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Update on carburetor stumbles

Aron Gleason

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Took the car out today, running a lot better. My afr's are anywhere from 12.9 to 14.5 at cruise. Still has a very small stumble, when I stab the throttle my afr's go to 16.2 then immediately drops down and the carburetor recovers. I've been running a 10.5 power valve for a couple years, should I keep it or drop to a 6.5 power valve?

Picture_20250629112139.jpg


Picture_20250629112058.jpg
 
Power valve sizing is usually dependent on your engine vacuum level. But sounds like you need to work on richening your accelerator pump circuit.
 
Took the car out today, running a lot better. My afr's are anywhere from 12.9 to 14.5 at cruise. Still has a very small stumble, when I stab the throttle my afr's go to 16.2 then immediately drops down and the carburetor recovers. I've been running a 10.5 power valve for a couple years, should I keep it or drop to a 6.5 power valve?

Check your accel pump, make sure there isn't any play in the arm/adjuster (i assume you have a holley) it should squirt as soon as you crack the throttle.. that would be the first thing i would check..

For power valve what i used to do it check vacuum in gear at idle and go half of that.. (i'm sure this is wrong.. but it always worked for me)
 
Check your accel pump, make sure there isn't any play in the arm/adjuster (i assume you have a holley) it should squirt as soon as you crack the throttle.. that would be the first thing i would check..
^^^^ What he said!
This is step 1 before you do anything else. Only after that has been verified should you move on to other steps.

...and I'll add to this some: If your hand even twitches the throttle the accelerator pump should start squirting fuel. If it doesn't, then you have an issue. Don't just look for fuel squirting out when you manhandle the throttle - barely move it and see what the accelerator pump does...
 
For power valve what i used to do it check vacuum in gear at idle and go half of that.. (i'm sure this is wrong.. but it always worked for me)
How does that work with a manual trans?
Serious question, jack it up and let it run in first, or is it load that is required?
 
How does that work with a manual trans?
Serious question, jack it up and let it run in first, or is it load that is required?

For a manual trans i would just use X under the vacuum at idle (i say X cause i used half on my own car due to it being low vacuum to start with.. if you have like 16 inches i wouldn't go half) BUT.. i measured in gear at idle due to thats the condition the PV would be working in during driving (accelerating from stop and transitioning), with a manual i would just do it at normal idle and adjust down/up if needed.. never really considered that before

P.S. i re-read your question.. not so much the load but a auto at idle in gear has the vacuum drop down a bit.. so my issue used to be using too high of a rated PV gave me issues so i did it in gear just to make sure i didn't get one that was too high due to measuring vacuum in park (not sure if i'm explaining this properly...)

BTW.. i haven't touched a holley in 25 years and this was just stuff from memory, getting my pv correct was a big thing to learn at the time. And i might be wrong but it worked for me
 
This relays to a Holley

could be a combination of the (acc. pump discharge nozzles) "squiters" are too small in front
in 'tip in initial throttle'
& accel./pump arm adjt. to zero gap/play or even a lil' pressure on it before activated
or you have a completely wrong acc. pump cam, on the lever all together
For the discharge "squirter" nozzles
if it has a #28, try a #31 squirter in the primaries/front
if it already has a #31, try a #35 squirter nozzle in the primaries squirter (accel. discharge nozzle),
you can also fine tune it with down leg nozzles, squirters that have lil' tubes extended out/down,
that will draw a tad more fuel too

the white or brown acc. pump cam/s on the throttle lever is usually best

(or it could also need a tad more initial ignition advance too
that will help, or could correct the AFRs some also, common)


IF & a possible power valve change, is needed
'You really need to use a vacuum gauge' to diagnose it
(if you can run a long hose into the car while driving that may help too, see under a load what it does)
Normally the closest full # on power valve, that under "1/2 of what vacuum you have",
That is the # stamped on the power valve
example;
if it has '13 #s of vacuum', then go with a 6, if it's a 14.5 go with a 7 (not an 8)
is about right for the Power Valve, it's a good rule of thumb

I wouldn't go with more than an 8 - 8.5 'almost never/ever',
even if you have 20#s of vacuum...
In my experience it's rare...
Usually

You need to read your plugs
this is a great explanation of what your engine actually wants,
as in timing & fuel
'NGK' plugs are the easiest to read, not required though

good luck
IT'S REALLY HARD, to tune over the -www- or in print

Spark plugs reading #1 BEST.jpg
 
Last edited:
This relays to a Holley

could be a combination of the (acc. pump discharge nozzles) "squiters" are too small in front
in 'tip in initial throttle'
& accel./pump arm adjt. to zero gap/play or even a lil' pressure on it before activated
or you have a completely wrong acc. pump cam, on the lever all together
For the discharge "squirter" nozzles
if it has a #28, try a #31 squirter in the primaries/front
if it already has a #31, try a #35 squirter nozzle in the primaries squirter (accel. discharge nozzle),
you can also fine tune it with down leg nozzles, squirters that have lil' tubes extended out/down,
that will draw a tad more fuel too

the white or brown acc. pump cam/s on the throttle lever is usually best

(or it could also need a tad more initial ignition advance too
that will help, or could correct the AFRs some also, common)


IF & a possible power valve change, is needed
'You really need to use a vacuum gauge' to diagnose it
(if you can run a long hose into the car while driving that may help too, see under a load what it does)
Normally the closest full # on power valve, that under "1/2 of what vacuum you have",
That is the # stamped on the power valve
example;
if it has '13 #s of vacuum', then go with a 6, if it's a 14.5 go with a 7 (not an 8)
is about right for the Power Valve, it's a good rule of thumb

I wouldn't go with more than an 8 - 8.5 'almost never/ever',
even if you have 20#s of vacuum...
In my experience it's rare...
Usually

You need to read your plugs
this is a great explanation of what your engine actually wants,
as in timing & fuel
'NGK' plugs are the easiest to read, not required though

good luck
IT'S REALLY HARD, to tune over the -www- or in print

View attachment 1877532
At cruise i have 16 inches of vacuum. Accelerator pump is adjusted correctly. I have a .031 squirter in both primary and secondary side.
 
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