Howdy,
I did a decent amount of work on my truck, all small things. New ground strap,battery cables, air and fuel filter, cleaned carb. Now the truck doesn't idle well. It will sound sputtery and will die sometimes. Everything seems good when I'm driving though. It's possible I knocked loose some stuff while working. How can I troubleshoot this.

BTW, when I cover the carb barrel with my hand, block all the air, the truck seems to idle good and strong.

Thanks,
dib

 

You have a vacuum leak someplace,or the idle mixture screw is screwed in too far. Also possible the idle circuit has some trash in it. Rev the motor to about 3000 and momentarily shut the choke blade while holding the throttle open, not quite killing the engine. Let the motor clean out and repeat a couple times. That'll sometimes flush the fuel circuits and air bleeds.

If that doesn't do it and you can't spot a hose off or split anywhere, get a can of carb cleaner and spray around the carb base,and along the intake manifold/head. You can spot a vacuum leak pretty quick that way. Those 1bbl carbs [and the 2bbls too] have a habit of the screws that hold the base to the main body loosening up. May have to pull the carb and tighten 'em.

 

sounds like you could be getting too much air (runing lean) which suggests to me that the leak is around the carb. maybe. thats where id start anyhow.

 

Thanks for the reply Lugnuts You are as reliable as my Honda
I looked and looked, I can't find any disconnected hoses or holes. I turned the idle up. The truck will stay running at idle now. I don't have a tachometer, so Im not sure how many rpms its doing. I got some more carb cleaner now. So, I should spray it around the intake and look for bubbles? Can I buy a vacum tester of sorts?

Thanks for all the help,
dib

 

Thanks nemesis. How would I go about checking that? Using the carb cleaner like Lugnuts suggested?

Thanks for the reply,
dib

 

HONDA!? What the.......... Where's my damned shotgun?

 

I believe what Lugs was speaking of is when you spray the carb cleaner and if you have a leak it will draw it down the carb throat and your motor will drop off. As for the hole HONDA thing, well Aint no accounting for taste Lugs.

 

Thanks for the help guys. Work cut into my truck time for a bit...

So, I sprayed the carb cleaner all around my carb. It actually improved the idle when I sprayed at the base of the carb. My buddy thinks this because I have a leak at the gasket where the carb attaches to the manifold. What do you guys think?

Thanks,
dib

 

If its only a very minor leak then it could be possible the carb cleaner acted to swell the gasket enough to momentarily seal the carb flange. I would replace the gasket, its inexpensive.

 

ha! too much air. as i said!