Thread: Attention all Motorheads/Gearheads

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Alright folks I could use some imput here. As most of you know my baby is a 1981 Firebird Formula. I never entend on selling her, she's very much an extention of my spirit. So here's where I need some imput. She's beginning to have some aging issues, and of course as things need replacing she gets them, but here's a reoccuring problem.

I have a high Hydrocarbon at Idle issue, suspected lean misfire. I currently have a Rochester Quadrajet Carb. This is the 2nd year in a row now that she's failed the Idle test at Aircare "if you are familiar with what Aircare is". Anyone have any suggestions on how I can resolve this problem?
I'm considering replacing the Rochester with a Holly 600 0804575, or a Holly Avenger in the near future but have been told that doing so will require changing the intake manifold. In the mean time I need to get my baby to pass Airecare.

Any help or suggestions would be greatly apprecaited

Look around and see if there is an adapter plate to fit a holley to your manifold.Companies like JEGS and SUMMIT might have them.You could also call Holley and ask their tech dept.
Have you pulled the plugs to see if they are reading "lean"? It could lead you to a particular cylinder which is having issues.Has the car had a full tune up recently?

Found this link ,AirCare emissions testing program | Repair Info - Causes of Excess HC Emissions

Goes along with what Skullboy says, mostly a tune up and also looking for vacuum leaks. Hope this helps.

Originally Posted by skullboy

Look around and see if there is an adapter plate to fit a holley to your manifold.Companies like JEGS and SUMMIT might have them.You could also call Holley and ask their tech dept.
Have you pulled the plugs to see if they are reading "lean"? It could lead you to a particular cylinder which is having issues.Has the car had a full tune up recently?

Hey Skullboy, thanks for taking the time to offer me some help. Ok, now putting the Holly plate in causes my intake to be to high and causes the air filter housing to bang on the hood. I'll look into contacting Holly Tech dept. And as far as the lean, my understanding is that White means Lean, Black means Rich, Tan means Good, and mine are Tan, soo??? Oh hell I don't know, ug!

Originally Posted by bfjou812

Found this link ,AirCare emissions testing program | Repair Info - Causes of Excess HC Emissions

Goes along with what Skullboy says, mostly a tune up and also looking for vacuum leaks. Hope this helps.

Thanks for the link bfjou812, will check out this link later tonight, ya I'm liking where skullboy is going with this,will see what comes of all this. Thanks so much guys, I really apprecaite the help

Like the link that bfjou812 says check basics first.Vacuum leaks,bad plug wires,timing ect.... After that while I know cash is tight,you need a car,so find a shop with a sniffer and have them try to tune the carb to see if it can come into spec.

Hey Skullboy & bfjou812, I wanted to thank-you so much for all the time you've taken to assist me in trying to figure out my babyb girls issues. Monday morning she's gonna go see her faithful doctor, and they'll get things fixed at the very least to the point of passing aircare, just like they've helped me the past 2 years.
Then, in the New year when she gets her royal spa treatment she'll have to have a major overhaul which will include : Rebuilt motor "and beefin her up" and her new Paint job

But I will let you know how things turn out after she's out on Monday. Again Big Batty Hugz for all your help, I really do apprecaite you putting your heads together with me, sometimes there really is power in numbers
* Blessed Be*
DOD

Hey just noticed the thread. If it was me I'd yank all that crap off. LOL With all the EGR stuff on it it makes diagnosing the problem hard. Is the EGR vakve working. The diaphram may be damaged causing it to leak vacuum. You can test it by placing a hose and sucking air through it and see if it holds. Any vacuum leak could give you problem. How does it run. Does it Idle rough. Putting an adapter plate and a holley will just give you problems. Clearance issues and a holley is a great street carb but it is not know for its fuel economy. A good rebuild of the carb would be good. I can't believe you still have to test that car. The last time I went to have my inspection done the guy just looked at me and asked if everything was in good working order, which it is, for Texas. Not bragging at all.

Hey BlakkHeart. Yep we've checked all that stuff. Took it through Airecare "again" this time it passed the idle test, and just and I do mean just failed the running test which it's never ever failed before. So we think we have a better idea of whats going on with the carb based on the adjustments we made, it's a positive sign. But we're out of time, so tomorrow we'll take all the aire care results to my guy and get them to fix her up, and they fix it until she passes Airecare. This time around we're just gonna fix this carb and worry about how I'm gonna beef her up in the future, seeing as she's getting the whole damn spa treatment soon anyways. Just have to decide on my colouring and pinstriping, but I've pretty much made up my mind I think.
Ya I know the Holly would cause me a great deal of headaches and would be a killer on gas, considering I only run Premium Plus in here I can only imagine what I'd be going through with the Holly. When the motor gets rebuilt I'll figure out what I'm doing then, in some ways I'd like to keep my 305 and just stroke it, giving it more tork, so well see. Oh and she already has a new rebuilt Rhochester in her.
If I changed from the Rhochester, which I'm not sure I want to, the only others I was considering was the Holly Avenger , also look at the Edelebrock Manifold.
But I'll let you guys know whats going on here after they work on her, thanks for all your help guys, I really apprecaite it

The olny problems with a 305 motor are the displacement (cubic inch) the small valves and the camshaft. But I have seem a few beefy 305's.