PO installed a autoline c7453 (Holley) carb on a very nice and original 87 Dodge Dakota and it is a little temperamental.

If I fire it up and let it warm up for like 5 -7 minutes I can drive around nice as you please and it idles well and doesn't stall or anything.

If I try to take off before That then it backfires through the carb and well stall if I try and give it to much gas. Basically doesn't have much power till it warms then seems fine. Thought the choke was quirky but it seems to be operating normally.

It is a 6 cylinder auto and the engine runs strong its just the stupid aftermarket carb. I am I just doomed to have to let it warm up every time?

 

Can't seem to find much info on that carb on the net... Is it a 2bbl, 4bbl, progressive, electric choke or manual choke? It could be that the choke is working fine but just giving too much. Try disabling the choke manually a bit earlier than it wants to and see if that helps the driveability.

Most electric chokes will have adjustment to them.

 

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/par...ntifier=202720

its an autoline rebuilt one. Here is the guy. 2bbl and at one time I can see there was a carb fire. Check all the vac lines for leaks and I am good. If it floods it does weep at the casket base pretty good though which cant be good. Last night I pulled the air filter and it seemed to help it but now it has no power at all . Seriously its pathetic even on gentle grades. Guessing since it is carbed engine that removing an air filter can cause a loss of vacuum and hence a lose of power.

Man this is frustrating- at least I got to work this morning ...

 

Your air fuel mixture is off when you're warming up. May also be off when you're warmed up, but the engine is capable of working through it.

Now we just have to figure out WHY it's off. Does your year Dak have anything coming off the air filter? (Mine has a line to the valve cover for a breather hose)

 

CowGod- not sure what a dak is>

Driving home after work today it just doesn't have hardly any power on gentle slopes. Like a serious low compression engine (talking 15 mph if that here. It revs clean and sounds great at idle or in neutral but when I but a load on it I can push the pedal to the floor and nada- I read a post another guy had with a vapor canister that was clogged. I think I am gonna replace that canister and the fuel filter. I feel like this is the beginning of a frustrating series of throwing parts at it. I did notice that the tranny fluid was a quart low but no leaks anywhere.

 

what was the O.E.M. carb for that engine?

 

Dak = Dakota.

And I think before you start throwing parts at it you need to make sure the carb is working properly. Vacuum leaks can exist in more than just vacuum lines - intake manifold leaks can make a huge difference, and it sounds like your gasket is already compromised.