1976 Eldorado- starting problems

[LenInLA]

It takes a few pumps on the gas to start the car. When I maneuver in a tight spot in a parking garage, it sometimes stalls.

The mechanic said that the carb had been adjusted from the factory numbers. He said that there was no reason for it; and adjusted it back to the factory numbers.  No effect.

Any ideas? I'm also trying to figure out why the numbers were adjusted in the first place.

Thanks!

Leonard Grayver

[TJ Hopland]

Did he say what adjustments were wrong?   I am assuming he didn't take the carb apart so he was just setting the base idle speed and idle mixtures?

How long has it been since the carb was rebuilt and how much faith in the quality of the rebuilder?

When was the last time the igniton system was checked?   Things like age of components, is the mechanical advance working correctly,  vacuum advance,  vacuum lines related to vacuum advance,  egr? 

[V63]

There's not an  'easy' answer.

Verify...Is it flooding?

Could be vacuum leak to carb issues.

I would start with verifying no vacuum leaks, could be from numerous sources. Those carbs were bad for leaking down thru soft plugs in the well...i epoxy them when i get the chance. The foam floats were also an issue

[76eldo]

It's a carb on a 76 Cadillac.
Yes it requires a few pumps to start. One pump at least to snap the choke shut and set up the high idle. Modern injected cars have fuel squirting as soon as you turn the key.  What you have is some fuel in the float bowl and when you pump it a few times that's how some fuel gets into the manifold. If the car site for a few days your float bowl is empty.

Cranking gets fuel in the carb.

Check to see if the idle is too low.

Brian

[Scot Minesinger]

The shop manual states (as one possible problem) that fast idle is not quite high enough.  Had the same problem on a 76 carb even after I rebuilt it.  Quarter turn and all was good.  Might (emphasize might) be that.  Your car starts (dose not suffer starting issues), just stalls when cold and under load, so for me the fast idle screw made it all better.

[savemy67]

Hello Len,

As Brian said, a carburetor equipped car needs at least one pump of the gas pedal to set the choke.  If you have not driven your car in several days, the fuel bowl in the carb may be empty due to a leak or evaporation.

When you maneuver in tight spaces, the power steering pump goes from providing almost no assist to maximum assist.  The car is also most likely not making much forward or rearward progress.  Although not probable, these two conditions could combine to put enough strain on the engine to cause it to stall.  This can be overcome with a properly adjusted carburetor.

The mechanic who adjusted the carb may not have thought about why the carb was adjusted differently from factory specs prior to his "correction".  Perhaps something about the condition of the car called for the carb specs to be different from factory specs.

As others have stated, the carburetor may  be in need of adjustment or a rebuild.  If you consider the latter, there are a few places you can send the carb to, so that it can be reliably rebuilt.  You can search this forum for recommendations, or just ask.  Given that the mechanic who re-adjusted your carb, did so without inquiring as to why the adjustments were different from factory specs, and didn't correct your problem, I might not consider that mechanic when thinking about a carb rebuild.

Respectfully submitted,
Christopher Winter

[bcroe]

And of course if it still has the original timing chain set, it is way overdue
to be replaced.  Check it out.  Bruce Roe

[Scot Minesinger]

Adding on to Bruce, if power steering hoses are not replaced (original), they need to be as they are a fire hazard.  I routinely replace any original power steering hose on my Cadillacs.  This is especially true on the Eldorado, as some of my friends have suffered a fire.

["Cadillac Kid" Greg Surfas 15364]

Len,
In all probability the idle speed is set a rev or two low.  You said "factory numbers". What numbers are you talking about?  There were three distinctly different carbs in 76.  Do you have the number of your carb? It should end in 230, 530 or 232. 
In regards to the pumping the gas, that sounds normal, and to add on to what has been suggested, I would carefully check your muffler bearings while you are at it.
Greg Surfas