fbody5

i have an 86 ta i've not had this car long and im new to the world of carbs any how i recently changed my plugs wires dist cap and roor button now the thing is idiling at almost 2 grand before the tune up it idiled a little high but nothing like this i attempted to adjust the screw that i thought controlled this but it made no difference i also checked in my haynes manual which told me to take it to a shop now i know adjusting this can't be that hard but im really not sure what to do

Air_Adam

Is your choke wire plugged into the carb?

fbody5

yes it is although when i was playing with it yesterday i unplugged that wire and it made no difference in idle speed so i just plugged it back up

84'B.A.T.A.

iTrader: (2)

you most likely need to adjust your ignition timing, its probably too advanced. also your throttle cable could be stuck (check your timing first)

TylerP

Make sure you did not knock any vacuum lines off anywhere while you were under there. You can look down the carb and see if the blades are closed or not. If you can see much of a gap around the bore you will need to find the idle screw and adjust it. Every Q-jet I've seen the screw is on the front drivers side of the carb on the bottom.

84'B.A.T.A.

iTrader: (2)

+1

eightTfourTA

iTrader: (3)

Check all that stuff, and try this too: Is the choke plate opening as the engine warms up? If that's not opening all the way you'll be stuck on fast idle. That choke wire should have +12 volts on it with the engine running, there's a fuse in the block for it, usually labeled "C-H". If those 2 things check out, the choke element on the carb might be toast, but also make sure the linkage isn't getting bound up by any wires, hoses, aircleaner parts, etc.
Also try this: There's a counterweight on the pass. side of the carb (usually has a letter "E" on it) you should be able to rotate it downward to knock it off the fast idle setting. The fast idle adjustment screw is also on the pass. side, underneath the choke housing, facing front. I usually set mine to about 1600rpm, but I don't need a wild fast idle with the weather i'm in.

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

The wire heats up the choke thermostat so it opens. That's all. Just unplugging or plugging in the choke wire won't make an immediate effect, even if it is working properly.

The choke high idle is that green "weight" on the passenger side of the carb. If it is up, the choke high idle is "on". When cold, you have to open the throttle some so the high idle cam can "engage", which it does by moving up. As the engine warms up and the choke opens, you have to tap the throttle again to allow that weight to drop down and move to a lower idle.

That's the way carburetors and chokes have operated for decades. If all you've had before is EFI, this is going to seem new and weird, but it's actually pretty simple and very basic. If that mechanism is dirty or gummed up, that weight may not move like it should and cause the problems you're describing.

But, it sounds like it was working at least some before you did the plugs/wires/cap/rotor. Most likely the choke heater wire got disturbed during that process and wasn't making good contact. Make sure it's connected properly and see if that solves it. If the wire was hanging loose and made contact with the engine/carb while the engine was running, you probably blew your choke heater fuse (fuse #2 if memory serves). Is your choke light coming on? Do you hear a buzzing sound under the dash?

Oh, the alternator also has to be working properly for the choke to work properly. That part is a little weird, but just trust us on that one. If the alternator isn't putting out enough voltage, your choke light will come on.

fbody5

ok wow thanks for all the help guys ok no buzzing sound under dash no choke light when i first star it after a couple of pumps to the throttle it idiles way up then it will kick down some just not nearly enough now the screw on the drivers side of the carb is all the way out so i know thats not whats holding it and before the tune up it had two different brands of plugs and terrible wires didn't run well at all

mcampau

you have a vacuum leak. Check all hoses over very well. Look for any hoses that are not connected to anything.

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

That's the "curb idle speed", or normal warmed-up idle adjustment. When the choke is engaged, the throttle arm will not touch that screw. Take the air cleaner off, plug the vacuum port that goes to the air cleaner, start the car up. Push that green weight down - does your idle drop? If the curb idle screw is backed off too much, the engine will probably die when you do this.

The choke idle speed adjustment is on the other side of the carb, kind of stuffed under the choke stuff. Check the sticky https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/carb...e-rebuild.html , Figure 6C1-7, for the location of the screw (bottom of the figure). The head of the screw faces to the front of the car.

fbody5

ok thanks a lot i will attempt to apply all i have learned here as soon as i can i work second shift so not much free time but i will let you all know what i find