Looking for Carb Advice (1976 Newport 360 Carter)

DSSA

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I've been deliberating and procrastinating on this project for quite some time, and am hoping to lean on the experience of the board.

I inherited my Grandfather's 1976 Newport (5.9 w/ Carter 2bbl) almost two years ago.

I've helped him maintain the car from time to time, but am much more well versed with fuel injection.

The issue with the car is that it will start cleanly, fast idle, then stall whenever the accelerator is pressed without "feathering" after it comes off of the choke. From what I've read, this is typically an issue with the Carter carbs on these cars going bad.

I bought an Edelbrock 1406 a year or so ago, in light of some threads that I've read, but I'm not sure that I want to modify the car as it's a clean original example. This was also after seeing how reman Carters have issues with warped castings, etc., and not being a viable solution. The goal is just to have the car run, drive and maintain it.

Any experienced advice would be appreciated.

Thank you.

Josh
 
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Had a similar issue with the small BBD on my '80 Newport 360. It would start and run fine as long as it was on fast idle, but when it warmed and went to the hot base idle, it'd flat die, even if coasting to an off-ramp!

In other words, the idle system was not working. When on fast idle, it was running on the transition slot and the main system.

Where the problem was . . . was at the bottom of the solid brass idle tubes. In the service manual, it listed a "Low Speed Jet" dimension, but most of the FSMs didn't say where it was. After much research, I found an illustration that placed it near the bottom of the idle feed tubes (the solid brass ones; the ones with the holes are for the main system).

What I did . . . I got a bent-wire spark plug gap gauge and probed the end of the tubes. Starting with a small diameter, but as the hole increased in size, larger wires went in. So I went to a hobby store and got a selection of twist drills and the tool to use them in. I further probed the tubes, gently turning each one, until I "got brass". Which meant that the hard deposits had been removed. I then flushed it out with spray carb cleaner and installed. THEN it'd idle on the idle system.

When I'd rebuilt/kitted the carb, I'd sprayed carb cleaner into the tubes and there was "flow", which I took to mean they were open. Well, they were open, but not enough open for the engine to idle with. When I'd put it back together after doing that, the engine would idle, until the carb cleaner was used, then not flowing enough gas, it'd die. MUC frustration!

But after cleaning the orifices of the hard deposits (which carb cleaner would not remove!!), that was the end of the idle issues. Ran fine afterward.

I suspect a similar issue with your carb.

Just my experiences,
CBODY67
 
I've been deliberating and procrastinating on this project for quite some time, and am hoping to lean on the experience of the board.

I inherited my Grandfather's 1976 Newport (5.9 w/ Carter 2bbl) almost two years ago.

I've helped him maintain the car from time to time, but am much more well versed with fuel injection.

The issue with the car is that it will start cleanly, fast idle, then stall whenever the accelerator is pressed without "feathering" after it comes off of the choke. From what I've read, this is typically an issue with the Carter carbs on these cars going bad.

I bought an Edelbrock 1406 a year or so ago, in light of some threads that I've read, but I'm not sure that I want to modify the car as it's a clean original example. This was also after seeing how reman Carters have issues with warped castings, etc., and not being a viable solution. The goal is just to have the car run, drive and maintain it.

Any experienced advice would be appreciated.

Thank you.

Josh

That should be a carter BBD which is a very simple carb to rebuild. It sounds like a bad accelerator pump as noted above. A kit for that carb is available pretty much at any auto parts and they are inexpensive. The moonshine blend in today's fuel degrades the rubber or leather membrane for the accelerator pump and it stops working. It would probably be a good idea to replace the carb float while you have it apart.

Dave
 
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