I have a 73 mav, with the 302 that i've been trying to get running right for the past couple of weekends. I've rebuilt the carb, played with the mixture screws, played with timing but it still runs like garbage and smokes... So i decided to run a compression test and found all my plugs are black and my #4 cylinder was filling with fuel. I was running the test with all plugs out... So with all the plugs out there shouldn't be any vacuum for the carb to deliver fuel correct?? The only thing I can think of is my needle isn't seating? Any thoughts tips or other area's to look, from anyone? I also had a screwdriver down the carb to hold both valves open wile remote starting the mav from the solenoid but I didn't see any fuel flowing... but then again i didn't have the best vantage point leaning over the car with a flashlight in one hand and my screwdriver running the starter solenoid with the other. I'm convinced in my mind its a needle/float issue and I'm going to tear the carb down tomorrow, but I just wanted to put this out there to see if anyone else had some other ideas of what might be happening here. Thanks!
Try turning the engine over by hand with a breaker bar so you can get a better idea of what is happening, you may need to pull the starter to do this.
The needle and seat is a very good candidate to look at first. Had one stick ... boy, that was a fun ride home. I was convinced that the car wasn't going to get there on a hook. Had to run it about 3K in neutral at red lights just to keep it running.
If was a cheapo auto parts store kit try putting your old power valve back in. Did 2bbl on 400m ran just like what yours until I put the orginal power valve back. Guess it could be the needle and seat though.
When you get your problem fixed, make sure to change the oil and filter! You probably have gas in the crankcase by now. Pull your dipstick and see if the level is overfull. You can also smell the dipstick for a gas odor. What will happen is that when the engine starts to warm up the gas will boil out of the oil and the fumes will be sucked up by your pcv valve. It will make the mixture very rich even though everything else is Ok. You will not be able to adjust your carb to idle right. The engine may even die if there is enough gas in the oil. The other thing is that gas doesn't lubricate! The more that's in the oil, the more damage the internal parts will suffer!
You called it, its an o'rielly's reabuilt kit, Ill give it a shot tomorrow morning. Thanks for the info
Great info, thanks a lot. Me and a buddy of mine who has tons more experience than I will tackle it first thing tomorrow. Ill let you guys know what I find.
Well you were half right! Wile i was about to replace the power valve with the old one I realized the new one i had put in was loose........ so I tightened that back up... replaced and correctly gaped all spark plugs and put on my new pertronix coil i had laying around. Then i ran the car and it sounded heaps better with no smoke and I reset my timing and now it runs perfectly. Just need to change the oil because it absolutely reeks of gas... Thanks for all the help all, I was starting to get so frustrated and discouraged, you guys definitely pulled me out of 2 week slump
