1987 Firebird Formula. I have swapped the engine from the 305 to a vortec 350. I realize some adjustments will need to be made for the bigger engine. I would like to start by trying to reset my quadrajet to the original settings. In a rush to rebuild it I didn't count turns before I pulled the mixture control solenoid. I know there is a tool kit and a gauge that fits over the needle housing. I think all I really need is the length of that tubular gauge. Once I have that I can set the lean air travel, I just don't have that starting point. I have seen an article about just making sure in the resting position that it just touches the needles. I don't think that is a very good start since the springs can be worn or stretched. Thank you in advance!

 

OK, couple of things....

Any rebuild kit will give you cheap paper/cardboard measuring tools to set the heights of various things. Plenty good for a one-time effort.

Now here's what actually matters, if you don't know your starting point and don't trust the cheap paper gagues. The CC-Qjet, in stock form, has baseline settings adhere to what I call the "QJet rule of 4". In order....

Idle mixture screws: 4 turns out from lightly seated.
Lean stop adjustment: 4 turns up from lightly seated.
Rich stop adjustment: set for 1/8" of MC plunger travel (FOUR thirty secondths of an inch, if you're keeping score) after you have the lean stop set properly (don't forget the thickness of the airhorn gasket affects this so set it with the airhorn gasket in place and fully torqued down).
Idle Air Bypass valve: 4 turns up from lightly seated.

I hate the POS adjusting screws that require D-shaped or double-flat tools that go over the top of their heads to adjust them. Total waste of money. Get out your dremel and cut a notch straight across their heads. Then you can use any old regular (small) flat-blade screwdriver you happen to have in your hand to turn them.

I've done more than just one or two of these in my life (ask anybody on the board) and that's how I do them to get them "in the ballpark" starting from a bucket of parts with no idea where the original settings were (and they usually work just fine with no other changes).

 

so damon would you wanna rebuild my q-jet? or do you have a guide somewhere? or do you recommend just putting an eddie on it?

 

I can vouch for Damon. He is one of the last good Q jet tuners around. I have read many of his posts on TGO and Nastyz28. He can work wonders with those black magic quadra-bog, I mean quadra-jet carbs

 

I know I've seen it listed but I can't find it for the life of me. Do you know the actual part number of the actual little tool kit with the specialty tools for the Qjuet adjustments?

 

On my CC Qjet, once I put the dwell meter on it, the IAB wound up almost 7 turns up from seated to get it within the 30* mark on the meter.

 

I took a similar approach, but on the other side: I took an old screwdriver with a shaft small enough to fit in the well, cut off the tip, and used my Dremel to cut a notch straight across the end. Instant "D-screw" driver. And I didn't need to do it again for the next CC q-jet I adjusted.

(It's been awhile, but I think when I got done, I heat treated it in case the grinding had softened the tips too much.)

 

Thanks Damon for the quick reply. I read your settings last night after I was out in the garage. I was able to make a tool for the adjustment screw by getting a tire valve remover for $2 lol. Anyway I had not moved the rich setting so I only adjusted the travel to get into range. I have it running longer than a few seconds now!!! I can tweak from here with your info. Thank you!! As for the gauge tool I don't know the part number but hopefully I won't need it now.

 

Cool. Glad I could help.

Not sure where you buy the "proper" tool set. It's just a hobby for me, so I never felt like I needed them or would get enough use out of them. And they're never around when I need them. Invariably I end up doing stuff like this on a friend's car 50 miles from home leaning over a fender in the dark with a flashlight and a screwdriver when we figure out at 5pm that the TPS is bad in the carb and the only one in stock is at an auto parts store across town that closes in 20 minutes. And since were's going to be cracking the carb open anyway, might as well buy a rebuild kit and..... blah, blah, blah.

 

Yeah, that's what happens to me as well. I just don't know enough about the carb, I mean I've read all the posts but I've never had anyone next to me walking me through it so when I do it, it's a bit daunting and I know it could probably be tuned "better".

As for the proper kit...who knows? I saw a link on here to one on ebay but I don't remember what it is though I'd like to pick it up if I can.

 

Thexton was the company that made the MC solenoid setting tools; two or three gauges, IIRC. I have the gauges but I can't remember where I stashed them.

 

I have the Thexton tools. Maybe not every single one.

TPS tool pics in my post: https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/tech...ator-help.html