Racing engine...

[slategrove]

I've repleced the aftermarket carb (Rochester Monojet) that was on my 48 Dodge Town Sedan when I bought it, with a Ball & Carter 1bbl.

Good news: It starts right up (no spraying starting fluid in the carb like before)

Bad news: It races instantly to a really high rpm

I've adjusted the idle screw to run as lean as possible, but I don't have the linkage running to the carb yet. Could this be the cause of my racing engine? Or is there another adjustment on the carb that I don't know about?

[greg g]

well there is an idle speed adjustment screw on the linkage on the carb. So unless you have the throttle return spring attached you have nothing to return the throttle plate to the stop. Adjusting the mixture screw will have no effect until you get the engine to idle with the throttle plate closed. Whenever the trottle plate is opened, the idle circuit is bypassed so any adjustment is futile.

If you can't hook up the linkage, at least jury rig the spring to close the throttle, then start your adjustments, the initial setting for the mixture screw should be 1 1/2 turn out from the closed position. the idle speed adjustment screw should be to the left and slightly higer tha teh idle mixtur screw. I will be attaches to the likage on the carb and not on the carb body itself.

[james curl]

The accelerator pump spring will hold the throttle plate open if you do not have the linkage installed along with the return spring on the Carter Ball & Ball. You should never start an engine with the carburetor throttle linkage disconnected as there is nothing to hold the butterfly in the idle position and it will open off idle from the airflow past the plate when the engine starts causing it to race wildly.

[slategrove]

Thank you guys for all your help...I'll get the linkage and return sring on and try it then.

[Niel Hoback]

I was about 15 when that happened to me. the 1/2" pipe fitting for the windshield wipers had gotten out. It took all day to figure out what was wrong.