Red motor problem

[Dave_EH]

Back on track:

Power valve was gone.

Just bought a new one but wasn't sure of the right rating.  I bought a 55, but thought maybe a 45 might be better.  I'm running 61 jets.

Hopefully will get it up and running again.

Thanks for all the help, and Ace for hitting the problem on the head.

Dave

[Dave_EH]

Replaced the power valve, blew out the metering block and replaced gaskets - still no good :(

Any other things to check?

[Poo Wagon Bloke]

Dave,
Couple of things to check
1. Loose main jets?
2. I can't remember (cos I'm old and it's been a long time) but how is the bowl vented in the 350?  No gravity and the carb will flood - happened to me with a 500 Holley carb years ago.
3. It's not sucking the choke butterfly shut for some reason is it?

Worth checking.
I wish you luck as I know first hand how frustrating problems like this can be!

Alan

[Dave_EH]

Thanks Alan - none of these things seem to be a problem.  Although, I'm still not convinced that the carb isn't the cause.

Head gasket or stripped timing teeth have also been suggested - I doubt these things are the cause though.

The motor still starts easily but just won't idle or make power.

I think I will have to try another working carb to elimiate the carb as a factor.

I'm starting to run out of ideas.

Dave

[Poo Wagon Bloke]

Dave,
Further thinking.  No idle sounds like a vacuum problem.
1. Can you hook up a vacuum gauge to see if you have vacuum fluctuations happening?
2. Check all your vacuum connections/pipes including the feed pipe for the brake booster
3. It's not sucking air under the carby base is it - use your oil can to squirt oil around any possible leaks; this will soon be sucked up where this a vacuum leak.

Keep going, it will be a wonderful feeling when you conquer it.

Alan

[HARKO]

I had a very similar senario the other week and I thought it seemed electrical at the time ,However I put a kit through the little 350 holley and it's fixed.
I now suspect it was the power valve.
Sorry to add to your dilema

[lxhatch_jim]

How did the old/new carb go?

[Dave_EH]

Overtightening of hydraulic tappets was suggested - so to be on the safe side I backed them off 1 turn - leaving them at approx. 1/4 turn past chatter level.

This had no benefit - also seemed an unlikely cause from the outset since the car ran well for 300miles prior to problem.

I removed the old manifold and holley today and fitted an old stromberg, yet could not start the motor - the stromberg has been sitting around for some years.

I have borrowed another stromberg this afternoon and hope to give it a try tonight.

Dave

[fc4kiwi]

Hi Dave just had a thought today about your motor, same thing happen to me about 5yrs ago spent a fortune trying to fix it.
What I found was that the Harmonic balancer had spun on it rubber ring therefore giving me a false reading with the timing light.
A quick check was the old screw driver down the spark plug hole turn the motor over by hand and see if TOP DEAD CENTER matchs the nick on the balancer.
Mine was out by 35mm replaced it with a new one no problem since.
Cheers Tony

[nicko]

gees you took the words out of my mouth,was about to suggest same thing when you beet me to it Kiwi

[fccool59]

I had a holley 350 for years that went like crap, then I replaced it with a less worn one and it went perfect without being touched for years.
Also just wondering how good your spark is.

[Dave_EH]

Problem has been identified and solved ;D

A friend offered his help last night and assumed the same as all of us - spark or fuel was the issue.

After pretty much eliminating spark as a factor he pulled apart the Holley again and gave it a very thorough cleaning with carb cleaner and some grime was removed from the holes in the metering block.

After a thorough blow out and reassembly I started the car this evening and it idled well.

I'm yet to road test although I think it will be fine.

Stephen believed that the blockage was starving the carb and causing low manifold vacuum - this inturn was causing the powervalve to come in and flood the system.

Thanks to everyone for all their help - got there in the end.  Some good tips and diagnosis tools have been learnt for the future.

Regards
Dave

[4hammers]

Cool.
Do you have a filter? If not, it will just happen again.
Regards,
Rob J

[Dave_EH]

Yes,

I had a good Speco reusable glass type inline filter before the fuel pump.

I'm going to run a second one between the pump and carb.

Cheers
Dave

[fccool59]

hopefully its all sorted, as I said before the second holley went perfect for years without being touched, everyone was always telling me to p*&s off the holley and put on a 2 barrel stromberg, shortly after I put the new carb on I went to wisemans ferry with a mate, he had a EK and I was in the FC, his 2 barrel stromberg kicked the bucket and all I thought was that he should p*^s of that bloody stromberg and put a holley on.