Okay here is the trouble. I get off work this morning and try to start up my car (87 Caprice Classic w/305 q-jet) which fires but after a lot of fighting with the hunka crap carb. It turns over but I need to hold it at near 3000 rpms to keep it running. Then it dies anyways, but not after leaving a huge cloud of blue and black smoke smoke from behind my car. The carb has been having troubles lately (besides being a piece a sh*t); the gas mileage has gone from bad (10-13) to worse (7-10), its only runs on 2 barrels, smells like gas somethin' fierce, and now floods the engine bad. I think it needs one but I'm not sure if anyone has had this problem before and was able to fix it any other way. Appriciate any help. Patrick
The first thing I would check is the plugs in the bottom of the main housing. If you take the carb off and turn it upside down you can see them. Since it's a 87 model it's a CCC carb and you might have ICS troubles. Look on the top of the carb in front of the airhorn and see if the two retainer plugs are still there. These hold the ICS adjustments from vibrating loose and I've had them back all the off which lets the metering rods come out of the jets and cause troubles like you have. If the casting plugs come loose in the main body it won't idle and you'll have a big problem keeping it running. Hope this helps............Rich Little Rock
With respect to the problem of the bowl draining through the plugs on the bottom of the bowl, the problem was resolved by GM in the late '70's with the use of spun in plugs. This eliminated the problem. To address your issue, I believe that the choke pull-offs should be checked. The primary pull-off uses intake manifold vacuum to partially open the choke, allowing the engine to breathe. If it does not open, the engine will flood, which is what you are experiencing. What adds to the problem is that the engine is slow to start, indicating one of two things; either the choke is not closing, of the engine is badly fuel soaked, including plugs and oil. Though the rebuild will fix the problem, it only will if the adjustments apre properly made. Since you make mention that it is an '87, it has the electronic carb system, which had its share of problems as well. One of the things aggravating this condition is the cannister purge valve. This valve, mounted at the front of the carb, allows the evaporative control system to operate properly. When this valve fails, it allows the manifold vacuum controlling the valve to pull raw fuel into the manifold, directly from the bowl. If you pull the vacuum lines off, and raw fuel drips from it, it needs to be replaced. I have repaired more than my share driveability problems defying diagnosis with this repair. We'll go further after you check this valve, and check the choke's operation. Make sure the choke closes completely when the engine is cold, and make sure that the pull-ff partially opens the choke when the engine starts. The engine should idle at close to 2,000 rpm when it starts. The secondary pull off will allow the choke to open farther when the air cleaner temp exceeds 90 deg. We'll start with that. Remember this. I have been working with the Q-jet since it came out in the sixties, and can count one one hand the number of times it NEEDED rebuilding. External causes are the usual cause of problems encountered, and they can be addressed externally when they understand how they work. Ray
"spun in plugs" Ray.............GM may have resolved the problem of the plugs coming loose but both of them came out(on two different occasions) in my CCC "dualjet" on my 81 El Camino. I guess they missed mine. Rich
Thanks a lot guys for all your help. I'll go check that puppy out. I forgot to say also that the choke is being held open by a pencil. The reason is because the choke wouldn't open and it would stay at about 2000 rpms er so. I think I might have a guy I know in town (with a cream colored skylark w/a GS 455 in it :Brow to rebuild it, he has rebuilt multiple q-jet carbs before and seems to know how to tune them. I'm probably gonna sell this car soon as I think its going its way and try for the regal in town :Brow:. Thanks for all your help guys, I love this board because you guys just jump in and help when anyone is in need. God bless ya guys :TU:. Patrick
