The Accelerator Pump Blues

- J
- J Seymour MacNicely
  
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posted
16 years ago

Mon, May 14, 2007 5:49 AM

I'm mad enough to piss molten stainless steel. Two thousand bucks in bills from two incompetant mechanics, the first who "rebuilt" my carb (a 4 barrel Rochester), claiming the float was stuck. Maybe it was or maybe it wasn't, but before he got hold of it, that engine would start on a dime, every time and never kill or stumble. Now it does. Like a damned fool I brought it to a second mechanic. After an additional $400.00 IT'S STILL DOING THE SAME THING.

I'll be damned if I'll ever trust another auto mechanic again for so long as I live, or anybody else for that matter. TRUST? For what? You should "trust" people? You should 'trust' the people who are out there to f*ck you? Piss on you who say so. Stick trust totally by every inch of it up your asses. Piss all over a bunch of stinking "trust", to the tune of two thousand bucks of hard saved labor!!!! Don't talk to me ever again about "trusting" people. People we should trust? Is there a man on earth who is PERFECT and worthy of trust?

Show that guy to me and I will know I met God. Anything less is NOT worthy of trust.

I'm going to adjust that accelerator pump myself and if there is but one charitable understanding soul amongst you who can sympathize, a man who knows *just exactly* what an accelerator pump is and what it does, if you could just kindly, compassionately explain in a little more detail than my Chilton's book does, how I go about adjusting that thing, I would not necessary trust, like, blindly what you say, but with open eyes and a reasoning mind I will pay very careful and respectful attention. And if it works, I'll be downright damned good and grateful.

- B
- Big Al
  
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posted
16 years ago

Mon, May 14, 2007 2:54 PM

Get a real service manual. If you can read and comprehend, you can repair it. If it's the original carburetor, don't replace it with an "auto parts" rebuilt.

Al

- W
- Whitelightning
  
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posted
16 years ago

Wed, May 16, 2007 1:40 AM

For the OP: The accelerator pump supplies an extra shot of fuel to help with acceleration. When the throttle plates open, vacuum drops, and vacuum is what pulls the fuel through the carb, so there needs to be a "helper" for lack of a better word It also allows the operator to give the engine an initial shot of fuel to help it start.

Now a couple of observations: OP never states what the original issue was that had him seeking repairs OP never gives any pertinent info about the vehicle having problems, i.e. year make model, engine, carb, tranny etc. The kinds of things people need to now to give advice.

But even more so, I think if he has a valid complaint its liable to be a more common occurrence in these times. Its been 20 plus years since vehicles used carbs. The number of people who really knew how to work on them is shrinking everyday. I would wager 40-60% of automotive repair personnel have never made their living working on carbs. While a Quad isn't a super complicated piece of hard ware, as say compared to a Carter Thermo-Quad, it still has its quirks. In the hands of the inexperienced its a can of worms best not opened.

A miss-adjusted accelerator pump linkage isn't going to be a major starting problem. The adjustment determines how the fuel is delivered, a long slow squirt, or a short all at once squirt. If you mash the pedal before hitting the key when cold, ether adjustment will get the job done. And if its hot it shouldn't need pumping to get it started to begin with.

On the other hand a miss-adjusted float can cause all the issues the OP is ranting about. If the needle valves were turned into far during initial set up they could have been grooved, and will never adjust correct. The choke pull off could be messed up. The choke could be adjusted wrong. There could be vacuum lines hooked up wrong. The metering rods could be hanging up, or the carb could have an internal vacuum leak. If the vehicle really has a lot of years and miles on it, the bores for the throttle plate rods could be worn.

I will agree with Bob, the OP needs to take his meds before he blows a gasket. Also its been my observation that people who rant like that, do so because they are judging others by their own standards, i.e. everyone is just like them.

Whitelightning