Having used the search and discovered a bit more info about the carb on my 85 'bird (a POS 600 cfm apparently!! ). I don't think there's any fuel even getting to the secondaries, let alone them opening properly.

Please bear in mind I've only had the car a couple of months and she's my first American too.

When I finally got around to looking at the carb today I found that the secondaries were black - covered in deposits. Not good...
Liberal doses of carb cleaner spray have removed most of the crap.

During the search I read that snapping the throttle open by hand will not make the secondaries open; the engine needs to be under real loads. OK a question. If I hold open the main throttle (engine NOT running!) it allows me to then fully open the secondaries by hand. Should I see fuel squirting out of the secondaries when I do this?

I haven't checked if the float chamber has fuel in it yet. Does removing the large screw on top of the chamber allow you to check the chamber?

Maybe the vac diaphragm is broken? If so how can I remove the cover? I presume I'd have to unbolt the carb from the engine.

Cheers,
Mark.

 

Carbon build up probably wasn't hurting anything. Did you clean it while the carb was off the engine? If it was still on, where did that carbon go?

You won't see any fuel squirting, the engine has to 'suck' the fuel and must be running.

Screw on the side, while it's running will let you know if it has fuel. Should be just below the hole, give the car a shake and see if any comes out (while it's running and the side screw is out)

The top screw locks the nut underneath it. That nut adjust the fuel level in the bowl.

Sounds like everything is probably working fine...you should hardly feel the secondaries open up if at all. It's gradual. Nothing wrong with the 1850 holley 600cfm on a mild engine. If you want to do some secondary spring tuning, get the quick change kit and some springs.

 

Err... No I haven't taken the carb off yet so I presume the deposits and carb cleaner went through my engine

Mind you, there isn't a catalytic converter in the exhaust, so the stock 305 just spat it out the back... I hope!

Thanks for the info regarding the sighting hole

Mark.