Projects Chevy 2 bbl carb issue/questions

HI all.

Been working on getting this '61 Impala 4 door on the road. Finally got the carb rebuilt (older gentleman and is meticulous with his work) but have question on the choke valve (picture of carb attached). When I start the car its fully open (I think it should be closed)and it doesn't start, when I close it, it starts right up..But right after it starts it opens all the way, seems to run for a 5 seconds then dies again. Doesn't seem like there is anyway to get the choke valve to stay closed till warm or operate correctly. I bought a Carter 4 bbl for my 62 wagon from same gentleman and it runs great. Just wondering about the choke valve, any help would be great. Thanks :toast:

 

I would remove the choke coil cover and make sure the coil spring is connected to the arm inside the housing.

 

Thanks Grahamsc..I will do that

 

If it is connected , it may be set way to lean and if so you can adjust thetension by rotating the cover.

 

Do you have the hot air tube hooked up from the exhaust manifold if not it will not open if set to close.

 

That choke cover look like this kinda?

 

The thermostat spring should close the valve when it's cold. As the spring heats up, it will let the valve open. There is also a vacuum piston that opens the valve, it's hidden inside that little round part that sticks out at the top left of your photo. When it's adjusted properly, you push the gas pedal once to "set" the choke. This lets the choke close, if you don't then it will be hung up on the fast idle cam. When you start the engine, it should open part way, and open further as the engine heats up, and be fully open when it's up to operating temperature.

 

Do your eyes burn while it is running?
If so you might need to adjust your float. I fought through some issues not too long ago maybe it will help.

Rochester 2G running rough after rebuild http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/...hester-2G-running-rough-after-rebuild.833822/

 

Attach a picture of what's on the intake manifold. Sometimes they have that coiled up spring thing on them.
http://www.ecrater.com/p/9668246/choke-thermostat-chevrolet-2-barrel-camaro

 

61 originally used the exhaust heat type choke. The divorced choke with the spring on the manifold uses a different carb....2GV instead of the 2GC pictured in the first post

 

Graham I did check this and I fixed the arm on the coil to close the valve so this did work!! Thanks

Thanks salt flats i did hook this up and seems to be working as I did see the choke opening after warming up, I'll have to get this to stay in the manifold somehow as the one I'm using had broke off in the manifold

31vicky yes it I'll post some pics tomorrow

Squirrel yes this seems like it is working correctly now that I hooked up the choke coil to the arm ! that's great info you put up there as well, now that the coil seems to be good I have a fuel delivery problem , once the choke valve was closed it started up right away and I saw the valve start to open up. Then the engine died and won't start now , seems like it's starving for gas as it's not leaking from the carb nor the inlet and I don't hear any fuel squirting in, I had put a fuel regulator on it since it was flooding , but now seems like it's starving , go figure

Thanks apachegail, I will check this out tomorrow

Bob yes I have seen this before but there's not one on this setup because I think that coil you are referring to is the choke coil

 

Good job man.

 

Thanks Saltflats..but without your guys' help I wouldn't have known where to look

 

Here are some pics of the way it looks on the car now. Think I'm gonna remove the fuel regulator since now it's not getting any gas.

 

The regulator should not be necessary with the stock fuel pump. Also, the carb originally had a bronze filter in the fuel inlet, they worked fine if maintained. Original fuel line was one piece of metal tubing, flared at the ends.

Might also look at the vacuum advance can on the distributor, make sure it's still working...usually when they get that much "patina" on them, they leak

 

If you have a stock GM fuel pump and carb, a regulator is not necessary. Stock fuel pump pressure is usually 5-7 lbs.

edit...Jim beat me to it.

 

I'm getting lazier and lazier... anything I build uses a hand choke. An anti-theft device in itself.

 

Great info again Jim thanks for responding, I'm pretty sure the bronze filter was replaced when rebuilt but may check this at last resort..for now I will remove the pressure regulator, its definitely possible this is restricting the flow. Funny thing, this car was sitting for about 7 years in this guys garage. changed out the hoses, new radiator that came with the car, put in new fuel lines etc, threw some fuel in the carb, external fuel tank with some fuel, and started right up. Once I closed the choke valve it would stay idling, but when I would throttle it, wanted to die , or when I put it in gear it would just die, figured carb was just old and probably gunked up/jets and stuff.

Hi Larry, carb seems like it is original to the car, I put in an Autozone Airtex pump but should basically be stock, seems like now theres just not enough pressure to get the fuel to the bowl..first it was flooding the carb, funny how its reverse from when I first put rebuilt carb on, now its starving..

 

Bob, this was going to be my last resort if I couldn't get the choke to function correctly, but seems like once I engaged the choke coil on the valve arm it seems good now, just have to fix the fuel starvation problem..maybe get to it tonight after work.

 

I'm no expert but it looks like your carb is missing something.

 

OEM chokes work pretty well once you get all the parts and have it adjusted. I used to buy brand new Rochester 2BBLs just so the chokes would work right off the bat.

 

I used a carb from a truck with a manual choke that I can control myself.

 

the bowl vent is missing...shouldn't cause the problems you're having, though

 

It possibly is , I'm not sure as this is the way I got it.

Yeah, hopefully this choke still works, it did in the short time it was running yesterday.

Yeah, I could drill a hole in the lever to get a spot to use the choke from inside the car, but if I can get this to function correctly it would be nice, seems like I can if I can get the gas to get to the carb now.

where is the bowl vent?

 

The bowl vent is pictured above where the throttle/choke rods are so if you compare your picture with mine yours has a shiny plug.

 

The little round metal plug on the top of the carb, there should be a hole there, and a couple pieces over it...a thick metal cover, and a thin metal arm with a rubber plug thing. The plug opens at idle.

 

Should there be some sort of external choke pull-off or vacuum break on this carb? Or is that function built into the choke thermostat housing on this model?

 

built into the housing, you can see the round part sticking out that houses the vacuum piston

 

Sho 'nuff! I see it now pointing back at the distributor. Now I'm trying to remember if it was even adjustable or not.