'65 Carb Trouble

Morning,
I could use some input here (I'm pulling my hair out on this one).

I haven't really had any issues out of my '65 other than fuel system related, the carb being the biggest problem of all. The OEM Carter BBD 2-barrel actually ran pretty good until one of the pick up tubes fell off. I pulled it and replaced it with an old Holley 2280 2-barrell that I had off an '83 Ramcharger. It ran pretty well for a awhile as well and then it developed a pretty hard stumble on acceleration. It also made a groaning noise when the electric pump was filling it with fuel and had a tendency to just flat out flood fuel into the intake. I suspect the carb had multiple problems at this point (obviously) and decided to pull it.

The van used to start right up with both the BBD and the 2280, about the same time the stumble in the 2280 developed it got to be real hard to start... cranking cranking etc. I took my time and rebuilt the BBD this weekend, everything went great and I thought I had it licked. I put the carb on yesterday and being very careful not to flood it ran the battery down trying to get it to start, it stumbled a few times and would never start. It eventually flooded out so I pushed it back in the garage and left it there.

(on a side note, points, plugs, condenser, wires, cap/rotor are all good and <3 months old, timing is perfect at 5/BDC)

So... at this point I think I need to start with a known good part, i.e. a new carb. Summit still sells remanufactured BBD's under the Holley name.

The 64-1169 is a direct replacement, identical to the one on my van.

The 64-1183 is the same carb but for a B-Body. It also has a fitting over the accelerator pump so you can run a hose overboard for excess fuel. I like this one better for that reason alone, it's also a few dollars cheaper.

Which one should I get? Anybody got a lead on other (better) "small rochester pattern" carbs that might work? (or a Commando 4bbl intake )

The wife is starting to doubt my manliness, I really need to get this thing going

eta, cause im a nice guy here are some picts

it's 5-7 psi on the pump if I remember correctly, I could put a regulator on it and drop it down to 4psi or so. It cant hurt, I'll check summit for a regulator.

I originally went with the electric setup because the van has a lifelong history of "percolating the carb bowl / vapor/lock flooding". It was a catch 22 with the mechanical pump, the bowl would boil off and the pump couldn't turn fast enough to clear the line.

I've made some heat management changes that have really helped in this area. Someone had a 190 degree thermostat in there for example which I replaced with a 160.

Both worked for a while, then developed issues that can be directly attributed to junk in the fuel (stumble due to passages clogged, flooding due to junk in the needle and seat).
Time to ensure a clean fuel supply! Clean the tank and lines, add a fuel filter.

RodStRace wrote:Both worked for a while, then developed issues that can be directly attributed to junk in the fuel (stumble due to passages clogged, flooding due to junk in the needle and seat).
Time to ensure a clean fuel supply! Clean the tank and lines, add a fuel filter.

Pretty much

I just had the tank vatted/sealed and replaced all the lines, FP and filters about a month ago, the last bit is the carb (which was on there prior to the tank being vatted). I think the carbs have just had it, the BBD is so old gas pours out around the throttle shaft on both sides.

i would go with the 1169 as it is the correct carb for your application. the other one (1183) is for a vehicle with a charcoal cannister and that wont do anything for fumes. if your throttle shaft was that worn you NEED a new replacement carb. period.

jkr wrote:i would go with the 1169 as it is the correct carb for your application. the other one (1183) is for a vehicle with a charcoal cannister and that wont do anything for fumes. if your throttle shaft was that worn you NEED a new replacement carb. period.

I'm with you, i ordered the OEM replacement this morning, should be here in time to wrench it in this weekend.

do this before you do anything else, remove the fuel line at the sending unit and blow air back through the line into a container. check for undesirable bodies of crap. install a steel canister filter at the tank and another just in front of the carb. that should catch any unwanted pieces before they screw up a good rebuilt carb. those plastic see thru filters are a fire hazard with the underhood temps our vans and trucks make and the glass one are just as bad.!

Ok, here's the update.

I ended up buying the rebuilt Carter, I put it on and it still wouldn't start. I stopped a did a bit of head scratching and started doing some electrical system testing. I had a good test light on the + side of the coil and nothing on the - side when the key was turned over and the engine was spinning.

I opened up the distributor and it appears the metal plate that the points are screwed onto decided it was going to start flopping around when the distributor cam was spinning. Instead of the points opening it was tilting up and down on the cam

I pulled the points/condensor, wiggled the plate around a bit and put the stuff back in, test light was good, turned the key and it fired right up. I'm going to "glue" that plate down with a bead of RTV sealer to keep it from moving.... and the new carb runs great

slowflapper wrote:I opened up the distributor and it appears the metal plate that the points are screwed onto decided it was going to start flopping around when the distributor cam was spinning. Instead of the points opening it was tilting up and down on the cam.
I pulled the points/condensor, wiggled the plate around a bit and put the stuff back in, test light was good, turned the key and it fired right up. I'm going to "glue" that plate down with a bead of RTV sealer to keep it from moving.... and the new carb runs great

That plate was designed by the factory to pivot so the vacuum advance works. Gluing it down with RTV is not the proper fix.

Time to do one of the following;
1. rebuild it yourself without using RTV
2. get a rebuilt dist and install. 1968 is A-1 CARDONE Part # 303820 40 bucks plus a 30 dollar core from rock auto, check for other years but probably the same.
3. convert over to the solid, reliable Mopar EI setup. Either buy new and install (big bucks) or go to the yard and remove the stuff needed and install. http://www.allpar.com/mopar/nopoints.html

Good basic overview of wiring and swapping
http://www.tidewatermoparclub.com/TECH/ign_faq6b.pdf