Fixed one thing in Holley carb....now another problem with idle

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Surfnsnowboard3

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All right everybody, I need help again. I replaced the screws and gaskets and no more leaks in my Holley 2300 carb. But now the engine won't idle in neutral. It needs gas in neutral in order to stay running. As soon as I pull back on the throttle, it starts running rough, then dies. Help?!?

I have an 89 ford 302 with an OMC cobra 5.0.

Thanks
 
Scott Danforth

Scott Danforth

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did you clean out every passage in the carb with both a fine copper wire and compressed air?
 
jimmbo

jimmbo

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Did you try adjusting the mixture screws? When you took it apart, what all did you disassemble?
 
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Surfnsnowboard3

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I had a leak of fuel from the bowl. I bought new gaskets for both the bowl and other one. New screws as well. I unscrewed the 4 screws of the bowl, removed the old gaskets and remnants, but new gaskets on and put back together. Didn't mess whth anything else.
 
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HT32BSX115

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jimmbo

jimmbo

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When you say it needs gas. Did you mean opening the throttle, or spraying gas into the carb to keep it running? when you put the carb back on the manifold, did you use a new gasket? You said you bought new screws, fuel bowl screws? Idle mixture screws? If it was fuel bowl screws, you got new gaskets for them? Hopefully you got the correct metering block to carb body gasket. Does closing the choke keep it from stalling?
 
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Surfnsnowboard3

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jimmbo said:
When you say it needs gas. Did you mean opening the throttle, or spraying gas into the carb to keep it running? when you put the carb back on the manifold, did you use a new gasket? You said you bought new screws, fuel bowl screws? Idle mixture screws? If it was fuel bowl screws, you got new gaskets for them? Hopefully you got the correct metering block to carb body gasket. Does closing the choke keep it from stalling?
Click to expand...

Sorry about the confusion. Opening throttle when needing gas. It is new fuel bowl and metering body gaskets. The new screws were the 4 bolts to the fuel bowl. That was to fix the leak.
 
Scott Danforth

Scott Danforth

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if there was sediment in the bottom of the bowl, most likely when you pulled off the bowl, you disturbed it, and some is now in the idle circuit.

from your other post (you really need to keep the posts all in one topic) you are using the better gasket, so it is reusable. however I dont remember if you got metering block to carb body gaskets. if so, pull the metering block and clean out the idle circuits.
 
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Surfnsnowboard3

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Scott Danforth said:
if there was sediment in the bottom of the bowl, most likely when you pulled off the bowl, you disturbed it, and some is now in the idle circuit.

from your other post (you really need to keep the posts all in one topic) you are using the better gasket, so it is reusable. however I dont remember if you got metering block to carb body gaskets. if so, pull the metering block and clean out the idle circuits.
Click to expand...

Sorry about the new thread. I was debating if it was the same problem or not. Yes, I did put in a new metering block gasket and a new fuel bowl gasket. Where is the idle circuit to clean? Page 6 on this is my model: http://documents.holley.com/199r10014rev1.pdf

Thanks
 
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Surfnsnowboard3

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Ok, so I cleaned the hell out of everything with carb cleaner. It now doesn't die when in idle (awesome). BUT, it idles at about 1100-1200 RPM. My manufacturer recommends an idle of 550-600 RPM. Howecer, the boat sounds great. Should I just leave it? Or start tuning the idle screws?
 
Scott Danforth

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Make sure the throttle cable is slack and the carb throttle is closed
 
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HT32BSX115

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Surfnsnowboard3 said:
Ok, thanks. Do I adjust the curb idle speed screw (single screw) or the idle mixture screws (2 screws)?

Thx
Click to expand...

Well, all three actually.

Once you get the mixture set properly, then you can set the actual idle speed. That is accomplished using the "single screw" but you may have to set it high until you get the mixture screws set where it will run smoothly. Once you get that, you can lower it to the right RPM..... then you may have to "touch up" the mixture (screws) as necessary. You sort of alternate between them...... (make sure the choke plate is fully open when you do this)
 
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Surfnsnowboard3

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HT32BSX115 said:
Well, all three actually.

Once you get the mixture set properly, then you can set the actual idle speed. That is accomplished using the "single screw" but you may have to set it high until you get the mixture screws set where it will run smoothly. Once you get that, you can lower it to the right RPM..... then you may have to "touch up" the mixture (screws) as necessary. You sort of alternate between them...... (make sure the choke plate is fully open when you do this)
Click to expand...

I'll do that....as soon as I can find a vacuum port to plug my vacuum gauge into. I attached a video of a 360 of my carb. Can you look at it and tell me where to plug in my vacuum gauge?
 
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Surfnsnowboard3

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Oh, another question. See on the accelerator pump lever under the spring how it's not centered? Is that ok? I've tried everything I can think of to get it centered.
 
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HT32BSX115

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Surfnsnowboard3 said:
I'll do that....as soon as I can find a vacuum port to plug my vacuum gauge into. I attached a video of a 360 of my carb. Can you look at it and tell me where to plug in my vacuum gauge?
Click to expand...
A vacuum gage is not required to set the idle.
 
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