So I have now installed an RB header, and Mikuni 44 and manifold to my car, and have removed the emissions equipment. I have tried starting the car and at best it runs for a second and then dies, but mostly it just sounds like its trying to start while I crank but nothing happens. I am still on the factory fuel pump just long enough to get the car running and out of my dad's garage, so I can bring it home to my garage. I'm wondering if anyone can spot any obvious vacuum leaks in the pictures I provide, or if anyone has any other suggestions.. I haven't used starting fluid as I figure it's not the best solution. The pictures show some of my questions, like what are the two tubes coming from the distributor, and do those need to connect to the carb? Also, does anyone know whether the small line coming from the carb that I blocked with a screw is necessary (shown in picture with my finger pointing)? I need to mix up some premix as I don't know how accurately the omp will work using the mikuni. I haven't messed with the car as it ran well on a stock 12a before I bought it. Here are some pictures, let me know what you guys think.. The first picture shows the distributor lines and the second shows the small line coming from the bottom of the carb.

 

I just realized these photos don't show much, I will have better ones tomorrow evening..

 

The tubes on the dizzy are actually the vacuum advance lines disconnected. Since you don't
have a good manifold vacuum for webers, you can leave them disconnected. If you connect
them directly to manifold vacuum you will have full advance at idle, maybe not what you want.

The line you plugged maybe for the brake booster but I can't really tell from the pics.

The starting issue sounds like you've flooded it. Try the deflood procedure. The stock pump
will work fine to get you between houses, it will just run lean at extended WOT and won't
keep up with the carb.

 

I agree, you may have flooded it, follow Mr. Farrells advice and see if that helps get it started.

On the vacuum advance lines, the Mikuni should have a brass tube coming out of the top of one of the barrells that has a slight bend, this is for the vacuum advance and will be a vacuum leak if it is not hooked up or plugged. You can "T" them together and hook them to the line. What this does is advances the timing during part throtte accelertion, but not at idle or wide open throttle, helps smooth the idle and avoid preignition during full throttle operation.

That having been said, this leak would not be enough to keep it from cranking, so you have another larger problem smewhere.

If you dont have one you need to get a Mikuni manual, cheap on E-bay.

 

As a suggestion, try what the previous posts say, and also try cleaning your spark plugs.
i tried starting my car the other day, and it wouldnt start, it would fire once and quit, I pulled my plugs out and after cleaning them with my harbor freight spark plug cleaner, one turn of the key it fired right up and brapped (purred) like a kitten

 

Update! The car runs! Idles nicely around 1000 rpm, but stalls easily if I try to abruptly open the throttle, gently opening the throttle allows the motor to rev to 2 or 3k before it sounds like its going to die.. too much fuel? I haven't really figured out a good starting technique, I just happened to get it right and it ran well at least at idle. Also, my throttle cable is too long and I need to find a manual to learn how to tune the carb, but she lives! Sidenote: With open headers and the side draft, the 12a is terribly loud and I can't run the car with the garage apartment tennant home upstairs. More to come, I just started a new job and have had little time to wrench..

 

Good news!!! Great to hear that you have it running.

The off idle stumble you mention is common with this carb and manifold setup and is accelerator pump related. It has to be absolutely perfect to get rid of the stumble, which was hard for me to achieve but with some fiddling I was able to tune it out. Basicly you need as much fuel from the accelerator pump as you can get and it needs to react instantly when you move the throttle. The part where it sounds like it is going to die at 2 or 3K could be too rich or too lean, hard to tell, my guess would be too lean, this is where a wideband would be really helpful. And the last issue about the noise is even with a proper exhaust you will notice that these carbs make alot of intake noise, sometimes louder than the exhaust!!, but it is such a sweet sound!!!!!

 

More pictures:

Flickr: starshark07's Photostream

 

Going to button up little things this week like connecting the vacuum advance tubes from the dizzy to the carb, putting the fan back on and cutting off the old exhaust, after that I need to find a manual and learn to tune the carb, we've been hit with cold weather and it doesn't want to start now... how does the choke work on the 44 (not cable actuated?) or is there no choke?

 

Its cable actuated and will work with the stock choke cable. its the round looking feature between the barrels near the base of the carb. Its not really a choke, more of a " enrichment circuit" that gives more air and fuel when activated.

 

Yeah, its more of a starter than a real temp based choke. Once you have the mikuni tuned just right you won't ever need it (I have mine disconnected). Glad to see another person playing with the 44Phh though. Once I get time to start my rebuild I will be retuning mine to run the Mikuni again.

 

Correct me if im wrong but when i installed my mikuni sidedraft (same carb from what i can tell) the T part where he has 2 hoses coming out of one side was capped and i left it capped. Will he encounter any fuel issues having his fuel pump pumpp directly in his return?? it seems kind of counterproductive.

 

Anyone have an answer for Drake? I am not sure myself.. Also my carb seems clean but I cannot actuate the choke by hand, is it frozen somehow? Also if you guys look at my pictures you'll see those colored clips I unhooked from the rats nest are still connected to the wiring harness, and there are some disconnected connectors on the wiring loom near the alternator, can I get rid of these by cutting them out or something? Finally, did anyone else install a sidedraft and find their throttle cable is too long now? Should I do a quick fix and just clamp the cable to the throttle after pulling out the slack, or get a new, shorter cable?