Difficulty of tuning up a carb??

[Shirako]

Would tuning up a carb with a kit be hard for someone with little automotive skills? I's rather do it myself than pay someone to do it.

[jeffcoslacker]

Depends on what you mean. Rebuild? Or just adjust?

Rebuilding without prior experience is a real good way to end up with a car that runs like crap, or doesn't run at all.

Honda carbs are complex, tricky, and have a diabolical amount of vacuum lines to deal with.

If you said you wanted to rebuild a two-barrel Rochester off a '72 Nova without having done it before, I'd say go for it. Your Honda probably isn't a good one to learn on, unless it's just so played out, it couldn't get much worse.

You might do alright if you are very good with directions and diagrams, they always provide very detailed instructions with the kits. The confusing part to the newbie is usually when there are several versions of that carb, and they give you parts for all of them in the kit, and you have to determine which ones you actually need.

Setting float drop is difficult for some people. This is where the majority of them get screwed up. A very small deviation from spec on float level will cause major performance and economy problems.

Linkages can be really frustrating. I'd suggest either drawing a picture of how they are before dismantling, or take a digital pic.

When you seperate the parts of the carb body, watch closely for any parts that may drop or spring out, there are small metal check balls and springs that play hell if deleted on reassembly. Usually when you turn it over to look at it from the other side is when you hear that stuff fall out, but you don't see where it went in the body.

Take your time, pause every few steps and recheck the instructions, and you'll do OK.

[Shirako]

Thanks for the reply, i'd be using one of the kits I could get from advance auto parts, http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductL...Carburetor+Kit
I'm wondering if should even attempt it or just bring it to a place that specializes in doing this...

[jeffcoslacker]

Lotta times you can get a rebuilt unit ready to go way cheaper than having it done at a shop. Just swap it out and connect everything up, and you're in business.

Are you having some specific problem that leads you to suspect the carb?

[Shirako]

Ya, the stalling problem from my previous post, its an ambient heat related thing since it didnt do it in the winter time, did it last summer but stopped for winter, iv heard so many things from a bad o2 sensor, clogged cat, fuel filters, carb getting hot, I dont wanna bring it to the dealership to have them plug it to a computer to see what the problem is since theyll charge me an arm and a leg, so systematically ill wind up with a new car lol

[jeffcoslacker]

Originally Posted by Shirako

Ya, the stalling problem from my previous post, its an ambient heat related thing since it didnt do it in the winter time, did it last summer but stopped for winter, iv heard so many things from a bad o2 sensor, clogged cat, fuel filters, carb getting hot, I dont wanna bring it to the dealership to have them plug it to a computer to see what the problem is since theyll charge me an arm and a leg, so systematically ill wind up with a new car lol

Sure it's not as simple as good old fashioned vapor lock? Be worth a new gas cap to rule that out.

If you replace the fuel filter and gas cap, it might just go away...clogged cat doesn't act like that, O2 sensor possible, easy enough to change and you probably need it anyway. Sometimes a carb will develop a sensitivity to heat soak and act weird, but will almost always be very hard to start, acting flooded (because it is) if you park it for a few minutes and try to restart on a hot day. This occurs when the float/needle valve and seat are worn, and fuel is able to "push" past the valve when the fuel in the line gets hot and expands, flooding the carb. Unless that's occuring, I doubt it's carb related, other than a slightly too lean mixture will make them prone to stalling when the throttle is dropped, and get worse in hot weather. Check for vacuum leaks, and try adjusting the idle mix screw to richen it up a little. Is the A/C running when the stall happens? If so, mixture, or a non-functional throttle kicker (to raise idle with A/C on) may be to blame.


Rule of thumb for figuring if stalling or hard start is rich or lean related with carbs, If you have to give it a little gas or pump the pedal to restart it, it's too lean, if you have to floor it and feather the throttle to start it and keep it running, it's rich.

[Shirako]

Well that brings me to another problem that cropped up, changing the gas cap wont be too easy now, lol the part the cap screws on to just gave way from rust and broke off so now i'm stuck and dont know what to do, but I have the fuel filters and am gonna try and find someone to put them in sine I dont have a ramp to get under the car to change the main filter. ;/

[Shirako]

One more question, there was a recall in 93 for the gas filler/breather, would they still replace that now or is it too late?