Using things in a pinch.

I thought one of the great things about a van was that you could drive around with enough duct tape, coathangers, removed but still decent- looking hose clamps, high-temp plumber's epoxy stick, etc. to give McGyver a late Christmas. See also Gorilla Tape (a superior product that has led me to cheat on duct tape for heavy-duty applications), self-fusing electrical splicing tape, etc. This would be a temporary measure, mostly because none of these things are really quite up to underhood temperatures in the long run, but should get you to the auto parts store.

If you don't have suitable tape, chew some gum. While masticating, contemplate your engine and see what other vacuum hoses you need to replace, one by one, as long as you're at the auto supply. (This one got your attention because of a big vacuum leak in a bad place, but you may bet that some of its buddies down there are in not much better condition.) That should get the gum good and ready for its second act, used in a pinch figuratively and literally as a sealant.

If it is not a custom-shaped hose, you might consider flipping it end for end in an attempt to get the ruined part (probably the one nearest the greatest heat dies first) into a better position for improvised repair. For that matter, think about whether it's long enough for you to cut off the bad part (definitely a "measure twice, cut once -- or less" situation though), again as a temporary measure. Make sure it wouldn't be interfering with any moving parts or resting on something hot before doing either of these things.

Best of luck,

--Joe

A buddy of mine came over here a few hours ago, he took me to an Autozone store, the store didn't have the carburetor vacuum line hose I wanted, I bought some fuel line hose and I put that on my Carter Thermo Quad 9342S 256 2 carburetor in my 1983 Dodge van.That didn't solve the problem as far as the engine running too fast and not running at idle speed is concerned.I have never worked on or rebuilt a four barrel carburtor before, I think it is a four barrel carburetor anyway.

On my way back home from Autozone, I checked at O'Reilly's and NAPA, they didn't have a rebuild kit in stock and neither did Autozone, they didn't have a rebuilt carburetor in stock either.A rebuilt carburetor cost anywhere from around $340.00 up to about $370.00 or thereabouts, depending on which local area auto parts stores around here sells them.I don't want to drive my van anywhere now, because the engine is running too fast now.Anybody have any ideas what I should try next to get the carburetor working ok? cuhulin

If it's not the vacuum line, possibly a stuck choke? Is the small butterfly open or closed on top of the carb? Closed usually means choke which can cause the engine to idle fast.

I bought the van just before October 2008.It has almost 144,000 miles on it.I don't think the carburetor has ever been serviced or worked on before.Yesterday, I noticed the choke rod is broken at about the middle part of the choke rod, I know for certain I didn't break the choke rod.The butterfly plate in the front part of the carburetor seems to be stuck in the open position.I sprayed some carburetor cleaner down into the carburetor and all around the linkages.I wiggled all of the linkages with my fingers.I didn't see anything unusual, except for the broken choke rod and the bad carburetor vacuum line hose which I have already replaced with a piece of new fuel line hose.

Yesterday, I was reading about Carter Thermo Quad carburetors on the web, some models of those carburetors have tamper proof choke units on them.I believe I can get that tamper proof choke unit off if I want to.Maybe somehow I can braze weld the broken choke rod back together with a handheld propane torch and some old brazing rods I have here. cuhulin

Sure, but remove the part. I wouldn't braze next to a carburetor in situ!

Also, disconnect any bimetallic coil from the linkage rod.

On some model Carters (I don't know your model) the fast idle cam plate can flip upside down when parts are worn and the choke is disconnected leaving a random (fast? slow? whatever) setting.

alternately, if you have a good junkyard nearby, just ask if they have a thermoquad in their "recycle" pile. I've gotten little linkage bits and pieces that way, by paying a buck or two for a carburetor that the 'yard had determined was scrap anyway. I had the exact same problem on a '67 Dart - a PO had disabled the choke by mangling the actuating rod. Probably worked OK in North Carolina, not so much in PA in the winter. A few minutes of rooting through a 55 gallon drum of junk carbs and $3 later I had a parts carb of the same model from which to scavenge linkage bits.

nate

fast idle cam plate can flip upside down when parts are worn? I will check that.Sure, I know to remove the broken choke rod and the thermostat before I try brazing the rod back together.Actually, I want to rig up an old style manual choke control similar to like the old cars and trucks used to have, but I don't know if that would work ok on that particular carburetor. cuhulin

This one did that:

I have changed several similar ones to manual choke over the years. Not difficult at all.

Check this site, Cujo

They stock a bunch of parts and kits for older Dodges.

I am using my Bessey bar clamp, it has a knob on it, turn the knob and squeez the lever, the jaws are suppose to spread things apart.It seems to be working, but it is very, very slow.The middle section of my Thermo Quad carburetor is made of phenolic plastic/whatever, and I don't want to break anything.Is there some sort of a ''Trick'' for removing the three main body sections of Thermo Quads? I already have removed all eight of the screws that were holding the three sections together.Unless I missed one or two screws that I didn't see. cuhulin

You might have missed something. Have a look at this

Here's a link to the blow-up of this carb. There's 10 screws holding the body together. Please note in the instructions about 2 screws (35) located by the choke and air horn. Too bad the diagram doesn't really give a good idea of where these screws are located. Good luck!

How to rebuild a Carter Thermo Quad Carburetor I saw a website and I am reading, cuhulin

Old wire fence that used to be in my back yard, Summer of 2008, I tore it down.I am glad I saved back a piece of one of the top/bottom horizontal wires.The diameter of that stift piece of wire is almost exactly the same diameter of the broken choke rod on my Carter Thermo Quad carburetor.I just now finished up with making a new choke rod from that old piece of fence wire. Using things in a pinch can be a Martha Stewart Good thing. cuhulin