I hope i can explain this right and get some help here. I have been working on this issue now for over a year now. I had to put it off while finishing another ww2 halftrack project. Now I'm back, and I just want to get her on the road for the first time. Please help. Complete rebuild of the 324 motor and has the 4 jet original carb that has been rebuilt and cleaned 4 times. I cant get her to idle at the 600 to 700 rpms she's supposed to be at. I have been through so many redundant processes that I just don't know what else to do. Obviously I'm no expert, but I feel like I should have figured this out by now by working through all these issues. I know it's something little I'm not thinking of here. When I did the time again I realized I should have checked the tdc with a screwdriver in the cylinder instead of going off the Mark on the balancer. It looks like the original balancer did move about 5 ° back. So I re marked the pully and reset the timing. It use to idle at a crazy high 1900rpm. With new timing and all the idle and highspeed idle screws adjusted. I cant get her under 1100rpms. Even at that she spudders like she wants to die. I'm set at about 14 btdc, anything else she wants to die. The springs are still on the distributor weights. Distributor points are at 14 gap 32° dwell. Plugs are gamed write and have a nice tan dry color. Vacuum reading is about 16 and dropps to around 4 at the carb ported. Above the check valve to the brake booster it stays constant at 16in when reved or not. I have a plugged ported port at the carb before check valve. Another ported point at the front pass side of carb going to a new vacuum advance to distributor. When timing and vac advance is taken off I can get to 900rpm but still somewhat rough. It runs though, just a little missing maybe. When I plug the vac advance back in after timing. It goes back up to 1100 1200rpms. When I spray starter fluid around the carb base. It does rev up a little at back pass side of the bottom of the carb. Just not sure if it's getting in the top a little because it's a little red. It's possible being at 16in vac that maybe there is a little vac leak. Just not sure what it could be in that back area. I am using an electric fuel pump, but the fuel seems to be getting to the carb bowl just fine. Although when moving throttle linkage and looking in the carb. It seems to be a weak small stream, but it revs up just fine. So I'm not sure if that's normal for this carb. So that's where I'm at and I don't know where to go from here. She's so beautiful now and I just want to enjoy her, but it's driving me insane going g over all this stuff again and again with no results. Oh and sometimes when I put her in gear she hops forward hard and dies. If I hit the gas as I go in gear, she will drive around the yard fine. Is that because it's idling too high? Please, ease help me out guys. Bestow some knowledge on me to pass on. Thank you for any help guys. Mark
Found this post of yours from some time back. https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/56-olds-88-vacuum-issues.1285341/ Putting up this one pic (many more pics in the thread for others to review)… you have a lot going on here relating to vacuum!
I'd start by rechecking every thing you mentioned. use a positive stop in the number one plug hole not just a screwdriver that can move up and down, roll the engine by hand till it comes up on the stop, then roll it over by hand in the opposite direction till it comes up on the stop again, measure exactly halfway between the two marks and mark it TDC open the carburetor and verify all passages are clear, especially the idle circuit, the idle tubes have a very small opening at the bottom and it will never run right it debris clogs them as well as anywhere else in all circuits. verify correct carburetor gaskets are used, vacuum leak at base gasket indicated by change in rpm when spray at rear? disconnect and plug vacuum accessories one at a time, Olds can have a lot of vacuum accessories and any one of them can affect air fuel if faulty. dual action fuel pump, vacuum trunk latch, vacuum reservoir canister, or any number of line connections etc. even basics like float level need to be set correctly
what's with all the rubber boots on the distributor cap? looks like a hodge podge mix, at least one is a plug boot and another is a coil boot on a plug tower?
What does "The uploaded file does not have an allowed extension?" This is what i get every time I try to post a picture. Every forum i have ever used has issues uploading pictures. That red line in the back of the carb in the picture you found from last year. Is the vac line I plugged. It is also the same area that revs up when I spray starter fluid on it. Someone on you tube mentioned 2 small holes in this type of carb that always get plugged up from old fuel. I cant remember what holes he was talking about, but he said use a bread tie. I don't know how to clean this carb any better then I have. I cleaned it 4 times. The float level seems to be correct. Yes the rubber boots on the distributor are not very cosmeticly appealing, but I don't think that's the issue. I have a number of things to do to*****on her up and finish. The main thing I'm trying to do is just get her on the road to enjoy all this hard work I put into her. I cant believe I'm stumped on this carb. I have never had so many issues on a vehicle. The vac lines on top that go to the brake booster and reservoir canister. Are behind a check valve, and have no effect on the system according to vac readings. I guess I'll take the carb off again and clean it..... idk....idk.
Sometimes the secondary*****erfly’s can stick open a little, make sure they are closed fully on idle, just a thought.
Spray some starter fluid on the throttle shafts on both sides of the carb. If the engine speeds up there is your problem.
When you rebuilt the carb, did you happen to remove the individual throttle plates? It can be a bit of a challenge to replace them properly.
Vacuum leak somewhere for sure. Might also check the secondary linkage for something causing the throttle plates to not completely close. Check the plates aren't hanging up on a gasket.
I did take out the throttle flaps. They were a little finicky but it seems to be in there good and tight. Funny story,some how I had a nut come loose in that back area of the carb that was reving up when I sprayed it. So stupid, but I tightened it up and it doesn't rev anymore right there. Still didnt fix the problem. Although I did notice that by spraying around the bushings on both sides. It does rev just a little at those two spots. I just installed a new rod for the flappy too, but I don't remember doing any bushings. That would cause a 700rpm difference? It doesn't seem like much. How about this, can anyone tell me the best make and model after market carb that will fit the 324 rocket manifold, 1956? I would like to try the fuel injected system you can mount with the carb, but i have never installed one. Plus I'm too broke at this point to try. I already have 20k into this build and I'm mentally and financially exhausted at this point. Any ideas on a decent new carb that might just get me on the road?
Is the manifold tight? also, take off the carb, place a sheet of coarse grit wet and dry,on a piece of heavy glass, (make sure there are no linkages/levers protruding below the surface) now put the carb on the wet and dry, and move it forward and back, this will tell if the base is warped, keep on until it's all flat again.. Next, remove the carb mount studs, and check the surface of the manifold as well for warpage..
Does anyone have a 56 olds rocket 88 with the 324? If so what carb do you have if not the original? Thank you. Mark
For starters, the point gap is 14-16 thou. You set them at 16, let them wear down to 14, then reset back up to 16. I'd start at .017" point gap, because if there's ANY wear in the distributor or the outer edge of the upper bushing where the points plate pivots, it will reduce your point gap while in use and your dwell will increase. This will help you run a higher timing setting of 16-18, hopefully. This should help with the rough running. Do a tug test on all your plug wires to be sure they're seated properly and secure. Triple check plug wire order. Also file the edge of the rotor and all internal cap terminals down to bare clean metal. 1-8-7-3-6-5-4-2 CCW This is the most common mistake!!! For now, disconnect the vacuum line from the distributor and plug it. That eliminates 1 possible vacuum leak. It should idle smooth and drive without it.
Are you running a Hydramatic? If you change carburetor brands you’re opening a brand new can of worms due to the linkage. No shame in taking the car to a reputable mechanic to help get you back on the road.
99% of the time a carb rebuild will not require removing the throttle plates. Most folks will strongly advise against it unless you need to remove the throttle shafts. The plates are often retained with soft brass screws that can be easily damaged when removed and are swaged over when installed to keep them from vibrating loose and dropping into the intake. The plates also have a top and bottom side and shouldn't be installed upside down or they will never seal properly to the throttle bores. The throttle plates must be reinstalled in the same throttle bores they were removed from. They need to be aligned perfectly to close completely when the throttle is fully closed with the idle speed screw backed off from its normal, slightly open curb idle position. Shine a bright light up from the bottom of the carb and look down thru the throttle bores. There should be no light visible around the outer edges of the throttle plates. Also make sure the throttle moves smoothly thru its full travel without sticking or dragging. The plates should also not stick in the closed position. And just to clarify, what do you mean when you say you "installed a new rod for the flappy"? It might help if you posted a few pics of the carb from a few different angles.
are you using the correct base gasket? original intake? is there a spacer between the carb and intake?
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