gdh

Sorry to hear things are continuing to get worse after we last talked. Anne and I wish you and your family the best in these sad times.

Dodosmike

Was able to get a fer hours on this last night.

As qik59 mentioned. The fuel filter gasket is dried up and cracked in more than one place. Starting the car up and spraying some brake kleen at the base gasket speeds up the motor, so that leaking. Tightened down the 4 bolts as far as I though I could go didnt help. Gave one front bolt a bit more torque, SNAP. Great Backed the other bolts out, carb off, vice grips on the broken bolt and luckily it came right out.

Surprised how rough the inside of the intake fuel runner surfaces are. Not about to port and polish that baby.

Pulled the valve cover, cork gasket is split, so if that's where the fuel was getting in, I have no idea. Plausible I guess.

Some of the little screws inside the carb are just finger (screwdriver) tight. Should they have Loctite on them? Blue I assume. Some play in the butterfly shafts vertically and horizontally as well. 1/8" or less. What's to much? Is ANY to much?

Off the flip my moose steaks on the BBQ. Later gang. Thanks for the best wishes on the FIL. He's still with us. Have Internet at his house now, paired it to my cell phone. Lol.. Big $$$$$$. Company phone.


Dodosmike.

QIK59

Noooo you don't Loctite carb screws - just snug them up.

What was the carb massaging that was done and by who ?

Replace fuel inlet gasket and carb gasket - if you were close I could give you the inlet gasket.

Don't over torque (break bolts)

You're over thinking things.

kidneyboy

Geez Mike sorry to hear that things are not getting better quickly. If it's any consolation my car is in the shop again, I'll bet I've only put four tanks of gas in it all summer. Good luck with the repair and I hope that your FIL is as comfortable as he can be.

Dodosmike

Thanks for the positive thoughts and PM's guys.

I was able to source a new inlet seal locally from my little towns shade tree mechanic.

Carb was "rebuilt", but to what extent I have no idea. Perhaps ethanol did play a role in the degradation of the carb, hoses and gaskets. Looks fairly clean inside the intake, kind of surprised actually. Didn't know what to expect really.

If all goes to plan I'll be back on the road by this weekend, if it stops raining.

dodosmike

Dodosmike

Mike, I was 4 tanks of fuel A WEEK!. 285km on 50L was the last tank. At a 1.55/L for super, its crazy expensive.

Maybe between your car and mine we can get one running right and we can share it for the rest of the summer.



FIL is not comfortable that's the issue, Terminal "big C". My MIL is in over her head from a care point of view. Its becoming a safety issue, for her and him. We're looking at alternative arrangements. Hospice care meeting today. Long term care isn't an option (my wife works in a LTC home as a Director of Admin services), FIL is not a candidate for LTC. He needs "short term care" that a hospice can provide.

I'm glad I'm an only child. Between my MIL and 4 kids nobody has the b@lls to make any hard decisions that would affect their dad.

As the old saying goes, you can pick your friends but you cant pick family. I'm fairly opinionated. If I don't like or agree with something I'll make it known, be damn'd whom ever had the idea. I'm not a decision maker in the care of my FIL, nor do I want to be. I can and do give my opinion to the family as I went through this EXACT same process with my dad in the fall of 2011. Dying a slow death sucks for everybody involved.

My dad died in Jan 2012 after struggling at home for 5 months prior. I wasn't pretty. The parallels to whats happening to my FIL now is shockingly the same.

Hummmm, just noticed today is August 6th. Today would have been my dads 74th birthday.

rant over sorry. Needed to get that of my chest. Going for a early lunch and have a beer to celebrate dads birthday.

dodosmike

Maymyvetteliveforevr

Again, sorry to hear Mike,


As for the carb situation, I know briankeery and I have a spare 78' Quadrajet (recent purchase). You can borrow mine and swap it out to see if that's the problem. Unfortunately I'm far from you and had the same situation as you... earlier this year (which became the priority) and postponed a major kitchen reno to the point that I'm still working on it and haven't touched my car at all this year. Point is, I don't have the time to drive down to you.

kidneyboy

"Maybe between your car and mine we can get one running right and we can share it for the rest of the summer." Kind of like job sharing.

I was the decision maker for my Dad when the time came mostly because everyone else decided to NOT have an opinion until AFTER I made the decision to take him off the machines. Its a lose lose lose situation and nobody comes out of it happy. I may have my car back for the weekend...another tank of gas! Stay strong brother.

Dodosmike

Thanks for the offers of the carbs guys. Its truly appreciated, trust me.

I have a friend who was a 22 year GM Tech and has "acquired" many obsolete, NOS and discarded but usable parts over the years. Ive scrounged a couple Q-jets from him that should work. I have an almost complete one off a late 80's blazer that might be a candidate.

He and I were talking and agrees, perhaps swap the intake at the same time. We'll see tonight.

More and more I thinking just bolt on the QuickFuel 650 and be done with it. The time and aggravation this Q-Jet has caused me over the past almost 10 years of ownership is staggering. H3ll, I had almost apart in GDH's driveway prior to a cruise we were going on a few years ago. Wouldn't idle smooth then either.

I'm wondering if the choke could be sticking on or affecting the car in someway while I'm driving and over fueling the car and causing it to struggle.

I have Lars' working papers and have printed most of them off and have them in a binder for easy reference. The terminology is what is getting me.

Sled or ATV carbs, sure I'm good, but automotive carbs are a different animal, even though the theory is the same.

dodosmike

briankeery

The more I read of all our trials and tribulations this summer guys, the more I see a need for us all to get away for a guys weekend in September (of course family matters would supersede). For those guys that are off the road, I'd be more than happy to offer up a passenger seat, just to get you out for a few days.


Mike I have all Lars contact info, and his form he likes you to fill out when the carb goes for service. For basically $400 shipped and returned, my car has never run better. It was literally a re and re with no adjustments required at all. Maybe something to think about over the winter. I hope all you guys are well, seeing less and less C3's up my way......but did have a nice visit with Brett (Mooser) last week as he was passing through town and dropped in to pick up his Corvette Central order.


If we could get up to Tobermory in September that would be great, it's a great place to escape from the rigours of life for a few days.


All the best boys.


B

Dodosmike

Well, its alive.

Shelved the Q-Jet and stock intake. I said screw it. I was getting so frustrated. Wife said "For piece of mind why not buy a new one?" SWEET, she HATES the car with a passion (As Brian may recall, lol). That comment was a HUGE step for her. I used my accumulated VISA points to get a VISA gift card and it only cost me an extra $55 out of my pocket.

650cfm Quick Fuel and a Edelbrock Performer intake. Surprising, but both were "in stock" at a local car parts place here.
Bolted up perfect. Throttle linkage was adjusted, wired the choke, filled the floats and it fired up like it was there all along. Vac gauge to adjust the carb (my mechanic buddy did that part, Ive got no clue what he did), adjusted the timing slightly and it idles great, drop it in gear and it still idles (hasn't done that in years) and best of all, no foul smell being emitted from the tail pipes.

Valve cover gaskets replaced, new fuel lines, fuel filter, new spark plugs, fresh tank of Super ($1.52/L I hasten to add) and were good to go. I just need to determine the gap between the air breather and the hood. Tonight I'll hopefully get a tinfoil ball and see what Ive got to "play with", if my cheepy "three wing" nut type thing will fit or not. Dont want to slam the hood and crack the paint with a too tall "nut".

Went for a drive to see a client this morning and found a little "mid week" car show. Crazy, but whatever. About 30 cars there. I'll post a few pics when I get them D/L off my cell phone.

Thanks again guys for the PM's, offers to help with parts and the suggestions for repairs. I apologize for the rants re my FIL.


dodosmike

briankeery

Glad to hear she's back on the road again. Just back from a quick run down to Wasaga and back.....too many citiots, time to fire up the Q.

kidneyboy

gdh

Glad the QF and Performer worked out so well. No need to apologize for anything Mike. You're under a lot of stress and sometimes just need to let it out.

Dodosmike

Well, we lost the FIL today. The MIL and his four kids were holding his hand to the end.

Seeya at the huntin' lodge.

Mike

Zeeman28a

Condolences Mike.

0Dasilvamotorsports

My condolences Mike .

Black 03 Z06

Condolences Mike.

Rest in Peace.

gdh

Very sorry to read this Mike, our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.

kidneyboy

My deepest condolences Mike.