Prepare for some dumb questions.... My carb is a 2100 autolite with no choke butterfly and assembly

1) The gasket between the main body and air horn is become soaked with gas and thus leaks i assume this is due to to high wet float setting is this correct?
2) The car idles rough and one idle screw doesn't seem to do much. I assume that it is dirty and need cleaning is this correct?
3) I got the car going but the idle speed was very high and the car had no throttle response, should i go back to the start with the idle mixture and try again?
4) The valve lash was too tight before and the car wouldn't idle at all soI loosen each an 1/8th would a further 8th or 16th improve the idle and thenI can tune the carb and thencheck the lash again? it make no lifter noise at the moment?
5) The car surges and hunts a little what would this be incorrect mixture?

Any help would be useful as this is my first carb'd car i have owned.

 

anybody

 

First thing is to get the wet float level right, that should help with #1, 2, and 5.

 

cheers that what i try first after work 2rrw

 

+1.

With regards to #3, start by slacking/backing out the idle adjustment screw (where the metal accelator linkage attaches to the carb). Then make sure your fast idle cam isn't engaged. Do this by waiting for your car to warm up and then giving the throttle a quick blip. You'll see it on the opposite (passenger) side of the carb by the choke. Which reminds me, make sure your choke is not engaged while setting the idle. Lastley, adjust your idle mixture screws. The rule of thumb is screw them all the way in (gently) and then back out approximately 2 full turns. However, for me this is closer to about 4 turns. No idea why this is, but that's where my car idles best...

Note that the idle mixture settings have no effect (that I know of) on your response. My guess is that your accelerator pump is not functioning. Did you replace that gasket? Is it leaking from there?

 

I replaced the gasket and valve in pump, my leak comes from the airhorn gasket. When i replaced the needle valve i noticed the needle was bigger in the kit than the orginal so i think i just flooding it slight hence when I increase the idle speed it becomes no problem. I know it not a choke issue as i don't have one!!

 

crunchyskippy: that's a lot of idle. four turns out.
that is usually very rich. So my guess is that you might be fulling some 'wrong air' somewhere. when car is running with airfilter on spray sonme brake cleaner or wd40 around the carb (not into airfilter). The idle should not change. If you're pulling some wriong air the mixture will get too lean and you compensate that with a rich idle screw.

same for you paddy.
But in your case it worries me that one of the idle screws doesn't do much.

What people say above with gently is that when you close them fully, do it very carefully as you will notch the screw otherwise. Very bad

How do you mean nothing changes ? when you close one side fully it sounds the same as when you open the same screw 4 turns ?

Factory setting for idle screws on autolite2100 is one to oneandahalf turns open according to shop manual

As you say you have no choke plate on top of carb. do things improve when the car is warm ?

Kalli

 

Paddy - If your airhorn gasket it saturating, you're definitely experiencing a float issue not closing properly. You mentioned that the replacement needle was larger - did you replace the needle and seat together? Take a close look at the needle and make sure the tip isn't damaged. Its not hard to damage it by adjusting the float height without isolating the needle. (You don't want to use the needle to leverage the float to adjust up. Not sure if this makes sense to anyone...) But check again that your testing it with a warm engine and with the fast idle disengaged.

Kalli - You've got an EXCELLENT point about my"bad air". I'm embarrassed that it has never occured to me. Thanks for the advice. Are there any other places besides the base of the carb that are usual suspects for air leaks? I'm hoping that the fix doesn't entail getting my manifold planed!

 

Cruchy yeah i replaced the seat as well, my thinking is that the float set up was perfect for the smaller needle but know is crap for the larger one due to higher flow not reactinf fast enough keep them anyway for spare so if can't get this dialed in I will change back. Regarding the needle on one side not being as senstive or took longer to make a difference I think maybe the needle is a little dirty so will clean that up those edelbrock video in the FAQsuggested that. Will work on it thursday now...oh well

 

crunchyskippy:
a) the vacuum advance on distributor or the hose leading to it. if that's gone south you'll have such a problem
to check: switch off engine. disconnect the hose on the carb side and then (I know it sounds disgusting) suck air through that hose. So that you would advance the ignition. If you can pull constant air the membrane is dead (or the hose leaks). if it gets harder and stops at some point the membrane is ok.
If it's ok, put your tounge on the hose to block it. You should feel the thing pulling back. It needs to keep pulling basically forever. if it's pulling less and less then you have a minor leak in membrane or hose
You can test this with a vacuum testing pump as well. create vacuum on the hose and see if the mebrane holds it.
If this is your case, then temporarly block this hose so the carb can't pull air there and get a new vac advance


b) generally all hoses and gaskets. mostly the gasket between carb and intake manifold. check that with spray

The connection on the exhaust manifold should be no problem as this is supposed to pull (warm) air
I'm not too experienced on Mustang V8s but for all carburated engines I worked on it was mostly the vac advance or it's rubber hose or the gasket to intake manifold

Your idle screws seem to be fine (i guess) as when you destroy them by closing them too strong it would cause the idle being too rich after half turn already

Hope it's any help