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doncgarner · Aug 17, 2012, 12:59 PM

Hello all, I finally got my 65 fairlane to start, run better, and drive good, but not great. I wen't to a local mechanics shop, and I watched the guy JUST adjust my 1 barrel Holley Carb. He adjusted the idle screw, and made the engine and car STOP shaking, and quited it down, and the idle speed was great. I had both POWER & More speed. HOWEVER, I drove it out of the shop, and less than 5 minutes away, and I noticed a slight put, put which I thought was the gas, and then the car CUT-OFF While driving 1 time... and it has NOT started back up since. I tried Carb Cleaner, Gas in the Carb, and Nothing!! It keeps sounding like it wants to start, but won't catch and get enough gas to start-up and keep running. It's almost as if it's flooded, without me physically flooding it. Please Help!! Tomorrow is The Detroit Woodward Dream Cruise! I just paid $45 for him to adjust my carb, and he told me it was nothing he did, and I stood there and watched him adjust it. What Could Be Wrong? I need my car to STAY Running, even while drive, and start back up! Thanks Guys! Blessings, Pastor G.

TxGreaseMonkey · Aug 17, 2012, 01:20 PM

Did he adjust the air mixture screw? My guess is that he turned it in too far. Most of those you used to carefully seat, so as not to burr the needle valve, and back it out 1-1/8 turns. This was the initial adjustment. After the car was at normal operating temperature, final adjustment would be made.

I used to remove and clean the carburetor and install a rebuild kit every several years. I would install a new float cutoff needle valve, adjust the float, install a new pump, gaskets, and adjust linkages, air mixture screw, curb idle, and fast idle. It can make a huge difference in reliability and performance.

Many of the old float cutoff needle valves had a neoprene tip that could swell and totally cutoff the flow of fuel. If you are going to keep the car, I suggest you rebuild the carburetor.

ma0641 · Aug 17, 2012, 01:26 PM

Sounds like a possible stuck float or needle

doncgarner · Aug 17, 2012, 01:45 PM

Originally Posted by TxGreaseMonkey

Did he adjust the air mixture screw?

No, It was driving without cutting off before he adjusted the idle screw. Once he idled it up it sound great, and the performance and power went up 10 notches from not much power, and NO performance. I watched him adjust it. He didn't touch anything else, except the excellerator rod that connects to the floor pedal inside of the car. It needs a clamp to make it more secure and function properly. I'm lost as to why it won't start up now. It was running and driving before the adjustment.

TxGreaseMonkey · Aug 17, 2012, 01:54 PM

Back to basics, then:

. Check all fuses with a test light or multimeter.

. Check for spark.

. Check for fuel.

. Check for air.

doncgarner · Aug 17, 2012, 03:24 PM

Thanks Brother... I will do, I'll check this in a few. Let me ask you this also, if it was getting spark, and everything else was fine, before he touched that screw... could it be that he tightened it too much, and made air get into the carb, and the idles speed too fast, that the car is stalling when trying to get started up?

TxGreaseMonkey · Aug 17, 2012, 04:53 PM

Not by only adjusting the idle speed.

doncgarner · Aug 18, 2012, 09:28 AM

The car has spark! The starter is new!. The gas keeps getting to the carb, and trying to start, when carb cleaner spray is used, but it NEVER catches! After I stop using the carb spray, the car just keeps making the starter trying to start sound, and unfortunately it still won't crank up. I tried starting it in neutral, no luck.

ma0641 · Aug 18, 2012, 10:50 AM

It is either flooding, no gas or bad timing. Can't be much more! Make sure the valve train is moving.

TxGreaseMonkey · Aug 18, 2012, 10:57 AM

Check each cylinder's compression. I'm skeptical of aftermarket kits to convert point and condenser ignition systems to electronic. My experience with them has been horrible. Cars would drive several miles and then die. Then, they would start and several miles down the road they would die again. If you can, go back to points and condenser; then, check the timing with a strobe light.

When you start that car, you should depress the accelerator once all the way to the floor. This causes the carburetor's pump to squirt raw gas into the barrel of the carburetor and sets the automatic choke. Then, start the car. Once the engine is running well, tap the accelerator pedal to knock the engine off fast idle.