket too... I can't seem to find a good thick one with proper slots for vacuum stuff.
Maybe this carb just needs a good soaking in acetone or paint thinner or something...
I don't know too much about re-jetting but the main jets and metering rods seem to be in nice condition. I removed the jets and rods and blew everything out with carb cleaner and air.

hmm....

Maybe we should find another club... like the "OMG it's RUNNING" club. haha

[lbman]

well the smoking light is lit.
Yesterday I stopped by "O' Reilly Auto Parts. asked them too see the rebuild kit for a 2290 Carter. WOW I took a look at it and
the kit comes with two different base gaskets..in which BOTH ARE OBLONG type gaskets..thick and thin gasket
that's it
I will pull carb today and re-clean it. Install the New CORRECT gaskets and bet my troubles are over.
I remember when I picked up the other kit from the local NAPA. it was questionable if it was right. It had been opened.
OH Well , the school of hard knocks GRAD Student.
I guess i threw in too many variables in the mix.. old 2245 would run ok down the road. would not Idle. throttle shafts are too worn!
timing chain was messed up!
Distributor vacuum advance was also messed up.
wrong base gasket
over thinking
I'll let you know how it turns out
Larry B

[Marc]

Yea let me know... I bit the bullet and got a rebuild kit for mine too. lol I am going to get to it this weekend and see if it changes anything. I am going to give my carb a GOOD soaking too. Make sure anything in there that may have turned to varnish gets the hell out. lol
What's that worst thing that could happen... I am out the cost for the rebuilt kit.

I found the 3/8" thick base gasket too. Can't wait to see if it all works! haha

-Marc

[Marc]

Ok.. Fully soaked and went through my carb with tons of carb cleaner and compressed air. Checked out everything and put the rebuild kit in. Set EVERYTHING on the carb with precision and to spec. I used the correct base gasket and started up my truck. Idled like a charm. Has a fantastic accel. pump shot but STILL DOES THE SAME THING.

If I drive my truck down the street and hold the throttle at about... you know... 1/4-1/3 throttle to maintain an RPM/speed it kinda does "ok". It surges ever so slightly with a faint sputter. BUT if I push the throttle down to about half throttle the motor acts like I hit the kill switch until I let OFF the throttle and it goes "oh.. what? sorry I can accelerate now."
If I mash the pedal down it will "gasp" for 1-1.5 seconds then take off like a bat out of hell like nothing was wrong.

Is it possible I have too much accelerator pump shot? Like, it's shooting at half throttle still and flooding the motor?

Is it possible that something inside my carb is worn and leaking gas/vacuum somewhere? How the hell do I find that? lol

Is it a GOOD idea or BAD idea to take the throttle place and top of this carb and use a newer body?

~Sigh~

-Marc

[Bubb]

Is it possible you have a vacuum leak?

[Marc]

The vacuum leak would have to be with-in the carb itself. If I switch to another carb this does not happen at all. This problem only happens with this carb. I want to keep this carb because of the electric choke but maybe I will have to figure something else out.... I dunno.

-Marc

[Dood]

Is it possible the choke pull-off diaphragm is leaking?

[Marc]

There is no choke pull-off. It's an electric choke. The only vacuum ports on the whole carb are for PCV and vacuum advance on distributor. The vacuum advance pod on the distributor is fairly new and does not leak.

Good thinking though. :)

-Marc

[Hobcobble]

There is no choke pull-off. It's an electric choke. The only vacuum ports on the whole carb are for PCV and vacuum advance on distributor. The vacuum advance pod on the distributor is fairly new and does not leak.

Good thinking though. :)

-Marc

Is your electronic choke fully opening and closing?
John

[Marc]

Yup. The electronic choke works perfectly. Like I said, it's the main reason I wanna keep this carb and not get something else. lol
Sheesh... I might just end up using this carb to make a Franken-carb... What do I have to loose right?