1973 Other Buick Models Acceleration

Hi,

Thanks. Yes the secondaries do open manually for me. The mechanic set the points with a dwell meter to 30 degrees (spec is 28 to 32). I don't know what the timing is actually set to, but the spec is 4 degrees BTDC. Side question: if the car is regularly running on 95 to 99 octane (spec gravity 0.710 - 0.700), should the timing be advanced a little to account for the increase, or is the increase small enough not to affect the timing? So, when I squirt a little gasoline into the secondaries, what should that accomplish? Clear the clog if there is one? Do I start the car after squirting gas in? Also, I was under the impression that the only way to get the secondaries to open was to put the car under load (heavy acceleration or something) while moving not sitting still. Does loosening and tightening of the bake lite screws adjust the choke? Also, are there two sets of screws (one for cold choke and one for hot) or do you just adjust for cold and hot takes care of itself?

Thanks again. What about the carburetor? Leaner? Richer? Could my response problem be due to improper balancing of the carb? Since I don't have a dwell meter, how can I check the balance and be sure it is at proper richness/leaness?

Thanks in advance.

Hi,

I'm not seeing any black smoke from the exhaust or anything. I just know that when completely warmed to operating temperature, the car won't use the secondaries (it seems). I say this because when you plunge the pedal, nothing happens. Literally. The car loses it's power (the engine does not rev, the car doesn't move any faster, nothing). However, if I take my foot off the gas and slowly depress it (NOT all the way) about 3/4 of the way, the car seems to have a boost. But it's still not like before the carb was rebuilt. (I think I got screwed).
Choke may be good enough as long as its not closed by the vacuum created at the throttle, and yes open the throttle by hand so you can see if the secondaries are opening at full throttle, also the DETENT cable to the transmission is hooked up right?
The other adjustment for a gas starved engine is the mixture screws, basic setting is turn each one(two screws) all the way in gently, then back out 2/12 turns, then use a dwel meter and fine tune them until the highest RPM is reached. Then set you idle speed.
Unfortunately, I don't know what the mechanic set the calibration point for transfer to the secondaries. How do you alter that? Also, how do I properly balance the carb and be sure of proper mixture without a gauge?

Today, I went out and bought a dwell meter just for the sake of ease. I'd like to re-tune. What order should I do the following things in?

Carburetor Balance
Timing
Dwell
RPMs

Also, I read that using the dwell meter you set the carburetor one side at a time to achieve the highest RPMs. What does that mean? How does the meter know when I switch sides? Do I keep the meter attached to the coil and the ground? Lastly, I was told that if I have to choose, verge on the side of rich rather than lean.

Hi,

According to the instructions of the car, I disconnected and plugged the distributor vac hose. Moved the screws inward (not enough to stall the engine just enough to make it sound really hollow and shaky). Next, I turned them outward (one-at-a-time). However, I didn't get a peak max. The tach leveled out, but after that the RPM didn't decrease even if I turned them out 2 or 3 more full turns, so I put them back to the spot where the max was originally achieved and repeated for the other side. The car seemed to do well on a test drive. But now, do I have any way of knowing if I'm on the lean or rich side? PS The base idle is on target with the car in drive ( 700 RPM).
The secondaries do open when I open the throttle manually. I attempted balancing the carb in the event the mix was too lean. Unfortunately I do not have a dwell meter. I had to do this the 'old-fashioned way'-- by ear. From the sound of the car in motion, I think I have it a little too rich but that can be fixed. I'm still having the same problem with abrupt acceleration (the cough without power). What is DETENT cable to the transmission? How do I make sure it's hooked up right? Would timing cause a problem like this, but allow regular driving without problem? I know from the last time the car was in the shop, the dwell is 30, the range is 28-32 for this car.
Thank you.

Hi,

I'm sorry to hear about your bad news. I hope you're up and about again.

About the carb adjustment, any ideas on why mine did not peak and then decrease? It just leveled and stayed there no matter how much farther I turned out the screw. (Again, mine is Rochester 4bbl). I returned the screw to the point where it originally peaked and then started on the other side. It did the same thing. I had the distributor vac hose disconnected and plugged per Chilton Manual instructions. Do you think I still achieved a balanced carb with proper mixture? How would I know if the carb is NOT in proper balance?

Thanks again,
Jon

Thanks for your help. What is bog?

Happy Thanksgiving to you, too.
Jon

Hi,

Ok, I do have that problem, but only if I stomp the gas. For example, if I'm moving and I put the pedal to the medal abuptly, the car coughs and doesn't do anything (no acceleration, and the engine does not rev). However, if I push the pedal more easily the car accelerates just fine. I still can't put the pedal all the way down (even easily) or it coughs and so forth. Why? This is an on-going puzzle for me that I haven't figured out yet. Any clues?

Thanks again,
Jon