What will running without a fuel filter do? Will this cause a Rich cond ? I'm running computer controled Q jet on a recently put in 350. I put on a open air breather and as of now I am running a line from the fuel pump to the carb unfiltered. I am running soooo rich my car looks like it's running on coal! As of now she's DEAD! the spark plugs are so fouled that it no longer runs. This is on plugs less than 2 weeks old! Can some of this be caused by no fuel filter and a open air breather? Will this cause a extremly rich cond?
I'm going to wind up taking this thing to a shop. I need this car to drive. I am thinking about replacing the carb with a good Edelbrock carb and junking the computer. I'm getting a constant check engine light, with a code 41 if this says anything. Thanks for any advise in advance. JIM

 

either your carb is F-ed or you have a fuel pump pushing too much fuel, fuel filters cause no restriction and an open element filter would cause a leaner condition more than richer

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91 RS W/carbed 350, Vortec heads, performer rpm, Comp cams Xtreme energy 280 grind. BFG Drag radials. 3.42 posi,Corvette servoed 700r4, ****ty stock converter
13.24@104

 

One way no fuel filter can cause this is for a piece of junk to get stuck in the needle/seat, causing a flooding condition.

You say you're running a line from the fuel pump to the carb unfiltered - so am I. The filter is behind the carb inlet nut. Did you take that one out?

There is really no good reason to run without a fuel filter. My suggestion would be to get this problem fixed, whatever it is, and not go with non-computer controlled equipment. First, there's the initial expense, and then there's that day when the EPA comes knocking on your city gates.

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82 Berlinetta, orig V-6 car. Rescued w/86 LG4/TH700R with all harnesses, sensors, ECM, etc. 2.73 open. Cat-back from '91 GTA, Accel HEI SuperCoil. AMSOIL syn lubes bumper-to-bumper. Daily driver, work-in-progress (LB9 w/ZZ3 cam, exhaust, paint, etc.).
57 Bel Air, my 1st car. Currently 396 .030 over, Weiand Action+, Edelbrock 1901 Q-Jet, Jacobs Omnipack, 1-3/4" headers, TH400 w/TCI Sat Night Special conv & shift kit, 3.08 10-bolt, AMSOIL syn lubes bumper-to-bumper. Best 15.1 @ 5800' Bandimere. Daily driver while Camaro was being put together.

 

Yes I have no filter, The main reason for this is I just haven't picked up a new one as of yet. The last filter housing was dammaged. The threads were torn up.
As far as I know there is no way for me to control the fule air mixture on a comp. Q jet. I'm going to have to take it to a shop and see if they can do somethig to adjust it.
I've checked the search and several people have had these problems and as far as I can see there is no way to "home repair it" not without some serious tools and Carb know how. Neither of witch I have.
It's running sooo rich that during a plug change ( needed due to extreme carbon build up) gas spilled out of 2 of the clinders. the plugs were coal black, covered with carbon. I can't drive it like this. Thanks for the advise guys I'm going to attempt to keep the computer, we'll see how it goes. JIM

 

You probably have a leaking needle valve due to a piece of debris. Go get a filter and try this to clear it following the steps below (I've done it more than once).

Take off the fuel line at the carb and plug it. Put in the new filter. Without reattaching the fuel line, start the engine and run it until it drains the fuel from the carb (will probably take a minute or so). Then, reattach the fuel line and start it up again.

With the carb flooding, the needle is jammed to the seat by the float, keeping that piece of junk trapped and allowing fuel to continue to flow by. By running the carb dry, the float drops and the debris is no longer trapped. When you reattach the fuel line and start it again, the flow flushes the junk out of the needle/seat. It will stay in the bottom of the fuel bowl until you get the carb disassembled and cleaned (and probably won't cause any trouble for a long time).

You can repeat the flushing operation a couple of times if it doesn't work the first time. It it doesn't work after several tries, you probably have a problem (damage) with the needle/seat.

 

Thanks for the Tip , I think I'll give that a try. I hope it fixes the problem. Jim

 

five7kid, thanks . . . my car had been running rich, and not very smoothly in general. I performed the method you described above, run carb. dry with fuel line off, and based on the results, I must have had something clogging the needle seat as the car runs/idles better than ever now. once again, thanks