OT: Chebby El Camino Carb Issue...

Unlikely that there's a fuel cutoff switch being it's carburated. Those are usually associated to fuel injection and higher line pressures. Chances are the carb dries out and is varnished up - probably nothing a carb kit won't cure.

Good luck! Rob

Grumpy AuC> A friend has a 1981 El Camino that he needs to dispose of that has a

Check the fuel filter hidden behind the 15/16 nut at the point where the fuel line enters the carb.

Freddy

Grumpy AuC> A friend has a 1981 El Camino that he needs to dispose of that has a

I agree, just throw the piece of sintered crap filter away and add an in-line between pump and carb.

Freddy Badgett wrote:

Did that, plenty of fuel at that point. This thing has a couple of wired thingies on the side/top of the carb. I disconnected both and reconnected 'em figuring that it might be some corrosion but no go.. And, it ain't a throttle body because it has an accelerator pump...

JT

Freddy Badgett wrote:

Filter was fine and looked like a recent replacement (paper).

What are those electrical connections on top of the carb?

JT

oldcarfart wrote:

As admitted here before, I am by no means a mechanic, but as a lifelong Chevy buyer, starting with a new '81 Monte Carlo V8, I can tell you that 1981 was the first year for GM cars (I assume the El Camino would really fall under this classification) to have an onboard computer ("Computer Command Control") for emissions and driveability. They were awful! Expect driveability issues, "Check Engine" light, and plugged converter, no matter what! FYI (maybe you know this already) that 3.8 is a Chevy engine, not the 3.8 Buick (Chevy 3.8 used only from '80 to '84 in Chevys). I believe they had camshaft problems as did the 267 and 305 V8's of the same vintage, but couldn't guarantee that.

Bill Pressler Kent, OH '63 Lark R1

You may be correct on the needle and seat sticking. The car should start even with all the electrical disconnected. If you can fill the bowls though the vent tube you may get enough gas in there for it to run ling enough to unseat the float.

An outside chance is that the gas in the tank is so old and bad the car won't run on it.

Have you given it a lov> Grumpy AuC> > A friend has a 1981 El Camino that he needs to dispose of that has a

Heh... A B-I-G "loving" tap with a ball peen more than once... No response whatsoever!

Do you know what carb that engine used? (The accelerator pump is on the lower right side as you face the engine from the front).

JT

Big E wrote:

They are electronic Rochester Quadrajets.

Grumpy AuC> Heh... A B-I-G "loving" tap with a ball peen more than once... No

is there a rock mounted on the carb?

look for a VERY fat nut, where the fuel line connects TO the carb.. about a shy inch in diameter thing.. unscrew it and see if there is not a brass colored mesh hunk of metallic stuff.. replace, or leave it out and put an inline filter in.. --Shiva--