I've been surfing around the archives for some info on this but I'm still stuck. I have an '81 and to get it started I have to pump the gas pedal a ton and hold the choke out all the way, then keep it out about halfway to keep it idling at around 1100 rpm. If I push the choke back in it dies. The carb has mechanical secondaries and all the emissions have been removed. I traced back for any vacuum leaks and everything is fine. Any idea what might be causing this? I'm gonna read more of the Sterling thread but I was wondering if anyone may have had this issue.

 

definitely a vac leak

 

sounds like a vacuum leak. to me too

i have run into this same problem, ironically WITH a sterling, where the idle circuit just didn't want to meter fuel. the stock carb worked, all the passages were clear, etc etc, it just would not work.

i had that happen on a stock carb too, but it was a vacuum leak @ the acv, it can leak INTERNALLY, so you can spray the outside with whatever you want and never find it

 

Are you saying that the engine will die when you push the choke in, even when warm? Or are you saying that after you start it, while it is still cold, you push it in and it dies?

While the engine is cold, the choke is designed to stay "on" until the engine is warmed up. After that, a sensor tells the choke that its okay to release.

Just not sure what you meant.




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Okay, this is what I do... I pull the choke out and pump the gas to get it to start, then I leave the choke out until the car is warm. At this point I push the choke back in slowly and it dies. Unless I leave it about halfway....

 

Is this when its cold only or all the time? As kentetsu says when its cold this is normal behavior, otherwise I would say vacuum leak.

 

Have you gone through Sterling's steps to tune the idle? Could just be a problem with idle speed/mixture. Could also be a timing issue.