Help a NOOB - A continuing saga

[ncpetersc]

Originally Posted by dmjlambert

OK so it is all better now? I don't tend to be very harsh on shops, I just don't return for more punishment. But that's me. If they described in detail what they were going to do, and then it is apparent they didn't do it, then that would be cause for me complaining. I like to find shade tree mechanics, like them much better than any shop. Shops have too much overhead and too many people there just clocking hours and thinking it's 5:00 somewhere...

Yep. All better, can't believe I couldn't find that hose that I knocked off at some point. So basically running better than it has in a long while thanks to the help of everyone here. But it sounds like even though it's running good, I need to take care of this carb.

I'm leaning towards ordering one without core exchange, and maybe building up the courage to try to rebuild it at some point.

I could probably still find time to pull the current carb off this weekend and taking the top off if you guys think it might be something fixable with the float connection or position.

Given the opinions so far, I think I need to at least try to get my money back for the rebuild. It's becoming clear that I did not get what I paid for there. And that's pretty much it for the description of the work agreed to... "rebuild the carb".

Oh I tried to get the video up on you tube. Hope this works https://youtu.be/cP-af791wMk

And attaching a pic of the carb stamp #. 4MV I think, but 7042210 isn't showing up as a cross reference on the guaranteedcarb website. Hope it's the right one.

Thanks again to all of you!

[Mikes68C10]

Originally Posted by ncpetersc

Unfortunately Cliff's is showing a rebuild turnaround time of 12 weeks right now. Not sure I want to wait that long, if there are other decent options.

Looking at guaranteedcarbeurators right now, as I have the option to buy and keep my original. Maybe try to learn something on the bench someday.

If you end up keeping your original carb, then you might want to fill out the free quote request for a rebuild kit, give em your specs, and they'll tell you what a rebuild kit tailored to your drivetrain will cost. Then its a matter of doing the rebuild, not overly complicated IMO. And it'll run a whole lot better.
Good luck with whatever approach you take! You'll get there.

[geezer#99]

I see fuel in your vid.
Definitely flooding.

When they did your carb, did they give you back the gaskets and parts they replaced. Most good shops do that.

[ncpetersc]

Originally Posted by Mikes68C10

If you end up keeping your original carb, then you might want to fill out the free quote request for a rebuild kit, give em your specs, and they'll tell you what a rebuild kit tailored to your drivetrain will cost. Then its a matter of doing the rebuild, not overly complicated IMO. And it'll run a whole lot better.
Good luck with whatever approach you take! You'll get there.

That's a great idea. I've read a lot of positive things about them. Hopefully at that point I'll have a driveable truck, and I can attempt this in a leisurely time frame on the side. Oh and guess what? I'll be here asking for help! LOL

[ncpetersc]

Originally Posted by geezer#99

I see fuel in your vid.
Definitely flooding.

When they did your carb, did they give you back the gaskets and parts they replaced. Most good shops do that.

Right. So no, of course they did not.

Grrrr... I hope get a refund.

[Steeveedee]

Here's a link to Mark's website, QuadrajetPower, that shows what your carb is for (appears to be correct).

http://quadrajetpower.com/chevrolet-...rajet-7042210/

One thing to check before you buy a kit is to open the secondary air valve (the big flaps) and make certain that the metering rods come up when you do so. You will probably have to force the choke plate open gently to get the secondary lockout to disengage. In fact, given the age of your carburetor, I'd recommend getting that little nylon cam to replace the old one, anyway. I'd really recommend getting one of the books available on rebuilding Q-Jets. There are a few nuances that you will get that will give you the best end result, and will be well worth the $20 or however much it costs.

[Grumpy old man]

Anything you could ever need for a Quadrajet.

https://quadrajetparts.com/

[stsalvage]

I may be late to the party but what do the plugs look like have they been changed gaped .Just a thought

[stsalvage]

Kinda wish for the time being is put a holly or Eldalbrock carb on it.Then if he has the money to ship it to one of the pro's on here That could soak it and clean it and rebuild it.Just a thought

[jocko]

7042210 = CHEV 72 350 TRUCK G-10 FEDERAL

EDIT: and 3271 is 23 Nov 1971 date stamp

So, I'd say it's likely original if your truck is a 72. Not sure if G10 is a van ref, but it's the right year, the right engine, and the it says Truck, I'd keep it and rebuild it (again, sorry). Don't underestimate what you can do on this yourself. If it's your daily driver, then you have to have something on there to get from here to there, so maybe a temp or b/u carb isn't a bad idea - but if you've got a free weekend, you can actually do the whole thing, from removal to reinstall in a couple hours. So, even if it is your daily driver, might be able to take a day or two on the weekend and gut it out. Most important thing is to make sure you have ALL the parts you need before you start. Lines, clamps, filters, blah blah.

Oh, and I highly recommend this guy for all things Q-jet. Cliff. https://cliffshighperformance.com/ His Q-jet books are a wealth of info if you want to rebuild one yourself.

[Steeveedee]

Originally Posted by geezer#99

I see fuel in your vid.
Definitely flooding.

When they did your carb, did they give you back the gaskets and parts they replaced. Most good shops do that.

A reputable shop will ask you up front if you want the old parts. Generally, people say no, because who wants an old oil filter or some such? But the shop should be able to show you the old parts. In this case, enough time has passed that the old parts (if actually removed) are long gone. This practice stems from days of yore when AAMCO transmissions used to fleece people on a regular basis. Anyone near my age (65) has probably seen where the fecal missiles hit the rotating blades that they got into, back in the late '60s to early '70s. They have probably cleaned up their act, but I've had family members that they tried to rip off, as well, back in the '70s.

[ncpetersc]

Originally Posted by stsalvage

I may be late to the party but what do the plugs look like have they been changed gaped .Just a thought

I changed them when I first started to try to figure this thing out on my own. There are pictures of the old ones near the beginning of the thread.

[ncpetersc]

Originally Posted by jocko

7042210 = CHEV 72 350 TRUCK G-10 FEDERAL

EDIT: and 3271 is 23 Nov 1971 date stamp

So, I'd say it's likely original if your truck is a 72. Not sure if G10 is a van ref, but it's the right year, the right engine, and the it says Truck, I'd keep it and rebuild it (again, sorry). Don't underestimate what you can do on this yourself. If it's your daily driver, then you have to have something on there to get from here to there, so maybe a temp or b/u carb isn't a bad idea - but if you've got a free weekend, you can actually do the whole thing, from removal to reinstall in a couple hours. So, even if it is your daily driver, might be able to take a day or two on the weekend and gut it out. Most important thing is to make sure you have ALL the parts you need before you start. Lines, clamps, filters, blah blah.

Oh, and I highly recommend this guy for all things Q-jet. Cliff. https://cliffshighperformance.com/ His Q-jet books are a wealth of info if you want to rebuild one yourself.

If it were my daily driver I would be in REAL trouble. Thankfully it is not, and it can be taken out of commission for these things.

The other thing I keep forgetting is I likely need a new fuel tank given the brown powder that I tapped out of the fuel filter I replaced during troubleshooting. So I still need to come up with a plan. I'm guessing putting a newly rebuilt carb on without addressing that is not the best idea.

[Artofdeath]

Sir, you are fine working on your truck. You have shown enuff mechanical intuitiveness that I think you should be able to handle anything that is wrong short of a total engine rebuild. I am impressed. With a little guidance I am sure you can handle anything!

Good on you my friend!

[ncpetersc]

Originally Posted by Artofdeath

Sir, you are fine working on your truck. You have shown enuff mechanical intuitiveness that I think you should be able to handle anything that is wrong short of a total engine rebuild. I am impressed. With a little guidance I am sure you can handle anything!

Good on you my friend!

Thanks for the vote of confidence. I can't tell you how much the advice and guidance I've received already from this site means.

Thanks to all of you for your help and encouragement!

[ncpetersc]

Okay, running into some brick walls:

Wall 1: The shop. I Finally got a hold of them this morning and that went like most of you probably would guess. They insist the carb was rebuilt and that it's the junk in the fuel supply that is causing it flood. They claim to have replaced the filter, that I again replaced (and found crud in) a week later. So I can't doubt that I guess. But I mentioned some of your opinions on the general appearance that it wasn't cleaned/dipped/rebuilt and he insists that it absolutely was. He also said the carb was "destroyed" inside from junk and rust, I think he probably should have told me that when I picked up the truck! He offered to refund $100 bucks 'for my trouble', I guess for all the other sloppy things I found (spark plug disconnected, plug wires melting on exhaust, distributor loose, unplugged ports, vac pulloff not even plugged in). We'll see if that happens, better than nothing I suppose. But anyway, at least I know one place NOT to go now. Would be nice to find a trustworthy place, but I am motivated to try to do more on my own now I guess.

Wall 2: A rebuilt carb. http://www.guaranteedcarburetors.com...0-chevy-truck/ really looked like what I needed, but my exact number 7042210 was not listed so I called them up. They do not have that exact carb available. So I want to ask opinions of another vendor UnitedCarb.com as they appear to have the exact one. But a question as well, just how important is it to match this # exactly? The one from GuaranteedCarb sure looks like a match. Would it work?

I want to have a quality rebuilt carb available, but maybe still take a peek in the top of mine at least to look for the potential assembly issues like the float clip. And the shop owner is probably right anyway, I agree that I need to evaluate and address any potential fuel tank issues. So I need to come up with a plan for that.

But, main question, any experiences with UnitedCarb?

Thanks.

[ncpetersc]

Also found one on e-bay, rebuilt by Lonestar Carburetor's in San Antonio. Any opinions on them?

Thanks.

[AussieinNC]

IMO, while it would be nice to exactly match the version numbers from current carb to the replacement carb...there is really no need to exactly match...

So long as the linkages and fittings are all there and the carb is "suitably jetted for your application", you should be good.

Besides, how do you know the current carb is actually the original factory carb for the truck?..

Given your issue with dirt etc in the fuel system, I would be installing an in line metal case fuel filter after the fuel pump...

I would also be considering replacing the fuel tank...LMC have them for around $150 plus shipping...

There are also treatments you can put into the tank to contain the rust etc...but a new tank may be the best way to go.

Maybe even go the whole hog and replace the fuel lines and fuel pump as well...

Rust is the biggest enemy of fuel systems...as you are finding out...

Stay cool mate...

[ncpetersc]

Originally Posted by AussieinNC

IMO, while it would be nice to exactly match the version numbers from current carb to the replacement carb...there is really no need to exactly match...

So long as the linkages and fittings are all there and the carb is "suitably jetted for your application", you should be good.

Besides, how do you know the current carb is actually the original factory carb for the truck?..

Given your issue with dirt etc in the fuel system, I would be installing an in line metal case fuel filter after the fuel pump...

I would also be considering replacing the fuel tank...LMC have them for around $150 plus shipping...

There are also treatments you can put into the tank to contain the rust etc...but a new tank may be the best way to go.

Maybe even go the whole hog and replace the fuel lines and fuel pump as well...

Rust is the biggest enemy of fuel systems...as you are finding out...

Stay cool mate...

Thanks AussieinNC, I want to try to make a decision on the carb today, might throw a dart to decide which one to get. But you've got me leaning towards the guaranteed carb I think. It looks identical, and mentions the correct model year etc.

I totally understand the fuel situation needs addressing. My puzzle is a little more complicated by the fact that I have aftermarket saddle tanks with a three way valve installed. Never dared switch to anything but the main tank, but considering tank replacement I need to consider what to do with those old things. I'll need to figure out how to drain and disconnect those maybe. Oh and it turns out there is an extra fuel filter in the system, it's mounted at the output of the valve; a metal canister type like you mentioned.

[dmjlambert]

When I ordered my remanufactured Quadrajet from National Carburetors, I just selected the model year and engine size of my truck. Then I followed up with a phone call to tell them I wanted one with an electric choke. They built one for me with the throttle linkage for my year truck, but the rest was 1985-86 truck's carburetor body with an electric choke. Their sales staff is very knowledgeable and I was happy with the experience. So, I don't have the same model Quadrajet. Rochester made a huge number of slightly different Quadrajets and even if you got one stamped with the same number as yours on that middle body piece, it does not mean that all the other parts on it are from the same original carburetor or even same decade.

I think any filter you add belongs on the low pressure side of the fuel pump, and on the low pressure side is the only place where there are rubber hoses on the truck. If you have any doubts about the fuel pump or think it has huge amounts of crud in it, the fuel pump is cheap and fairly easy to replace.

The fuel tank is also fairly easy to replace. If you want to investigate, you can pull it out, turn the collar that holds the fuel sender and remove the fuel sender and have a good look at it, empty the fuel out and have a look inside and drain any crud out of it through the neck and through the fuel sender hole. There was a sock filter on the end of the fuel pickup line at the bottom of the tank, and that is replaceable. Some people have put vinegar and a steel chain or a bunch of nuts and bolts or gravel in there, and swished it around to clean theirs up.

[geezer#99]

Here’s some reference material.
Just a short read.
Your carb number is in the list. Yours is likely original.
You can use the info to cross check your carbs specs with other ones you find.
https://www.digitalcorvettes.com/for...ad.php?t=88376

[AussieinNC]

To simplify the fuel system issues I would not be using the saddle tanks at all until I know for sure they are not full of crud.

I would be installing a new in cab tank with new fuel sender seals and body seal, and routing a new fuel line from new tank to fuel pump.

Bypass all the other tanks for the time being.

Change the fuel pump...buy an AC Delco one if you can find one...had lots of issues reported on Chinese built pumps from Autozone and others...actually look on the pump for country of origin labels...

Add a metal cased inline fuel filter after the pump...and enjoy driving your truck for a while...

When you are ready, you can then check out the saddle tanks etc...if you dont intend to do long haul runs in this truck, I would be removing the saddle tanks totally...

Standard tank holds 20 gallons...plenty of gas for normal runs and cruises.

You could also go crazy and install an aftermarket tank behind the rear axle and get rid of in cab tank totally...LMC has some suggestions in their parts manuals...usually something like a Blazer tank...choices abound...but I do like the KISS approach...Keep It Stupid Simple

[ncpetersc]

Originally Posted by dmjlambert

When I ordered my remanufactured Quadrajet from National Carburetors, I just selected the model year and engine size of my truck. Then I followed up with a phone call to tell them I wanted one with an electric choke. They built one for me with the throttle linkage for my year truck, but the rest was 1985-86 truck's carburetor body with an electric choke. Their sales staff is very knowledgeable and I was happy with the experience.

Sold, it looks like they have one in stock for a decent price.

Originally Posted by dmjlambert

I think any filter you add belongs on the low pressure side of the fuel pump, and on the low pressure side is the only place where there are rubber hoses on the truck. If you have any doubts about the fuel pump or think it has huge amounts of crud in it, the fuel pump is cheap and fairly easy to replace.

I actually replaced this a year or two ago, the one that was on it developed a leak. Wasn't too bad I guess. I know this does not mean that it shouldn't get replaced again if the fuel/crud is that bad.

Originally Posted by dmjlambert

The fuel tank is also fairly easy to replace. If you want to investigate, you can pull it out, turn the collar that holds the fuel sender and remove the fuel sender and have a good look at it, empty the fuel out and have a look inside and drain any crud out of it through the neck and through the fuel sender hole. There was a sock filter on the end of the fuel pickup line at the bottom of the tank, and that is replaceable. Some people have put vinegar and a steel chain or a bunch of nuts and bolts or gravel in there, and swished it around to clean theirs up.

If I am going to pull it out, and find crud, I guess I'd like to replace. Of course the piggy bank is getting light, so nice to know there is a potential cleaning option.

Originally Posted by geezer#99

Here’s some reference material.
Just a short read.
Your carb number is in the list. Yours is likely original.
You can use the info to cross check your carbs specs with other ones you find.
https://www.digitalcorvettes.com/for...ad.php?t=88376

Thanks Geezer#99. That's a nice concise list of common problems. I also picked up Cliff's rebuild book on Amazon. One day, I will probably take a look at mine, for now I think I am safer with a rebuild by a pro.

Originally Posted by AussieinNC

To simplify the fuel system issues I would not be using the saddle tanks at all until I know for sure they are not full of crud.

I would be installing a new in cab tank with new fuel sender seals and body seal, and routing a new fuel line from new tank to fuel pump.

Bypass all the other tanks for the time being.

Change the fuel pump...buy an AC Delco one if you can find one...had lots of issues reported on Chinese built pumps from Autozone and others...actually look on the pump for country of origin labels...

Add a metal cased inline fuel filter after the pump...and enjoy driving your truck for a while...

When you are ready, you can then check out the saddle tanks etc...if you dont intend to do long haul runs in this truck, I would be removing the saddle tanks totally...

Standard tank holds 20 gallons...plenty of gas for normal runs and cruises.

You could also go crazy and install an aftermarket tank behind the rear axle and get rid of in cab tank totally...LMC has some suggestions in their parts manuals...usually something like a Blazer tank...choices abound...but I do like the KISS approach...Keep It Stupid Simple

I was thinking the same thing, somehow get the saddle tanks out of the picture for now. Got to work through the logistics of disconnecting and draining.

I always hoped to someday move the tank out of the cab to behind the axle, looked into many options and builds that did it. But I'm with you, keep it simple for now.

Thanks for all the help guys!

[68 P.O.S.]

Originally Posted by ncpetersc

Just found this article online (2nd post in the thread), very interesting read. It's got me believing that there is no good reason at all that it shouldn't be on manifold vacuum.

That's a good read. Here's the magazine article that engineer, John Hinkley, did as well. Basically the same thing as your link. Also, here's the vacuum advance follow-up to it. All fantastic info

http://www.camaros.org/pdf/timing101.pdf
http://www.stl-vettes.com/65Vette/co...ng_Advance.pdf

[ncpetersc]

Originally Posted by 68 P.O.S.

That's a good read. Here's the magazine article that engineer, John Hinkley, did as well. Basically the same thing as your link. Also, here's the vacuum advance follow-up to it. All fantastic info

http://www.camaros.org/pdf/timing101.pdf
http://www.stl-vettes.com/65Vette/co...ng_Advance.pdf

Great stuff. Thanks!