What Carb is it?

Don't know much about rebuilding the carb but mine was pouring out of both sides when I got it and I changed the gasket and it's been fine ever since.

Bump

I had a leak in my gas line that was sucking air and would cause it to do something like that . Once I changed all the rubber hoses and the metal gas line from the tank it stopped. Like Don always says you got to know what you have and any 44 year old lines got to go. I'm on my 2nd set of fuel filters just from the rust in my tank I thought I had cleaned out??? I'm on the third adjustment of the points now and going to HEI soon. The fun never stops!!!
I've got to the point like Vanagain where I'm pulling stuff off, cleaning, checking and replaceing if needed. Don and others have taught me well and I'm glad.

Since there was rust in my tank there must of been rust in the line as well. I probably wouldn't of changed it right away if it wasn't leaking and dripping on my head when I was under it last time. But what I've been able to read and learn so far I would of changed it anyway. I never read this much in school, my wife keeps saying what are you reading now, and I tell her there is a lot wrong with my van and this is my library so be quite and let me learn!!!

When the heater hose is rotten and the fuel line was changed, it's time to replace ALL hoses. The one at the tank, the one at the pump, the one at the carb, the vacuum lines, the radiator hoses and heater hoses. It may end up over a hundred bucks with coolant, but you will know when they were all done and not chase issues.
It's a good time to check the belts and brake hoses too. Then you know all the rubber is fresh.

If the carb kit didn't come with float level adjustment instructions, perhaps you'll find it on-line or in the factory service manual.

When I rebuild the carb for my '67 V8 (2 barrel), the float level was way off, as well as the adjustment for the accelerator pump.

And yes, you definitely need to adjust the idle jet screw. You must have taken it out to clean the carb, right? If not, now is the time to do it... Like Don said, 1 turn out is a good place to start.

Basically you want to set the idle to the rpm specified by Chevy for that motor. You also want to check that the distributor timing is set right. Then you adjust the idle screw inward (leaner) until the engine starts to stumble, then adjust about 1/4 turn out from that. All this once the motor is warmed up. Don't over tighten the idle adjustment screw; it could damage the screw and seat and then it never will idle right.

A single barrel carb is twice as easy to adjust... you only have to set one idle screw...

The best way to clean a carb is to get yourself a 1 gallon bucket of the original formula Berryman "Chem Dip". It's nasty stuff, with creosols and chlorinated hydrocarbons in it, but it really gets rid of the varnish and gunk. It's also getting harder to find in some states (I had to buy a five gallon can of the stuff from a performance shop because all the 1 gallon cans have been pulled from the shelves in California). If you do get it, make sure you don't store the can on metal or directly on concrete. Set it on a piece of wood for storage - at least that's what the instructions say). And the spray carb cleaners have also been neutered - they used to contain chlorinated hydrocarbons, which worked well, but now they are mostly flammable solvents like hexane, toluene, etc, which are more of a fire danger and don't dissolve deposits as well.


The modern substitutes simply don't work as well as the older nastier stuff. Although I have heard that 100% biodiesel is a good carb cleaner.